Display set too low:can't see "settings"

[sdlomi2]

Trying to access old system's display settings. Apparently it is set
too small for my monitor to output anything but a 6-inch-square desktop.
Trying to enter its settings, when I right-click on desktop I cannot see the
settings display--same with icons, they are beyond scope of the screen. How
can I increase the screen resolution? Thanks, S

 

[robbie_d]

Trying to access old system's display settings. Apparently it is set
too small for my monitor to output anything but a 6-inch-square desktop.
Trying to enter its settings, when I right-click on desktop I cannot see the
settings display--same with icons, they are beyond scope of the screen. How
can I increase the screen resolution? Thanks, S

Single right click on any empty desk-top space and select
'Properties'... When the window opens, select 'Settings' and at the
bottom left, click, hold and move the pointer left or right, to produce
1024 x 768 pixels if possible - or - an image size better than the one
you have...

Click 'apply' and OK... Follow any other instructions... Hope that
helps...

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

Trying to access old system's display settings. Apparently it is
set too small for my monitor to output anything but a 6-inch-square
desktop. Trying to enter its settings, when I right-click on desktop
I cannot see the settings display--same with icons, they are beyond
scope of the screen. How can I increase the screen resolution? Thanks, S

I'd boot into safe mode and change the display settings to 640x480 (VGA),
boot up into normal mode, and see whether you can then adjust it
appropriately.

 

[sdlomi2]

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

In

I'd boot into safe mode and change the display settings to 640x480 (VGA),
boot up into normal mode, and see whether you can then adjust it
appropriately.

Thanks to both. Lanwench, since I could not simply right-click and go
into and adjust settings, I tried your suggestion. I still couldn't use the
right-click in safe mode either; but got into control panel thru windows
explorer, adjusted, and still no go. This got green vertical stripes, ONLY,
on monitor. Decided @ this point to reinstall XP atop itself, saving
files/programs. That did it--finally. All this was on an old Dell w/dual
head matrox video. Install program must've beem corrupted--else a too-small
resolution had been somehow locked in place by previous owner & it showed up
as a small square in the mid-area of my (probably higher capacity, native
resolution) monitor.
Thanks a bunch for your help. Hope this will enable others to solve
similar dilemna. sdlomi2

 

[Elmo]

Trying to access old system's display settings. Apparently it is set
too small for my monitor to output anything but a 6-inch-square desktop.
Trying to enter its settings, when I right-click on desktop I cannot see the
settings display--same with icons, they are beyond scope of the screen. How
can I increase the screen resolution? Thanks, S

Try these:

- Boot to Safe Mode and see if that helps with the display.

- Try using the buttons on the front of the monitor to increase the
screen size.

 

[JabberSmith]

When you say 6" square you mean 6" square of color and then black areas on
the monitor?

Plus green vertical stripes?

That's a strong indication your video card memory has gone or is going bad.
If it's a laptop, it's pretty much trashed.

If it's a desktop, you could replace the card.

Either way, this is probably a hardware problem.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

In

I'd boot into safe mode and change the display settings to 640x480 (VGA),
boot up into normal mode, and see whether you can then adjust it
appropriately.

Thanks to both. Lanwench, since I could not simply right-click and go
into and adjust settings, I tried your suggestion. I still couldn't use
the right-click in safe mode either; but got into control panel thru
windows explorer, adjusted, and still no go. This got green vertical
stripes, ONLY, on monitor. Decided @ this point to reinstall XP atop
itself, saving files/programs. That did it--finally. All this was on an
old Dell w/dual head matrox video. Install program must've beem
corrupted--else a too-small resolution had been somehow locked in place by
previous owner & it showed up as a small square in the mid-area of my
(probably higher capacity, native resolution) monitor.
Thanks a bunch for your help. Hope this will enable others to solve
similar dilemna. sdlomi2

 

[sdlomi2]

When you say 6" square you mean 6" square of color and then black areas on
the monitor?

Plus green vertical stripes?

That's a strong indication your video card memory has gone or is going
bad. If it's a laptop, it's pretty much trashed.

If it's a desktop, you could replace the card.

Either way, this is probably a hardware problem.

Hi & thx, JabberSmith. It was a 6"X6" square of desktop, surrounded by
blue screen all around. Then, later it only had total-screen vertical
stripes of green. The resolution had been set way too low by someone,
apparently using an old, tiny monitor. The icons were beyond the square,
just as the cursor was. Also, the settings screen was beyond the square;
hence, when I right-clicked on the desktop, the "properties"-box was beyond
the square AND unseeable. Catch-22: couldn't enlarge resolution w/o seeing
fuller desktop; couldn't see fuller desktop because resolution needed
setting larger. It must've been locked on like a 600X420 (merely a guess as
to any numbers!)somehow, as I got into settings thru Windows Explorer, upped
the resolution, but it failed to "take". That's when the stripes appeared &
desktop-square disappeared.. Anyway, re-install corrected it. s