posted
So, here's the thing: I started up the computer today only to find my display settings bumped down to the lowest levels. Thinking that was weird, I reset them how I like, and went about my business. But I then I saw that, while "browsing," my "browser" seemed to be redrawing the screen in fits and starts, instead of cleanly and smoothly. I've noodled around with various settings, to no avail. What's the deal?
What, details? Uh, I've got XP. An old Compaq 150i monitor. Oh, and every so often I'll start up the computer and the monitor refuses to come to life; it has power, but seems to receive no single until I shut down and jiggle the cable a bit. I've assumed the connections on my motherboard were starting to rust away, since my USB ports don't work.
Oh, and I thought it might Firefox's problem, so I tried IE, but the same thing happened, and then I tried a large text file, and, once again, madness.
So what's the easy and cheap solution?
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Oh yeah, one other oddity. When I went to shut it down, and indeed even now, where I should be presented with three options (restart, shut down, stand by), I only get the first two, with the stand by button faded out, mocking me.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
The first problem sounds like a graphics card issue. You could fiddle around with various settings, but it'd be easier to just download and install the latest drivers. What graphics card is it?
The second sounds like your Advanced, er, thingie settings aren't working. The things that first appeared with ATX cases way back in the dim and distant mid-90s. ACPI, I think. Check your BIOS and make sure it's turned on. And also check the AGP settings while you're there, making sure that they're set to AGP x 2 or 4 or whatever the highest that they'll go is.
Oh, and check Device Manager and make sure there are no yellow exclamation marks after anything.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
It turned out I did, in fact, have one of those unhelpful Alert! You're Screwing Everything Up! exclamation marks, for my, uh, "ALi M1541 PCI to AGP Controller." It claimed a driver was missing or broken. I searched, found, downloaded and installed what claimed to be the right driver, and Device Manager congratulated me on my hard work. Nothing, however, has been fixed, re scrolling.
Here's where I sound very, very dumb. I don't know what kind of graphics card I've got, and Windows is not telling me. My smarter, savvier friend asked me if I wanted the video card he, for all I know, took off the corpse of some Chinese infowar grunt. It is a Geforce 2 or something, which impressed me because I haven't bought computer hardware since the 20th century. And you'd think, like, shouldn't that be listed there too? Because that's totally what I thought. In fact, I am 100% sure I have asked my computer exactly what sort of card it is in the past and gotten an answer, somewhere, because I tried downloading a new driver for it but it didn't work.
Today I stopped by an ATM on my way to the theater only to discover that it thinks I have much less money than I think I have. So is it possible that I'm just not cut out for this sort of thing? Where this sort of thing is life after the Spanish-American War?
I will go fiddle with my BIOS, though, and if I ever return, will tell you what happened.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Huh. I fixed it. POSSIBLY VIA MAGIC. But no, like, so for a lark I right-clicked on my desktop and selected properties, and noticed that, while I had reset my screen settings through the control panel earlier, when I got to that very same screen this way, it gave me a different set of options. Like, the first way I could resize my screen way up to, well, up to a large size, but this way only let me get up to 1020 or whatever by 7-something. Which is, in fact, where I like it. (After what seems like, and could have indeed been, years of snarky "Are you still at 800 x 600 like a dumb nearsighted caveman?" from you, good sir.)
I have perhaps not explained this very well.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
The you in that message is directed towards Liam, written as it were before Nim stole in underneath the civil air patrol. I have, in fact, some variety of NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX/MX 400, apparently, it says. Yet in the past my attempt to acquire the relevant drivers (you would not believe the sorry frame rates I get in, no fooling, Jedi Knight) has ended in sorrow. Solve that problem for me, Flare, and I will throw you a party. Imagine if my computer could finally run, say, Star Trek: Voyager: Elite Force!!!
(I used to be able to just fine, and this computer is faster than ever before, so I'm certain it's a driver issue, but I'll be plumbed if I can figure out the deal.)
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
1024 x 768 is probably the maximum resolution you could get your screen up to with your graphics card, so if it was showing more earlier on then something was wrong. Which is now better.
Did you restart your computer after fixing that driver problem, then? And are you getting "standby" coming up et?
Anyway, to point you in the direction of the easiest to find graphic card drivers on the intramaweb:
1/ Go to www.nvidia.com 2/ Click on the cunningly named "download drivers" 3/ Click on "graphics drivers", then "Geforce and TNT 2", then whatever your OS is. 4/ GO!
Wasn't the GeForce 2 MX out in the 20th century? You are old school, and not in a good Undertaker style way.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
For your card, that would be the newest and best without going to modified Nvidia-drivers, which although sometimes are even more powarful, are not as safe.
In your case, since you seem to have a "seasoned" windows-install, I would suggest downloading the above, removing your current Nvidia-software in the "Install/Remove software" thing in control panel (this is encouraged by Nvidia to people who have had problems since sometimes a remnant of an old driver can remain even if you install a newer one over it), rebooting and installing the new shit.
After the last reboot, you will still need to go into Graphics settings and choosing what you want (I would say 16bit 1024x768 for your little 15":er :-) ).
Now you should get better stamina in games.
Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
The "Stand By" option is still grayed out, yes.
I will try the rest of all this later.
But, to Lee: are you somehow implying that solving my diverse problems doesn't make for an enjoyable afternoon? Because, I mean, I find solving my problems endlessly satisfying, and don't see any reason why everyone else shouldn't feel the same.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Worryingly, I do actually find it more enjoyable than my job. Which is suppossed to be the same thing, but tends more towards the rather dull "I've accidently deleted a file". Maybe it's because I don't know them. Or maybe it's just because getting paid for something always seems to make it less fun.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Not to mention how great it is to help all your awesome (and attractive) friends from across the globe, right?
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
Have you gotten yourself a decent haircut yet, because we're not talking until you do. Take Jeff with you, as he also needs one.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
This reminds me that I need to get my Texas pictures developed, including one of me hopefully looking cool in San Antonio.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
Printer-friendly view of this topic
