Older Monitor & Newer PC Compatability

[Hew Jaz]

I'm back for yet more advice please..!!

A pal has a pc, perhaps 3 yrs old. The monitor suffered a fall, and is no longer useable. As a stop gap, I offered to donate an older monitor that I had sitting here. It has the correct connection, but doesn't display the desktop correctly.

Now, interestingly, when the pc is first powered up, the screen does display the pc manufacturers name, and the windows operating system correctly - all quite readable. But, when it goes through its start up routine, the screen just displays lots of colours which I think is the desktop; however it is totally unreadable.

Are different drivers required? I assumed that as it was just a change of monitor, it would be fine. Or is it like a printer, ie different printers require different drivers?

Could be difficult installing a new driver if I can't read what the screen says. :confused:

Any takers...?

[hobie]

Hopefully you will get an easy answer to your question but in the meantime this site may have the driver your screen needs ......

http://www.monitor-drivers.com/

[coolape]

Try changing the Refresh Frequency, some monitors only support 50Hz, some 60Hz, mine only goes up to 75Hz, anything above 75Hz then it doesnt display anything ( But it does display my Bios / Windows bootup screen and blanks out when its finished loading).

Press F8 when starting up / booting up your computer, before you get to the Windows Loading screen, and it should prompt you for Safe Mode, along with various other options, then select Safe Mode. go into Control Panel, select Display -> Settings (Tab) -> Advanced (Button) -> Monitor (Tab) -> *look for Screen Refresh Rate* and just mess around there.

Hope this helps.

[Conan the Librarian]

Just check the properties when Windoze boots up by right click on dektop, etc.etc. and set accordingly. Use the default monitor, or similar and set resolution to 1024X768 or 800X600. plus the highest colour depth. That should sort it out.

Conan

[Hew Jaz]

Yup, thanks for the suggestions. A combination of F8 and safe mode and properties etc has allowed the desktop to be read.

The colours are fairly awful, but I guess the old monitor can't cope with the newer graphics card.

Never mind though, it will be most suitable as a stop gap and at least allows the pc to be used - until the piggy bank is raided...

Thanks again:ok:

[Saab Dastard]

HJ - be careful, it is quite possible to blow up the monitor (I have witnessed it!) and even start a fire if the monitor is overdriven.

What is the monitor, and how old?

You should attempt to find the monitor in the list of available monitors from Display -> Settings (Tab) -> Advanced (Button) -> Monitor (Tab), then ensure that you check the box that states "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display".

Note that you often have to trade-off Colour Depth / Resolution / Refresh Rate, depending on what is most important - it is often possible to select 1024x768 and 16-bit colour, but only at 60 Hz (hard on the eyes), while the same monitor could display 800x600 and 16-bit colour at 72Hz. Personally I always go for highest refresh rate for a minimum 800x600 and accept whatever colour - even only 256!

Fortunately, monitors have mostly moved on!

[newswatcher]

Saab Dastard, so basically you are advising him to monitor the situation carefully! :p

[Hew Jaz]

It's a Phillips and at least 9 years old.

Pal is using Windows ME, and it doesn't seem to offer too many choices.

Selected default graphics adapter, restarted pc and, voila. It wouldn't allow certain settings (which I can't remember off hand).

I've just been looking at my settings (XP) and I'm not sure that ME offers all of the same which are settings available to me.

It may be academic to be honest. It's fulfilling a temporary need, but I'd say that a new monitor will be installed in the next few days as the pic & colours are poor. In fact overall quality is poor.

How things have moved on.....

But I'll pass on all advice including that from newswatcher and keep a close eye on things....!!:ok:

[Conan the Librarian]

Whoa!!! Is there a reinstall of the operating system here? Sounds like there are no drivers loaded for the vid card and that it is defauting to 16 colour, 640X480 VGA.

I think you need drivers for the vid card and then everything will be just swimmy.

Conan

[Hew Jaz]

Nope, no reinstall of the OS. So, why no drivers? Where did they go to? Previous monitor was ok. 16 bit colour could be right though.

Must have a better look at the settings and if necessary will have a look at www.monitor-drivers.com (http://www.monitor-drivers.com ) as hobie suggested.

[Hew Jaz]

Update:

Yes, have had another look and it is defauting to 16 colour, 640X480 VGA.

Changing the setting in display configuration doesn't make any difference - it reverts to 16bit etc.

Haven't managed to find the correct driver for the monitor, (it is a wee bit old) but as I said previously, I think a newer more modern monitor will be arriving soon.

HJ:ok:

[Conan the Librarian]

Hew, it probably isn't drivers for the monitor that you are after, but drivers for the video card in the machine.

Go into the device manager and identify the card (adaptor) and then seek the latest drivers. After you have loaded those, that monitor will probably amaze you.

Conan