disneygeek wrote:
| I have a Windows 98 system. The computer is a mutt. A friend helped me
| out when the power system went, then he got ambitious and loaded in a
| bunch of stuff. So I'm really not too certain what all is in here.
|
| Anyway, when we got the computer back, it worked for a while. Then for
| some reason, it would only display 16 colors on the monitor! 16 colors
| is also all that comes up when you check the monitor preferences. I've
| gone so far as to find the specific drivers for this specific monitor
| and load them into the system, still only getting 16 colors.
|
| Now I know it was working before, I don't know what happened to lock
| the settings this way.
|
| Any ideas? thanks in advance.
Here is what I usually post for that...
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=127139
Troubleshooting Video Problems in Windows
"START, Run, MSConfig, Advanced button". If checked, then uncheck "VGA
640x480x16", & reboot. Everything better? Then, you are done.
Otherwise...
"Control Panel, Display, Settings tab". Select as you wish from the
Colors dropdown menu & the Size slider.
If you move the Screen Area slider to 1024x768 there, possibly click the
Advanced button, & select Large fonts too— or there is a chance you end
up with tiny, unreadable fonts!
Try to get your colors/size at least twice that way. If it continues to
fail, you may need to reinstall your Monitor or Display Adapter...
For the Monitor...
(1) Boot to Safe Mode
(Hold F5 as you boot or CTRL for the Startup Menu)
(2) "START, Settings, Control Panel, System, Device Manager tab"
(3) Open the Monitors branch, & Remove all entries.
Perhaps, FIRST, even in Normal Mode, note what is installed
similar to below for the Adapter. That is...
(a) D-Clk the monitor there for Properties, Driver tab.
(b) Click the Update Driver button, then "Next".
(c) Bolt "Display a list...", & click "Next".
(d) Bolt "Show all hardware".
Examine the two panes to see what is currently installed.
That is likely what you wish to end up with, after step (4).
(4) Boot to Normal Mode.
Hopefully, it will be rediscovered & installed. Then, if still
necessary, here is the rigmarole of the Display Adapter...
.......Quote..........
The first thing to do is to remove the video adapter you have
installed. Right-click on the desktop; choose "Properties" from the
drop-down menu; select "Settings;" click on the "Advanced" button; and
click on "Adapter". An adapter is a program that tells Windows how to
deal with a specific video card. Make note of the adapter that is
currently installed. Then, change the adapter to "Standard Display
Adapter (VGA)" and restart the system.
[That is: Click "Change, Next, bolt 'Display a List...', Next, bolt
'Show all hardware', scroll left pane to top, select '(Standard display
types)', select 'Standard Display Adapter (VGA)' in right pane, click
'Next'"... PCR]
This will remove the current adapter and replace it with a generic VGA
adapter that works with all video cards. You will not like VGA because
it supports only 16 colors, but the purpose of installing it is to get
rid of whatever was there before.
Next, return to the adapter screen and install an adapter that matches
your video card. This may or may not be the adapter that you are
using now. Examine the materials you received with your computer to
see if they include a CD-ROM or floppy disk that contains the correct
video adapter. Or go to the Gateway website and see if they have an
adapter for you to download. Or check the website of the company that
made your video card.
Bill Starbuck (MVP)
.......End....of quote....
Also...
..........Quote................
To identify your video adapter correctly, download and run either the
Everest or Aida32 utility, available he
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads9.html
There are links to both the Personal and Enterprise versions of
AIDA32....I
suggest Enterprise:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Aida32_-_E...tion_d183.html
Everest Free Edition:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Fr...ion_d4181.html
AIDA32 is also available he
http://aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#aida32
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
.........EOQ of glee................
--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR