Display setting

[D]

A person at work was attempting to make use of his WinXp
ability to make the fonts more readable under a larger resolution.
Sounds good enough in theory but here is what he did,
ControlPanel->Display->Settings->Advanced->General
Tab, then under the DPI menu drop downs he used chose
"custom" and then moved the ruler.
What happened next was a mess. His fonts were so big
that he could not see any scroll bars or anything normal on
the screen. Only maybe 2 or 3 huge fonts at a time. There was
no mouse cursor to be found. We kept trying to Tab to the
correct place (even though we could not see it) and then hit
Alt-A for "apply" and then hit "enter" but we could never get to
the right spot to return his settings to normal.
We finally had to use his OEM restore cd. My question is, was
there an easier way to fix this. And also how can you boot and
choose from several dated previous Registry backups the way
you could under Win98 but I've forgotten that too. ? ?
Appreciate any information.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

You could have booted into safe mode and changed the display options from
there.
As for registry backups, as far as I know, you can only go back to the 'last
known good configuration. You would do that from the safe mode menu.

 

[george]

XP does 'not do' automatic registry backups.
Default you have a '1 step back' option in the registry and this is called
'Last Known Good'. (To be initiated by hitting F8 while starting up and
choosing the option from the menu.)

Apart from that you have the option to manually make a backup with the
'built-in' tools, using the Backup utility and take a backup of what is
indicated as 'System State'. Although this does include the registry, it
also includes other system components making it a hughe backup of several
hundred MBs. On top of that it is basically an all or nothing deal upon
restore, meaning that you cannot selectively just restore the registry from
that. Besides, what have you done in the system since you last took that
backup?. Mind you, taking such a backup will also update the 'backup
version' of the registry that is kept in \Windows\Repair folder. (Even if
you never user the System State to be restored.)
Same reasoning here, what did you do since that last backup?

A far better approach then is using System Restore Points.
Make it a habit to manually take a System Restore Point (kind'o snapshot of
the system at that point) and then change what you want to change. If you
don't like it, just revert back to that manually taken Restore Point. Works
like a charm and is not difficult to do.
All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore and check out the
options.

hth

george

 

[D]

Thanks for the info, we did previously restart in
Safe Mode but to my surprise the same huge fonts
were loaded in safe mode also. We could not move
around any easier in safe mode than regular.

 

[D]

Thanks for the info, it sounds like XP is not like
98 which was quite protective of which System.dat
and User.dat that was loaded. You could overwrite
it with a backup file of your choice from dos then reboot
and win98 would check it's header for a date or something
and if it found it was not the one recorded in it's database then it
would baulk and state the it was no good. It also overwrote
backed up System.da0, System.da1 etc, after they got so old
so if you wanted to save them you had copy them to another
hidden location. I.E. you had to use the Win98 boot up choice
menu of the last few registries, I believe it allowed 4 or 5 of
them before starting to overwrite the oldest.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Thanks for the info, we did previously restart in
Safe Mode but to my surprise the same huge fonts
were loaded in safe mode also. We could not move
around any easier in safe mode than regular.

D

The typical fix for a problem where the screen resolution is too large to
reach the buttons or settings boxes is the following.

Press ALT+SPACEBAR+M this will initiate the "Move" function. You can then
use the ARROW keys to move the image on the screen until you can see the
button you wish to use. Once there, click the left mouse button to stop the
move function.

Try this with any dialog box or normal sized window.

 

[george]

Thanks for the info, it sounds like XP is not like
98

You can safely say that again.
XP is nowhere near something like 98.
It's entirely different world, not only on the outside but also under the
covers.

Forget 98.

george



which was quite protective of which System.dat

 

[D]

Thanks I will try to remember this is it ever happens again