Trouble with proper resolution not holding

First problem was with the computer occasionally taking a notion to go into power saver mode. It would not respond to the key board or mouse, and it would have to be shut down. This was happening sporadically and it could go several days without doing it. A tech support source said that it was my monitor that was likely bad, so I switched monitors but found after several days that I still had the problem. Then they had me to download a new driver for the video card. That still has not solved the problem of the computer going into power save mode at its own choosing, and it seems to have caused the additional problem of the resolution setting not working as far as viewing anything on the web. There is no problem viewing anything with programs I have on the computer, as long as there is no going on line with them.

By setting the resolution as low as it will go and then adjusting it up to where it should be, in a few instances the things on screen were fine when visiting the first on line site, but after exiting such site and going to another site, the screen view will be out of whack again. As long as I minimize screens and go to other sites the screen will continue to be fine. The tech support I have been dealing with told me I probably need to get a new video card. Another source told me it's probably just some simple setting, but I would have to take it in, with a 3 day turn around time, and at what price I don't know! I don't mind spending money to get it fixed, but if it's just by a guess, then I tend to pass on those things. Thanks to anyone who might have any idea as to what I need to do.
2BorNot2B

Hello, a good thing to do is check software out for missing files or corrupt files. This is a good easy way for that : http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html
Post how this works out for you please.

Welcome to the Forum
Possibly your problem is with your video card or driver. Go to search and type device manager. In device manager, look for any small yellow markers, if any are seen update the drivers. If there are no markers, update your video driver. Go to the manufacturers website to to the upadate; good luck.

Yard Dog,
Thanks for the suggestion. I ran the scan and got the following report: "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Does the above reply suggest that I ran what I was supposed to?

I've run a number tests on the hardware and everything checks out as working properly. Any other thoughts you might have will be appreciated. Thanks

Well, that narrows the problem down to maybe the drivers, do as Rich suggested, and lets get new drivers.

Richard,
Thanks for the suggestion. I did the search and found no yellow showing by any of them, and I had already installed a new driver and had run an update on it.

Something I had forgotten about was the first few times that the screen went dead, my date and time slipped and it showed some date back in 2006 I think it was. I had to reset it about 3 times, but there's been numerous times, since, that the screen has shut down and I haven't had any more problems with the date and time being off.

Could it be possible that a new battery would solve everything?

Incorrect time, is often a symptom of a bad CMOS battery. That is a small battery that is in the computer to keep your settings. I have not heard of it causing the other problems, however. That might be a good place to start.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000239.htm

Yard Dog said:

Hello, a good thing to do is check software out for missing files or corrupt files. This is a good easy way for that : http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html
Post how this works out for you please.

Click to expand...

Yard Dog, I haven't done anything else and just noticed that the screen is back to normal when I go on line, and it remains so after clicking in and out of numerous sites. All I can think is that the scan must have fixed something.

Thanks to both you and Richard for your time. Before, I can really take that deep breath, I'll wait a few days and come back when I think it's safe to take it. In the meantime, I can't help but crack a .
Thanks.

You may also want to have that battery replaced, once you replace it , you just have to reset date and time, they usually last a few years, so depending on how old it is and your statements earlier, it may be time to replace it. Good luck and come back for further issues or new issues. Thanks for using VistaForums.

Agreed, the CMOS battery should be looked into. Good luck

Yard Dog and Rich,
Thanks, I'll get out today and get another battery.

Hey, I just had a shutdown of windows a few minutes ago. I'm wondering if this is related to the previous problems which didn't give me any kind of message? This time a message was left on screen which said: "A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer."

It then stated that if it was the first time, to restart the computer and if the screen appeared again to do some specific steps such as making sure that any new equipment was installed properly, and if necessary to disable or remove any new equipment and disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. I value your opinion as to if this might be related to the previous problem. So far, there is no problem with the screen display.

It well may be related, let us know how it performs once you have the new CMOS battery installed. Again. good luck and i hope this was the issue, If not and problem persists there are hardware diagnostics we can run.

I hope the CMOS battery fixes it. However, if a video card goes bad or overheats, the message that you got regarding Windows shutting down to protect the system will show up.

No, the batttery did not solve the problem. The problem did occur less after I ran a few other diagnostics, and I had just been living with it while trying to get caught up on my work. The screen shut down this morning and can't be revived by restarting. I was listening to a You Tube recording when the screen went blank and the audio continued to play until the end of the song, which wasn't long as the song was almost over when it happened.

I called Staples about a videio card but they said I would have to bring the old card in to make sure they sold me the right one. I've replaced and installed cards before, but I have no idea which one is the videio card. Will appreciate any help anyone can give me on identifiying the right card.

I assume this is a laptop. Is it on your lap when this happens? if so, try working while it has adequate ventilation.

Don't replace the video until we get done here since other things can cause this problem.

Can you look at the system event logs to see if a warning or error is shown related to this problem?

Usually when one of these errors come up, you can click on Details and get an idea of what the problem is. You might use the Snipping Tool to save it.

No it is a desktop. The screen is dead. Previously when it would go dead, most of the times a message would come on and say that windows did not shut down properly and it would ask if I wanted to start normally or in safemode. Electing for a normal start the screen would always come back. I didn't always geta message about windows not having shut down properly. When the problem first started I wouldn't get anything, but turning the computer off and rebooting would then work to bring the screen back. This time I have shut it off a number of times, and have done so two times after the computer has been off for several hours and it won't come back. I thought that leaving it cool down, that the screen might return to functioning but it hasn't.

With the screen on that computer not functioning at all, I couldn't think of any other thing to do, other than try a new video card, but I don't know a whole lot about such things.

I am currently operating on another desktop. Thanks for your asssistance

Scratch that about the monitor not working. It was turned off. I don't know what would have turned it off. I was just using the computer and the screen went off.
Anyway, when I turned it back on the screen showed it running a check for problems. I watched it for 30 minutes and it was still running so I wnt to bed. This morning it was still running. It showed a message that it could not be cancelled, so I shut the computer down. I am now in safe mode and running a full disk scan. I checked the history thing and it didn't show but a few recent things.

12/14 it showed a plugin container for Firefox stopped working

12/19 PSI Service stopped working
12/20 PSI Service stopped working
12/24 Windows shut down unexpectedly
In regards to this shutdown
it shows the following:

Problem even Named BlueScreen
os version 6.0.6001.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID 1033

It also showed some extra Info about problem if it might be useful, I can give it.

It doesn't show all the times, after Christmas, that I've had the problem.

It shows also the 4 times I ran the memory diagnostic tool

Yes, please post all the details for the blue screen.

Wither,
Sorry to be delayed in doing this. Have been trying to get caught up on work when I wasn't having any problem. Thought, again, that I might have fixed things. Not! The screen just shut down again, with it coming back with the option to start normally or in safe mode.

Heres what was said about the Blue Screen:

Problem Event Named Blue Screen
O/S version 6.0.6001.2.1.0.7683
Locale ID 1033
Files that help describe the problem
Mini 22411-02.dmp
sysdate.xml
version. txt

View a tempory copy of these files
Warning: If a virus or other security thread casued the problem opening a copy of the files could harm your computer.

Extra info about problem:

BCCode: 100000ic
BCP1: C0000005
BCP2: 820977C2
BCKP3: AF21F924
BCP4: 00000000
O/S Version 6.0.60001
Service Pack 1_0
Product 768_1

Welcome
Needed for Blue Screen
http://www.vistax64.com/crashes-debugging/282419-blue-screen-death-bsod-posting-instructions.html