Safe Mode: Control Panel Freezes!

[Juan Wei]

I booted into Safe Mode with Networking and of course the screen
resolution is wrong.

I right-clicked the Desktop and clicked "screen resolution" and got the
hourglass for a minute or so, but nothing appeared to let me change the
resolution.

Tried Control Panel > Display. "Change Display" freezes CP!

Killed the "Display" application and tried again. This time "Adjust
Resolution" caused the freeze.

The text size option worked.

???

 

[Ken1943]

I booted into Safe Mode with Networking and of course the screen
resolution is wrong.

I right-clicked the Desktop and clicked "screen resolution" and got the
hourglass for a minute or so, but nothing appeared to let me change the
resolution.

Tried Control Panel > Display. "Change Display" freezes CP!

Killed the "Display" application and tried again. This time "Adjust
Resolution" caused the freeze.

The text size option worked.

???

Can't be changed because it doesn't use video card drivers.. It's 800x600
? period.


KenW

 

[Ken1943]

I booted into Safe Mode with Networking and of course the screen
resolution is wrong.

I right-clicked the Desktop and clicked "screen resolution" and got the
hourglass for a minute or so, but nothing appeared to let me change the
resolution.

Tried Control Panel > Display. "Change Display" freezes CP!

Killed the "Display" application and tried again. This time "Adjust
Resolution" caused the freeze.

The text size option worked.

???

Basic VGA driver.


KenW

 

[Juan Wei]

Ken1943 has written on 6/29/2013 7:46 PM:

Can't be changed because it doesn't use video card drivers.. It's 800x600
? period.

No, it's at the native resolution of the monitor -- 1980 x something.

 

[Juan Wei]

Ken1943 has written on 6/29/2013 7:50 PM:

Basic VGA driver.

????

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Basic VGA driver.

KenW

+1 for both your replies.

That's a big part of what makes it safe.

Often the only part, video drivers being what they are

 

[Juan Wei]

Gene E. Bloch has written on 6/29/2013 8:03 PM:

+1 for both your replies.

That's a big part of what makes it safe.

Often the only part, video drivers being what they are

If that's the case, then I should be presented with VGA resolution, not
the monitor native 1280 x 1024.

And the display program should not freeze.

 

[Ken1943]

Gene E. Bloch has written on 6/29/2013 8:03 PM:

If that's the case, then I should be presented with VGA resolution, not
the monitor native 1280 x 1024.

And the display program should not freeze.

When you go into safe mode, does your desktop have very large icons. That
is vga 800x600 and it doesn't care what your monitor is set at. This
happens on my two monitors which also have larger native resolutions.
Your monitor my have trouble displaying 600x800.

You should boot normally and make sure your monitor is set for it's
normal resolution. Then boot into safe mode and do not try to change the
resolution. It's a pain at 600x800, but that's normal.


KenW

 

[charlie]

Gene E. Bloch has written on 6/29/2013 8:03 PM:

If that's the case, then I should be presented with VGA resolution, not
the monitor native 1280 x 1024.

And the display program should not freeze.

What is the hardware?
This sounds like a laptop with a non standard video chip.
If so, the mfr's video driver may need to be loaded.

 

[Juan Wei]

Ken1943 has written on 6/29/2013 8:41 PM:

When you go into safe mode, does your desktop have very large icons.

No. In fact, there are no icons on the desktop at all. That may be
because I am using "Fences" in normal mode.

You should boot normally and make sure your monitor is set for it's
normal resolution. Then boot into safe mode and do not try to change the
resolution. It's a pain at 600x800, but that's normal.

But, I'm not getting 800x600. I'm getting 1280x1024.

And why does CP freeze when I try to change the resolution?

 

[Juan Wei]

charlie has written on 6/30/2013 12:38 AM:

What is the hardware?
This sounds like a laptop with a non standard video chip.
If so, the mfr's video driver may need to be loaded.

Gateway desktop several years old. Intel integrated graphics. Acer X233H
monitor.

Which mfgr, Intel or Acer?

 

[Paul]

charlie has written on 6/30/2013 12:38 AM:

Gateway desktop several years old. Intel integrated graphics. Acer X233H
monitor.

Which mfgr, Intel or Acer?

I think first you'd look in Device Manager (devmgmt.msc),
check the video card driver, and see if there are any
errors associated with that entry. See that there are driver
files present and so on. (This is in Normal boot mode.)

I could see the Display Control Panel getting in trouble
if there were multiple LCD monitors for it to work with,
but if there is only the one monitor connected, it would
be harder to explain why it has a problem. Especially
if the driver in Device Manager looks OK.

I've had two identical video cards in Device Manager,
and connected four monitors to them. And in mid-session,
the two video card switched roles, and the position of
the monitors in the desktop changed (all on their own).
So strange things can happen, if you have a lot of hardware
present in the Display control panel. My test case was done,
specifically to test how well it could handle multiple monitors.
And that one instance, was the only goofy behavior.

Paul

 

[Juan Wei]

Paul has written on 6/30/2013 2:26 PM:

I think first you'd look in Device Manager (devmgmt.msc),
check the video card driver, and see if there are any
errors associated with that entry. See that there are driver
files present and so on. (This is in Normal boot mode.)

Display Adapters > Intel HD Graphics -- no errors. Driver dated 12/12/12

Monitors > Acer X233H -- no errors. Driver dated 8/4/09 (no updates
available)

I've had two identical video cards in Device Manager,
and connected four monitors to them. And in mid-session,
the two video card switched roles, and the position of
the monitors in the desktop changed (all on their own).
So strange things can happen, if you have a lot of hardware
present in the Display control panel. My test case was done,
specifically to test how well it could handle multiple monitors.
And that one instance, was the only goofy behavior.

Nothing like that here.

 

[Paul]

Paul has written on 6/30/2013 2:26 PM:

Display Adapters > Intel HD Graphics -- no errors. Driver dated 12/12/12

Monitors > Acer X233H -- no errors. Driver dated 8/4/09 (no updates
available)


Nothing like that here.

How many other video cards have you installed in that computer ?
And installed a driver for those video cards ?

Just to see if it is an old driver, for a video card that
is no longer present in the computer. You should always
remove the driver, before pulling an add-in video card.

Also, take a look through Event Viewer. And see if
the video driver is throwing up errors.

Paul

 

[Ken1943]

Paul has written on 6/30/2013 2:26 PM:

Display Adapters > Intel HD Graphics -- no errors. Driver dated 12/12/12

Monitors > Acer X233H -- no errors. Driver dated 8/4/09 (no updates
available)


Nothing like that here.

I just tried what you did in Safe Mode. Control Panel > Display > Change
resolution > it showed 800x600, but I was able to change resolution, 3
different ones.
I am using a video card so that could make a difference in changing
resolution.

Beginning to think you have a corrupted video driver. Do you allow
drivers from Windows update ? Start menu type in > install drivers < and
you should get "change the way drivers are installed". That should be

never install drivers from windows update <

If that is turned off, see if you can download the drivers, uninstall and
reinstall.


KenW

 

[Juan Wei]

Paul has written on 6/30/2013 3:40 PM:

How many other video cards have you installed in that computer ?
And installed a driver for those video cards ?

None. No.

Just to see if it is an old driver, for a video card that
is no longer present in the computer. You should always
remove the driver, before pulling an add-in video card.

Not applicable.

Also, take a look through Event Viewer. And see if
the video driver is throwing up errors.

No messages involving "video".

 

[Juan Wei]

Ken1943 has written on 6/30/2013 3:49 PM:

I just tried what you did in Safe Mode. Control Panel > Display > Change
resolution > it showed 800x600, but I was able to change resolution, 3
different ones.
I am using a video card so that could make a difference in changing
resolution.

Beginning to think you have a corrupted video driver. Do you allow
drivers from Windows update ? Start menu type in > install drivers < and
you should get "change the way drivers are installed". That should be

If that is turned off, see if you can download the drivers, uninstall and
reinstall.

I'm pretty sure I got the drivers from Intel, but I'll do it again.

How do you uninstall drivers?

 

[Ken1943]

Ken1943 has written on 6/30/2013 3:49 PM:

I'm pretty sure I got the drivers from Intel, but I'll do it again.

How do you uninstall drivers?

Once you get the correct driver, double check, Control Panel > Device
Manager > Display Adapter > Uninstall. There is a box to remove driver
software, check it.
When you reboot, Windows might install the driver that came with Win 7.
You can check in Device Manager what version of driver was installed. See
if it's the same version you downloaded. If it's older than the one you
downloaded, just install the newer version. Windows will then use that
version. I do exactly the same thing when I update drivers for my video
cards.
Watch where you get it from. It's Intel, so get it from them.


KenW

 

[Ken1943]

Don't rely on search in device manager, get it direct from Intel. It's a
pain but the best way.


KenW

 

[Juan Wei]

Ken1943 has written on 6/30/2013 7:05 PM:

Once you get the correct driver, double check, Control Panel > Device
Manager > Display Adapter > Uninstall. There is a box to remove driver
software, check it.
When you reboot, Windows might install the driver that came with Win 7.
You can check in Device Manager what version of driver was installed. See
if it's the same version you downloaded. If it's older than the one you
downloaded, just install the newer version. Windows will then use that
version. I do exactly the same thing when I update drivers for my video
cards.
Watch where you get it from. It's Intel, so get it from them.

I uninstalled the driver and it went immediately to native resolution
(1600x1200, not what I had posted earlier).

I went to the Intel site and used their Driver Update Utility. Then
downloaded and installed a new driver than what I had before.

I restarted into normal mode and got the resolution that I had used
previously.

Restarted in Safe Mode and got exactly the same behavior: 1600x1200, no
desktop icons, and freezing when Itry to change the resolution.