Monitor Picture Breaks Up Into Lines and I cannot alter the Resolution from 640X480

[Alandoesntknow]

Hi Everyone

 

Although I am a fairly experienced user and and have managed to solve every problem that I have encountered, this one has me foxed!

 

So hope some of you more 'Tech Savy' Guys, may be able to help me.

 

OS Windows XP Pro

 

Motherboard Gigabyte GA P35 DS 3L

 

Graphics Card Nvidea 8800 GTX

 

Monitor 40in Sony Bravia Flat Panel TV

 

Everything was working fine, until one day when I booted up and saw this strange occurance as blocks of uniform lines were all over the intro Screen.

 

When the Desk Top came into view all the Colours were Garish and the Icons were so big, that you couldn't get them all on the Screen

 

So with great difficulty I managed to get to the Control Panel and looked at the Settings, which were showing as 640 X 480 with Colour at 4 Bits and although I could move the Slider to Show the Correct Resolution, Nothing actually happened, the resolution stayed exactly the same, even when I did 'Apply' 'OK' which were also hard to get to because everthing showed up so large.

 

Every time I boot up Windows asks if I would like to change the resolution for better viewing but nothing actually changes, everything stays the same.

 

When I go into the BIOS it is different, I get a perfect Screen at the right size with all the various options.

 

I even removed the CMOS Battery and reinserted it to clear the Bios before I reset it.

 

I've even done a Clean Install but it doesn't make any difference, as the Resolution doesn't alter from 640 X 480 with Colour at 4 bits.

 

If I were able to alter the Screen Resolution and the Colour, then I 'Think' the lines might disappear and everything would be back to normal but it will not hold or adjust to any other Resolution apart from 640 X 480 X 4 Bits Colour, as moving the Slider in Settings doesn't actually make any Physical difference.

 

Its also very difficult to click things like apply and OK as everything is so big they are off the Screen.

 

I've also tried different Hard Drives but it still doesn't make any difference.

 

I'm not very technically minded so please try and explain what I should do in very non technical language.

 

Many Thanks and hoping you can help.

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen004_zpsddd2ef95.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen005_zpsa2d7ad5f.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen001_zps482aa15e.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen002_zps7b57369b.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen003_zps74f48b4b.jpg

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help

Have you had a look for fresh or updated drivers for your Nvidia graphics card?

I would normally ask you to try the on board video, however from what I can find out there isn't one hence why the graphics card I assume.

 

Try this Nvidia page, and go for option 2 for it to detect the card and which drivers it needs as there seems nothing for the older Windows XP in the first option.

 

http://www.nvidia.co.uk/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-uk

 

Let us know how you get on, however I must warn there is a possibility the graphics card is going duff and may require replacement.

 

Nev.

[Alandoesntknow]

Hi Nev

 

I will give that a try and report back

 

Many Thanks

 

Alan

[Alandoesntknow]

Hi Nev

 

I went to the Nvidea Site but in order for it to detect my Graphic Card, I first had to install Java and I got the following message.

 

Application\Sun\Java\jre 1.7.0_67\jre 1.7.0_67-C.msi IS CORRUPT

 

So I couldn't install Java for Nvidea to find the driver for my Graphics Card

 

This is out of my comfort zone I know nothing about repairing or replacing corrupt files or even where to find them.

 

I do have the Windows XP Pro installation disk but not a repair disk

 

The last time I tried to repair a copy of Windows XP Pro I got into a real mess with it, so I would need to be taken step by step through the process.

 

I am juggling between my 2 Computers the one that works is an Ide Drive and is as slow as watching paint dry, I just use it for emergencies like this.

 

I'm just wondering if this corrupt file, is the cause of all the problems I am having with the Display?

 

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen011_zps1a01ea0c.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen008_zps49ed361c.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen007_zpsc2eac1e4.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen009_zps4026c30a.jpg

[KenB]

Hi Alan - welcome to Fpch from me :)

 

Nev indicated that he thought this may be the actual card itself.

From your pictures I am of this opinion too.

 

Do you have a Video Card in the working ( but slow ) computer that you can swap with the problem one ( just to try ) ?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Alan, as an addition to Kens advice, if you don't have a spare graphics card to try a swap, lets see if we can get the drivers.

 

If you can find it in the control panel, go to programs, search out all instances of Java and uninstall them first, then delete the new Java, as I think it means that one is corrupt.

 

Then download a fresh version again to try that.

 

If that then allows the driver scan to work, download whichever it recommends and install it.

 

If after that, there is no change and the graphics are the same, then it must be the card itself faulty and will require replacement.

 

Nev.

[Alandoesntknow]

Hi Nev and Ken

 

Thank you both very much for your help

 

I cannot swap the graphics cards, as the Slow one is AGP and the one with the problem is PC! express

 

So I went to Control Panel/Device Manager/Display Adaptor/

 

Found Nvidea Ge Force 8800GTX with a Yellow dot and black exclamation mark

 

When I clicked on it, a message came up: This device cannot start Code 10

 

I really don't have any idea what this means but I took a few shots with my Camera and hope it might help.

 

The problem seems to revolve around the fact that you cannot change the Screen Resolution from 640 X 480 or increase the Colour from 4 bits

 

So don't know if thats the fault of the Card-The Drivers-Or the Computer?

 

If I could change the Screen resolution then I think it would solve the problem (but what do I know)

 

When I try and Change it on the Slider, it doesn't make any physical difference at all.

 

So hope you guys can come up with a solution.

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen012_zpsa0cf220c.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen013_zpsb68a420b.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen014_zps458446f8.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen015_zpsea71c7d2.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen016_zps6ee2709d.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen017_zpsc85cf20b.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen018_zpsc058704a.jpg

 

http://http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b522/glitterwake/Screen%20Problem/Screen019_zps275cfee0.jpg

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, considering the different fault messages, it is looking like the card itself is duff.

However I am a little concerned about the other yellow marks for other devices, the Multimedia audio controller, (Can be part of the graphics card)

and the SM bus controller.

See what Ken has to say when he gets a look in next.

 

Nev.

[Alandoesntknow]

Hi Nev

 

Thanks, We will see what Ken has to say

[KenB]

Hi Alan

 

I've even done a Clean Install but it doesn't make any difference,

Is this of the Operating System or the Video Drivers ?

 

The error message "This Device Cannot Start - Code 10" can be linked with the drivers or alternatively the device itself ( Video Card )

This is basically what Nev has already said.

 

The yellow exclamation mark in Device Manager indicates that there is a problem with the device.

Often this is a driver issue - but not 100% of the time.

 

Try this: [ ONLY if the "Clean Install" you mention was drivers and NOT the Operating System - there will be nothing to gain if it was the O/S ]

Try System Restore.

Start > Run > type in ....msconfig .....hit ENTER

Click on "Launch system restore"

Select a date just before the start of your problems.

Your files / photos etc will be fine.

 

If you need to try something else:

Take the Video Card out > clean the contacts with a pencil eraser > replace.

Try it now.

 

Restart the system > constantly tap F8 about once per second

You will be taken the the Advanced Startup Options.

Click on "Last Known Good Configuration" ..... it will now boot up.

 

If still the same - use the same procedure and select "Safe Mode"

It will boot from here.

Do you still get the same distortions in Safe Mode ?

[ no need for photos :) ]

 

Do you have the updated drivers for the 8800 GTX saved onto the system ?

If so ...

Un-install the drivers from Device Manager and re-install them using the updated ones.