XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

[Guest Tim Martin]

I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I have

read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

 

- Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

great.

 

- Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks better

but not great.

 

- Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

seems to look better.

 

- Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution.

 

- Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

 

When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and the

desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the text

on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was wiped

with vaseline.

 

Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

 

What else could I be checking?

 

Thanks!

[Guest db.·.. >]

Re: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

try booting in safemode

and see if there is any

difference.

 

--

 

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>

 

"Tim Martin" <timothy.martin@starband.net.(dontspam)> wrote in message news:21F87E2F-48AA-4DED-B1EE-3BDA3BB12941@microsoft.com...

>I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

> having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I have

> read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

>

> - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

> interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

> great.

>

> - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

> and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks better

> but not great.

>

> - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

> seems to look better.

>

> - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution.

>

> - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

>

> When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

> FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and the

> desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

> exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the text

> on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was wiped

> with vaseline.

>

> Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

> machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

>

> What else could I be checking?

>

> Thanks!

[Guest JS]

Re: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

Go into the Control Panel and see if there is an icon (usually by brand

name) for your video.

If there is, double click on this icon and check the setting in each tab for

something obvious.

 

Also if you right click on the Control Panel 'Display' icon, select the

'Settings' tab, click the 'Advanced' button and then check to see if you

have a tab named after the video card/chip, click on this tab check any

check the video setting located here.

 

I say this because at least on my system I have adjusted Gamma value and

this adjustment does not take effect until a short time after I have logged

on and my Desktop is loading.

 

I have an NVIDIA card and use their drivers for the NVIDIA web site and not

the drivers from MS Windows Update site as they have been known to cause

problems. You should get your video drivers from Dell's web site.

 

JS

http://www.pagestart.com

 

 

"Tim Martin" <timothy.martin@starband.net.(dontspam)> wrote in message

news:21F87E2F-48AA-4DED-B1EE-3BDA3BB12941@microsoft.com...

>I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

> having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I

> have

> read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

>

> - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

> interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

> great.

>

> - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

> and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks

> better

> but not great.

>

> - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

> seems to look better.

>

> - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution.

>

> - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

>

> When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

> FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and the

> desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

> exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the

> text

> on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was

> wiped

> with vaseline.

>

> Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

> machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

>

> What else could I be checking?

>

> Thanks!

[Guest smlunatick]

Re: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

On Aug 8, 1:34 pm, Tim Martin <timothy.mar...@starband.net.(dontspam)>

wrote:

> I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

> having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD.  I have

> read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

>

>  - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

> interface.  Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

> great.

>

>  - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

> and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts".  Again, unchecked looks better

> but not great.

>

>  - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

> seems to look better.

>

>  - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution..

>

>  - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

>

> When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

> FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser.  I log on, and the

> desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

> exactly what I want.  At some point as the desktop is initializing, the text

> on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was wiped

> with vaseline.

>

> Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

> machine is starting for a short time it looks great.  

>

> What else could I be checking?

>

> Thanks!

 

This is the major problem with most LCD monitors. They need to be ran

that their "optimal" resolution with the up to date video card drivers

from the PC / video card maker. If you run at a lower resolution than

the recommended optimal resolution or run Microsoft's video drivers,

this can occur.

[Guest Tim Martin]

RE: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

Thanks for the responses, folks. I used msconfig to narrow the culprit down

to igfxpers.exe. If that module does not execute, I get crystal clear text.

Once it does in startup, or once it is executed afterwards - vaseline screen.

 

It's part of the Intel drivers for the video chipset. I'm running the

latest drivers available from Dell, but there is a later version available

from Intel that I am going to try. If that doesn't help, I'll take the

matter up with Intel. I would just exclude the module from startup, but when

the machine suspends or hibernates, the module runs automatically anyway,

startup or not.

 

The driver settings themselves are extremely rudimentary... there's nothing

I can find that would obviously affect this behavior.

 

I'll update this post as appropriate. Thanks for your continued suggestions.

 

 

 

"Tim Martin" wrote:

> I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

> having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I have

> read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

>

> - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

> interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

> great.

>

> - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

> and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks better

> but not great.

>

> - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

> seems to look better.

>

> - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution.

>

> - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

>

> When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

> FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and the

> desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

> exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the text

> on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was wiped

> with vaseline.

>

> Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

> machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

>

> What else could I be checking?

>

> Thanks!

[Guest Tim Martin]

RE: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

The latest drivers direct from Intel fixed the problem. Dell had made quite

a few changes to the driver, many simplifications. Looking at the Intel

drivers, I suspect something with the power management portion of the driver

- I think it was kicking the display into a much lower quality mode.

 

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

 

 

"Tim Martin" wrote:

> Thanks for the responses, folks. I used msconfig to narrow the culprit down

> to igfxpers.exe. If that module does not execute, I get crystal clear text.

> Once it does in startup, or once it is executed afterwards - vaseline screen.

>

> It's part of the Intel drivers for the video chipset. I'm running the

> latest drivers available from Dell, but there is a later version available

> from Intel that I am going to try. If that doesn't help, I'll take the

> matter up with Intel. I would just exclude the module from startup, but when

> the machine suspends or hibernates, the module runs automatically anyway,

> startup or not.

>

> The driver settings themselves are extremely rudimentary... there's nothing

> I can find that would obviously affect this behavior.

>

> I'll update this post as appropriate. Thanks for your continued suggestions.

>

>

>

> "Tim Martin" wrote:

>

> > I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and I'm

> > having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I have

> > read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

> >

> > - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

> > interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still not

> > great.

> >

> > - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both checked

> > and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks better

> > but not great.

> >

> > - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again, off

> > seems to look better.

> >

> > - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native resolution.

> >

> > - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

> >

> > When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

> > FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and the

> > desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and sharp -

> > exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the text

> > on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was wiped

> > with vaseline.

> >

> > Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when the

> > machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

> >

> > What else could I be checking?

> >

> > Thanks!

[Guest JS]

Re: XP Screen Fonts Fuzzy

 

You're welcome.

 

JS

 

"Tim Martin" <timothy.martin@starband.net.(dontspam)> wrote in message

news:3E2EF981-7109-454D-8C5D-FEA8981BBD09@microsoft.com...

> The latest drivers direct from Intel fixed the problem. Dell had made

> quite

> a few changes to the driver, many simplifications. Looking at the Intel

> drivers, I suspect something with the power management portion of the

> driver

> - I think it was kicking the display into a much lower quality mode.

>

> Thanks everyone for the help.

>

>

>

> "Tim Martin" wrote:

>

>> Thanks for the responses, folks. I used msconfig to narrow the culprit

>> down

>> to igfxpers.exe. If that module does not execute, I get crystal clear

>> text.

>> Once it does in startup, or once it is executed afterwards - vaseline

>> screen.

>>

>> It's part of the Intel drivers for the video chipset. I'm running the

>> latest drivers available from Dell, but there is a later version

>> available

>> from Intel that I am going to try. If that doesn't help, I'll take the

>> matter up with Intel. I would just exclude the module from startup, but

>> when

>> the machine suspends or hibernates, the module runs automatically anyway,

>> startup or not.

>>

>> The driver settings themselves are extremely rudimentary... there's

>> nothing

>> I can find that would obviously affect this behavior.

>>

>> I'll update this post as appropriate. Thanks for your continued

>> suggestions.

>>

>>

>>

>> "Tim Martin" wrote:

>>

>> > I have a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop with a fresh XP SP3 install, and

>> > I'm

>> > having a terrible problem with fuzzy screen fonts on the laptop LCD. I

>> > have

>> > read through all the discussion postings and tried everything:

>> >

>> > - Enabling ClearType and tuning it both with the power toy and web

>> > interface. Turns out having ClearType disabled looks better but still

>> > not

>> > great.

>> >

>> > - Using the Advanced tab of My Computer Properties and trying both

>> > checked

>> > and unchecked "Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts". Again, unchecked looks

>> > better

>> > but not great.

>> >

>> > - Trying both on and off for ClearType in IE7 and Office 2007 - again,

>> > off

>> > seems to look better.

>> >

>> > - Making sure I am running the laptop display at the native

>> > resolution.

>> >

>> > - Making sure I have the latest video drivers.

>> >

>> > When I boot the machine fresh, the initial Windows log on box looks

>> > FANTASTIC - it looks like it was etched with a laser. I log on, and

>> > the

>> > desktop starts - again, the text on the desktop icons is crisp and

>> > sharp -

>> > exactly what I want. At some point as the desktop is initializing, the

>> > text

>> > on those desktop icons flips over to fuzzy - looks like the screen was

>> > wiped

>> > with vaseline.

>> >

>> > Clearly (no pun intended) it's a software / settings issue, since when

>> > the

>> > machine is starting for a short time it looks great.

>> >

>> > What else could I be checking?

>> >

>> > Thanks!