Fuzzy display - can't change it!

[Guest]

Hi I need help,

My diaplay is totally messed up. The icons are big, and it's all dotted and
there are basically no graphics or colour. When I go into display settings
and click the 'Settings' tab, I get a pop-up saying:

'The currently selected graphics display driver cannot be used. It was
written for a previous version of Windows, and is no longer compatible with
this version of Windows.

The system has started using the default VGA driver.'

Then it says I need to contact with my hardware manufacturer to get an
upgraded driver or select one from Microsoft provided drivers.

The only option is OK. When I click this the Settings tab comes up, but
everything is blocked out and cannot change anything apart from Display.

Please help i've ran out of options.

Many Thanks,

NS

 

[anita.davis]

Hi I need help,

My diaplay is totally messed up. The icons are big, and it's all dotted and
there are basically no graphics or colour. When I go into display settings
and click the 'Settings' tab, I get a pop-up saying:

'The currently selected graphics display driver cannot be used. It was
written for a previous version of Windows, and is no longer compatible with
this version of Windows.

The system has started using the default VGA driver.'

Then it says I need to contact with my hardware manufacturer to get an
upgraded driver or select one from Microsoft provided drivers.

The only option is OK. When I click this the Settings tab comes up, but
everything is blocked out and cannot change anything apart from Display.

Please help i've ran out of options.

Many Thanks,

NS

I'm no guru, but I am missing important information -

1) When did this start?
2) Is this a new computer?
3) Do you still have all the CDs that came with your computer?
4) Have you contacted the manufacturer of your video card?

A computer that was acting normally just yesterday, for example, may be
helped with a system restore (Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools).
Try to go back to a date when all was fine on the computer. Perhaps
it was a Windows Update that pushed your display driver into the Dark
Ages...

I will keep an eye on this thread, I'd like to know how it turns out!

- AD

 

[Brian A.]

Hi I need help,

My diaplay is totally messed up. The icons are big, and it's all dotted and
there are basically no graphics or colour. When I go into display settings
and click the 'Settings' tab, I get a pop-up saying:

'The currently selected graphics display driver cannot be used. It was
written for a previous version of Windows, and is no longer compatible with
this version of Windows.

The system has started using the default VGA driver.'

The Standard VGA driver is just that, standard with no meaningful
settings/options. Their only purpose is to get you graphics so you can boot to
the OS and use a monitor for functional operation. Without them or any video
drivers you would only boot to a black screen.

Then it says I need to contact with my hardware manufacturer to get an
upgraded driver or select one from Microsoft provided drivers.

The only option is OK. When I click this the Settings tab comes up, but
everything is blocked out and cannot change anything apart from Display.

On the desktop right click MyComputer.
Click Properties > Hardware tab > Device Manager button.
Click once on the topmost icon (computer w/name).
On the toolbar click the "Scan for hardware changes" button (computer
w/magnifing glass).
If your video adapter/chip is not automatically detected/installed and you're
presented with a prompt to install, follow the prompts to install the proper
drivers for your installed video adapter/chip.

If you are presented with a message that you already have the best drivers
installed, you need to reinstall the proper drivers for your adapter/chip.

Click the box next to Display Adapters.
Double click the adapter shown to open it's properties.
Click the Driver tab > Update Driver button.
In the first window Do Not select to have windows check online, select "No, not
at this time" and click Next.
Select "Install from a list or specific location" and click Next.
Select "Don't search, I will choose...." and click Next.
If the "Show compatible hardware" window is present and your actual adapter/chip
is listed, select it and clcik Next. If your adapter/chip is not listed,
uncheck the "Show......" box, scroll to the proper diver for your adapter/chip
and select it.
If you know the adapter/chip you selected is the correct one, either select to
install anyway in the popup warning or cancel out.

Either way, if the drivers install or you cancel out, go to the manuafacturers
site for either your machine or the adapter/chip and download/install the proper
drivers for your adapter/chip and OS per their instructions.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts:
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Pennywise]

Then it says I need to contact with my hardware manufacturer to get an
upgraded driver or select one from Microsoft provided drivers.

That's what you need to do then.
Run Everest http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html see what video
card your using and download the proper drivers.

 

[Guest]

Sorry, the top icon on my device manager is Peerweb. When I click this a
dropbar comes down and then I click computer then scan for hardware changes.
It just scans then disappears and nothing happens.

Thanks for your reply,

NS

 

[Brian A.]

Sorry, the top icon on my device manager is Peerweb. When I click this a
dropbar comes down and then I click computer then scan for hardware changes.
It just scans then disappears and nothing happens.

That means it doesn't detect any new hardware installed. The questions I come
to next is:
Is the name Peerweb the true name you gave the machine as your user name or is
it supposed to be a different name? If it is the legit name you need to
reinstall the proper drivers for your video/graphics chip/adapter.

If you do not know what chip/adapter is installed, download/run Everest Home
Edition:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads9.html

http://basconotw.mvps.org/dwnlds.htm

Create a new folder named Everest and extract the contents of the download to
that folder.
Open the folder and double-click everest.exe to run the application.
Click the + next to Computer.
Click Summary.
Look in the section named Display for the installed chip/adapter.
Go to the manufacturers Support > Download site and download the proper drivers
for your device. As well download or print any Readme/Install file if it is
available separately, it may be included in the downloadable driver file instead
of separately. Install the drivers per the manufacturers instructions.


If you happen to get stuck somewhere along the line:
Run Everest.
Click the + next to Computer.
Click Summary.
Right click in the right pane and in the popup menu click "Copy All".
Start a response in this thread.
Right click in the text window and in the popup menu click "Paste".
Send the response.

If the name of the computer is not legit, see my second response to this post.
Separating the responses to keep size reduced so others with low bandwidth don't
have to wait for the high heavens to open up to download messages.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts:
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Brian A.]

Continued from first response.
If the name of your computer user that's listed is not the legit name, you're
machine may have been compromised:

**It is very important to run the update for each program before running the
app/s to be sure you have the latest definitions.**
Run the programs in Safe Mode after assuring you have shut down all running
tasks except explorer or systray and all apps are fully up to date.
Remove your Temp Internet files: Right click IE. Under the General tab click
Delete Files, put a check in Delete all Offline..., click OK and close when
finished.
Delete all files in c:\windows\temp.

Download/run Cool Web Shredder from:
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html

For Info on Cool Web Search variants:
http://www.richardthelionhearted.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Download/install/run Ad-Aware SE to detect/rid of any other parasites/spyware
that may be installed. It can be obtained free from:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
After installing Ad-Aware, open it and click on the ref update to get the
latest up-to-date ref file, then run Ad-Aware and delete everything it finds.

Download/install/run Spybot - Search & Destroy:
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download
Run it at it's default settings until you learn an know more about it. Spybot
S&D is more of an advanced users tool and changing from the default settings can
be dangerous to the novice user. Items found in the default settings that are
RED can usually be safely removed. If you are unsure of a found item, do not
remove it and ask for help.

If you still have problems, download/run HijackThis from:
http://www.richardthelionhearted.com/~merijn/downloads.html
http://majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html

Copy HJT to it's own folder, this is where the log files will be saved. Run
HJT in Normal Mode.
Do not remove anything with it until you get advice on what to remove, HJThis
will list many apps that are needed along with the bad ones. Removing items
listed hap-hazardly without knowing what they are can/will create a royal mess.
Read the quick start here on how to create a log file that can be copied/pasted
into a forum that can provide assistance on removal of unwanted pests.
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/#quick

Then post the logs to an appropriate forum where they specialize in
spyware/hijacker removal. Please read any sticky notes for proper posting which
are most commonly posted first at the top in each specific forum. Read any
information under each forum category name for information on what that
particular one is used for, look for the proper one that you post logs to.
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/
http://aumha.net/
http://forum.aumha.org/

After running the above and assuring you have a clean machine:
It's also a good idea to have a HOSTS file to block bad sites, scroll to HOSTS
File Manager here:
http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Software.htm

Download/install/run SpywareBlaster which stops the badboys before they even get
a chance to install:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts:
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all your help, but it is still not working.

I do not know at all why it just rebooted itself and done that, I have just
paid £50 to get XP installed onto it.

I may now be thinking of buying a new PC

Many Thanks

 

[Brian A.]

If you just paid to have the OS installed, take it back and have them install
the proper drivers as they should have done before you got it back.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/