LCD display problems in safe mode

[Bruce A. Evans]

I can't use safe mode to remove stuff because whenever I enter it, I get
"input out of range" and black monitor.
I have a Neovo F417 17 " flat panel monitor, and I note that 600x480 is not
a choice when setting resolutions - only 800x600 up to 1280x1024. Using XP
Pro. This problem has been present from the beginning.
Is there some monitor or display setting that would allow me to use safe
mode?
If there is a better place to ask, could someone direct me there?

 

[Sharon F]

I can't use safe mode to remove stuff because whenever I enter it, I get
"input out of range" and black monitor.
I have a Neovo F417 17 " flat panel monitor, and I note that 600x480 is not
a choice when setting resolutions - only 800x600 up to 1280x1024. Using XP
Pro. This problem has been present from the beginning.
Is there some monitor or display setting that would allow me to use safe
mode?
If there is a better place to ask, could someone direct me there?

The "out of range" message is coming from the monitor, not Windows. Because
of the difference in technology, some flat panels are restricted to certain
settings. Check the documentation for the monitor for what resolutions it
can and cannot use.

640x480 settings: Under Display> Settings> Advanced> Adapter, you can click
a button to "List All Modes." Doing so will add 640x480 to the list of
available settings. Also, on the Compatibility page of a program's shortcut
properties sheets there is an option to force a program to run in 640x 480
and/or 256 colors. NOTE: Check the limitations of the monitor before using.

On a Windows XP system, the regular display driver and current settings are
used in Safe Mode if the driver is present and working. Safe Mode does not
automatically revert to 640x480 as Win9x does. There are options to force
the issue though:

1) One of the F8 startup options is to start in Safe Mode with VGASafe.
This will load a generic display driver instead of the OEM driver.

2) Also, Start> Run> msconfig> Boot.ini includes an option to add the
/basevideo switch to boot.ini to force a load of the VGASafe driver. NOTE:
You'll need to change this setting back to what it was and then restart to
get the display back to normal under a regular XP boot.

 

[Bruce A. Evans]

Thanks for your answer.
I don't see Safe Mode with VGASafe among the safe mode F8 startup options.
There is a choice to startup with VGA
which works, booting into 600x480, but it's not a safe mode, as all the
various startups are loaded.
Is there a way to boot up in safe mode with the VGA driver?
And why does that work, but safe mode gives the display problems with "out
of range"?
I've had the computer for 1.5 years and have never HAD to use safe mode
(I've used GoBack to
get out of trouble a few times) but this just niggles at me.

 

[Sharon F]

Thanks for your answer.
I don't see Safe Mode with VGASafe among the safe mode F8 startup options.
There is a choice to startup with VGA
which works, booting into 600x480, but it's not a safe mode, as all the
various startups are loaded.
Is there a way to boot up in safe mode with the VGA driver?
And why does that work, but safe mode gives the display problems with "out
of range"?
I've had the computer for 1.5 years and have never HAD to use safe mode
(I've used GoBack to
get out of trouble a few times) but this just niggles at me.

Sorry I got the F8 option wrong and that it's not safe Mode. Using the
MSCONFIG option and booting to safe mode should work though.

Why do you need 640x480 in Safe Mode? (BTW, your monitor is capable of
supporting that resolution in normal or safe mode. Specifications for your
monitor: http://www.aurora.se/neovo/neovo-f417.htm)

I think the actual problem is to find out why the monitor is not working
correctly when you try to boot in this manner. A monitor can't know if
you're in normal or safe mode. All it knows is that the signal being sent
to it is not acceptable for the current settings the monitor is using.

You know that the display is fine in normal mode. When restarting, the
monitor complains. We know that, if possible, XP will use the already
installed driver while in Safe Mode (the same one used during Normal mode).
If the already installed driver was being used, there would be no out of
range message.

When the already installed driver cannot be used (damaged, missing, won't
load correctly for whatever reason), then a generic driver will be
substituted for safe mode operation. If your normal display settings are
too great for that generic driver, then a message would appear. To fix the
desktop size or, possibly, the refresh rate should be bumped down a notch
or two.

You may want to check for an updated display driver for your display
adapter or try reinstalling the one that you have.