Black Borders on Screen

[VFN]

Let me preface this by saying that while it may not be the cause I noticed the problem after installing and playing Fallout 3 GOTY which is playing fine at the moment but which crashes with a black window on about 1/3 of the desktop screen when exiting the game.

I had a 1/4 inch or so black margin on the right of my screen and smaller ones on the top and bottom. I restored to a time before the Fallout 3 installation to no avail. I tried changing the "screen position and size" in my CCC but that didn't work completely.

I changed from the Advanced view to Basic in CCC and that lessened the right border and created one on the left side. (It seemed to center the screen somewhat I suppose.) I went back to Advanced, changed the "screen position and size" to center the screen more then changed it's size to cover the borders.

The screen is okay now I guess but obviously something is amiss. Can anyone tell me what's going on here?

Thanks

VFN

 

[bahodirrr]

This is not exactly on the monitor? or wires?

 

[Ztruker]

This is not exactly on the monitor? or wires?

Pardon, but what does you question mean?

 

[ilikefree]

Try right clicking on desktop then graphics option, then panel fit, then full screen (no border)

 

[VFN]

Try right clicking on desktop then graphics option, then panel fit, then full screen (no border)

Don't have those options. Right click brings me to menu with "Personalize" which opens "Personalize Appearance and Sounds" which has options that don't lead to "panel" or "full screen."

 

[richc46]

Sounds like resolution. Right click on desktop, go to resolution and adjust to wider screen

 

[Ztruker]

Depending on the type of screen, wide versus square, a picture will not expand to occupy the entire screen, there will always be borders on the left and right.

 

[VFN]

Sounds like resolution. Right click on desktop, go to resolution and adjust to wider screen

Don't have an adjust to wider screen feature. I can change the resolution but that doesn't solve the problem.

 

[VFN]

I downloaded and installed the ATI CCC package that the AMD site directed and still the issue persists. I can correct the problem to an acceptable degree by fiddling with my monitor's controls but it's not a complete fix.

Is it possible that even a reinstallation of Vista wouldn't solve this problem, because at this point I see no other avenue.

Thanks.

 

[Ztruker]

What program are you using to look at the pictures with?

 

[VFN]

The black margins are on my screen/monitor regardless of what I'm viewing; it's not a program related issue. So my desktop has the margins, when I use chrome or another browser they're there, when I play a game in full screen, watch a video, etc.

 

[ilikefree]

So you don't get this screen

 

[VFN]

I have this:



I've also found the following:

The resolution that seems to eliminate the margins without using any monitor controls (though the bottom may not be entirely correct) is 1280 x 960.

At 1280 x 960 my monitor notifies me "New Mode 75 K/75 Hz For best result use 1024 x 768"

If I change back to 1024 x 768 my Hertz drops to 70 from 75, the desktop image becomes too big for my monitor and I have to change the Hertz back to 75--and the margins reappear of course.

Games at full screen still have the black margins regardless of the resolution outside the game. A change of Hertz to 75 from 60 eliminates the margins in one game but not the other. A change in resolution has no effect in either game.

 

[ilikefree]

Try reinstalling your graphics driver from Device Manager

 

[VFN]

A new driver was installed when I upgraded my ATI CCC a day or so ago. Does that change your suggestion? If not, how should I go about reinstalling from device manager and what driver will that process install and from where?

 

[VFN]

I stand corrected. Earlier I wrote the black margins of only one game was eliminated by increasing the Hertz to 75 from 60. It works for both games.

 

[ilikefree]

If the problem came after the driver install you could try rolling back the driver in device manager.
It may be that the driver installed was not the best driver available

 

[VFN]

The only driver I installed was the one in the new CCC package I installed a day or so ago to try and fix the problem.

Being I have an issue that no one really understands or knows how to remedy I suppose that leaves me with a reinstall. While I don't feel I know how that works to a competent degree (I've read and watched much about it but I still have questions) I get the feeling that even that will fail.

 

[Ztruker]

I don't think the AMD CCC package has a video driver in it, it's just the Control Center, right?

Try installing the driver from the AMD site: Legacy - AMD Catalyst™ Driver for AMD Radeon™ HD 4000, HD 3000 and HD 2000 Series

See if that resolved the problem.

 

[VFN]

I don't think the AMD CCC package has a video driver in it, it's just the Control Center, right?

Try installing the driver from the AMD site: Legacy - AMD Catalyst™ Driver for AMD Radeon™ HD 4000, HD 3000 and HD 2000 Series

That's the package/Catalyst Software Suite I installed. Thanks for the effort in finding and posting it though.

(Think I mixed-up reputation description for you ilikefree. Sorry bout that.)