Vista - Stretched Display - Video Driver?

I should preface this by saying I'm not sure if this is the right place for this and my computer knowledge is very limited. I'm sorry if my information isn't adequate enough.

Recently the display of my laptop (HP Pavillion Entertainment PC) has become horizontally stretched. I've played around with all the control panel settings, tried adjusting resolution, etc. I didn't touch any display settings before this issue came about. I don't think any of that is the problem. Plus, I'm having other symptoms, like issues with internet connection, lower performance, etc.

I'm almost sure the problem started after Windows installed updates the other day. I'm thinking my video driver may have been corrupted somehow, but I'm not positive. Again, I've exhausted all other options but this one, so I'm hoping that's the problem and I can fix it. Does it sound like it could be the video driver? If so, could someone give me a step by step as to how to reinstall it? (Again, my knowledge is very limited.)

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi neverever, welcome to the board.

Video driver from update a lots of time are problematic. Try to avoid if you can.

Here are two options you may try. First roll back your driver to the previous one and second, restore system to a restore point prior the update.

Hope this helps.

Bruce

im not sure this is a driver issue, it does sound like your resolution is indeed incorrect, do you have the box to the monitor you have, can you tell me if it is a widescreen or a square monitor?
heres what i know about resolutions,
15" Square style 4:3 - 1024x768
15" Widescreen 16:10 - 960x600
17" square style 5:4 - 1280x1024
17" square style 4:3 - 1280x960
17" Widescreen 16:10 - 1280x800
17" Widescreen 16:9 -1280x720
19" square style 4:3 - 1600x1200
19" Widescreen 16:10 - 1440x900
19" Widescreen 16:9 - 1360x768
20"-21" Widescreen 16:10 - 1680x1050
22" + Widescreen 16:10 - 1920x1200
22" + Widescreen 16:9 - 1920x1080

Thanks for responding! That was fast and really helpful.

To bruce2: I ran a system restore back to the point of my last driver update. The point I chose was "Install: Device Driver Package Install: NVDIA Display adapter." After that the resolution went back to normal for a while, which was good. However, when I shut it down when I was done and then restarted later, it went back to the same, stretched display. I system restored again and now it's fine, but I'm worried that when I shut down it's going to revert back to the stretched display. Is there a more permanent solution?

To MrNeeds: I have a 17" widescreen. I just don't know how to fix it from the resolution standpoint considering I never changed it. When it's in that scary stretched display mode it won't even allow me to change to resolution and the entire dialog box for resolution is different. It only shows one monitor and won't allow me to slide the arrow to alter the resolution. Any ideas?

Not sure if it's relevant, but after the restore Windows gave me a notification saying that I needed to update a driver for a new device. I didn't attach any new devices, so it could be associated with the restore, but, again, I really don't know much about computers.

Hi neverever it is very likely an up to date graphic driver is required.

You can go to HP Support & Drivers
Enter your laptop name and model number to find and download the appropriate driver.

Or, your can download GPU-Z from here GPU-Z - Free software downloads and reviews - CNET Download.com
Run it and find out exactly what GPU you have and go to the manufacturer such as Nvidia to download driver.

Wish everything work out smoothly for you and post back.

Bruce

as bruce has mentioned above my post, your graphics drivers need to be installed, it may have been an update that has removed your drivers or anything, if you can get the exact model of your laptop, then we could get the driver you need for you, so you need to have a look at either the original box or the laptop exterior and try and find a model number on the sticker affixed to the base.

The model # is dv9925nr.
If someone could help me find the driver I need, that would be fantastic.

Hi neverever, I typed in "HP Pavillion dv9925nr" in HP Support & Drivers and assuming your OS is Vista 32 bit and here is what I find:

NVIDIA GeForce Series Video Driver*

Hope this would do it for you and post back.

Bruce