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Laptop Monitor Problem

By rwbyshe ·
I need some IT help.

Re: Older Laptop ? Dell Inspiron 8100; running Windows XP SP2; P3 with maxed out RAM at 512MB. Computer runs fine with the following exception.

Problem: Screen Resolution Issues
When the laptop is set at max resolution of 1280 X 1024 the viewable area of the monitor is full width and full height.

However, if you lower the resolution to say 1024 X 768 the viewable area becomes much smaller and has a black border around all four edges about 1? inches wide.

If you further reduce the resolution to 800 X 600 the viewable area now becomes about 7?W X 5?H with large 3?+ black borders all around.

I figured a repair install of XP would fix the problem, but since the XP disk is 8 years old, the version on the PC with all the Microsoft updates is considered a newer version and XP won?t allow me to do a ?repair? installation.

My apparent only options would be to format the HD and reinstall from scratch or uninstall all the upgrades and perform the repair install.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

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'it's not a bug, it's a 'feature''

by sgt_shultz In reply to Laptop Monitor Problem

sorry but i think lcd's aren't always configurable to fill the monitor screen at every resolution. they are generally 'optimised' (isn't that a nice way to put it?) for a specific (many times only a single) optimal resolution. before i 'reinstalled' i'd try the monitor on another pc so i could satisfy myself that it is a problem inherent to the hardware and not solvable by a reinstall. You *might* improve things somewhat with the correct monitor inf (driver) file but I doubt it.

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Refresh rate and vert, horz controls

by ugadata In reply to Laptop Monitor Problem

You can try changing the refresh rate (default is usually 60Hz). If this is a CRT I definitely recommend changing it to a higher refresh rate to help with screen flicker. LCD screens are supposed to run at 60Hz.

Unless this is actually laptop screen, you should have controls on the monitor to adjust the horizontal and vertical to fill out the screen.

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Same problem after XP reinstall

by vaccrn In reply to Refresh rate and vert, ho ...

I just came across this thread. I finished a re-install of XP PRO, SP2 and now I am unable to adjust my screen resolution to a "non-optimal" level. I updated all of the drivers we I reloaded XP.

I have a Dell Latitude 820. Prior to the reinstall of XP I could adjust the screen resolution (blurry pictures and all). Now a lower resolution simply results in smaller viewable area. I think that the resolution doesn't actually change at all, XP just assumes I have a smaller screen size. My attempts to adjust the horizontal and vertical yielded no results.

A previous comment mentioned that laptop LCDs cannot be set to sub-optimal resolutions. As prior to the reinstall of XP I could have sub-optimal levels, with certain video games for example. I don't think that's really the answer.

As this thread died in July I doubt there have been new insights on the matter. I just figured I would toss out my 2 cents worth.

I'll continue the hunt for a "resolution" for my problem.

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