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Post by Ice Cream Reaver on Jul 15, 2009 16:46:38 GMT 2
This problem started after my computer refused to start up and I started fiddling around with the RAM-sticks, now the computer itself works again, but the computer monitor is stuck at 800x600 resolution, and if I try to raise it, my screen goes black and tells me that the mode is not supported. Also, the resolutions I can choose from seem to be for 4:3 screens while my monitor is a widescreen. I searched around on the internet, but most of the stuff on there I just don't understand because it is total-elitist-computer-whizz-talk.  So... can anyone help this poor old man? |
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Post by Netto on Jul 15, 2009 17:42:56 GMT 2
Try reinstalling the graphics driver. Should probably do.
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Post by Deathtanz Mantisk on Jul 15, 2009 20:52:27 GMT 2
And when that fails, use fire.
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Post by Raikon on Jul 15, 2009 23:58:20 GMT 2
After the fire, buy a mac.
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Post by Deathtanz Mantisk on Jul 16, 2009 0:19:32 GMT 2
After that, burn the mac.
Then the house.
And after that, the WORLD!
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Post by viruszero on Jul 16, 2009 0:56:04 GMT 2
You might be able to check the bios to see if you have bad ram... (You'll have to google to figure out how to access your bios as different manufacturers use different methods.)
Alternatively, you can just boot into windows and go to the control panel. Then (if your using XP with the non-classic look) go to "Performance and maintence" then System. It'll tell you how much ram you have. If the number doesn't match what you know to have in there... then you know you have either bad ram or loose ram. Either way it means tinkering under the hood again.
Though if the computer wasn't working and fiddling with the ram helped... possibly a stick of it is fried? I'm not 100% sure if it would cause the graphics to be messed up... but if the ram is damaged I know it can cause start up problems and hard drive failures, so it may well be able to affect the video card.
It may well be worth the time to open the computer back up and see if you can isolate which ram stick may be bad. (Just remove one, close it up and start it... if it refuses to start then you know which one is bad. If it starts up then try the process but remove the other ram stick this time. Don't forget to replace the stick your testing though...)
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Post by Ice Cream Reaver on Jul 16, 2009 15:01:59 GMT 2
Weird stuff happened, yesterday my comp just turned itself of without warning and I couldn't get it back up. So like any manly man, I started cursing so much even to make even a pirate scared, then I drank myself wasted in the pub. Next morning however, it worked fine again, and I could even raise the resolution to 1280x960, but I still can't get it to my original resolution (1280x1024) so everything' still stretched out. After the fire, buy a mac. Macs are for girls! You might be able to check the bios to see if you have bad ram... (You'll have to google to figure out how to access your bios as different manufacturers use different methods.) Alternatively, you can just boot into windows and go to the control panel. Then (if your using XP with the non-classic look) go to "Performance and maintence" then System. It'll tell you how much ram you have. If the number doesn't match what you know to have in there... then you know you have either bad ram or loose ram. Either way it means tinkering under the hood again. Though if the computer wasn't working and fiddling with the ram helped... possibly a stick of it is fried? I'm not 100% sure if it would cause the graphics to be messed up... but if the ram is damaged I know it can cause start up problems and hard drive failures, so it may well be able to affect the video card. It may well be worth the time to open the computer back up and see if you can isolate which ram stick may be bad. (Just remove one, close it up and start it... if it refuses to start then you know which one is bad. If it starts up then try the process but remove the other ram stick this time. Don't forget to replace the stick your testing though...) My system is displaying a correct amount of RAM and all. Trying your advice about isolating a possible bad stick, I tried to take out one of the sticks, when I turned on the comp, it refused to start up, while the computer kept sounding 3 long beeps. When I pulled that one out, and put in the other stick, it started up as normal, but I still couldn't get my resolution correct, for now I have put them back in, seeing as it didn't really solve the problem. >_O Try reinstalling the graphics driver. Should probably do. I feel like a silly little noob, but how do I do that?  |
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Post by viruszero on Jul 16, 2009 18:46:05 GMT 2
3 beeps... that's not really a good sign actually. That means a problem with the memory. (Either that it's fried or not connected into the slot properly.) And you say you're sure that it's reporting the right ammount? (It's not like each stick of ram is 512 and when checked, with both ram sticks in that, its reporting it only has 512 in it... ) If it is reporting the correct ammount with both sticks active then I have no idea what's going on with that ram.
Ah well, onward to second issue then... Getting the display corrected.
If you happen to have the drivers on your computer already. (Such as if you installed them the first time or after some hardware upgrade... just locate that file and run it.)
However, if the file got lost, it's become corrupt or you never installed the graphics card drivers before...
Google the graphics card manufacturer's name and/or your graphics card name. It should lead to the manufacturer's download page with the latest drivers.
Once you download the drivers just run the exe and it'll automatically install. (You may have to unzip or unrar it to get an exe. But that shouldn't be too much of a hassle.)
From there it should be as simple as changing the resolution back to normal.
Hopefully this will fix everything. Let us know how it goes.
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Post by Ice Cream Reaver on Jul 16, 2009 22:09:42 GMT 2
THIS IS JUST IN! I'm an idiot! Apparently the only problem the thing had was a loose graphics card. I realized this when I discovered I was plugging my monitor into the motherboard-thingy instead of the graphics card. Tightening the graphics-card and plugging the monitor in the correct port solved the problem. Think it got loose during the fiddling with the RAM sticks the first time. xD Newayz, thanks for the help and such regardless.  |
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Post by Albireo on Jul 21, 2009 15:16:58 GMT 2
As you can see, ingenuity at it's finest |
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