MS Vista update on 6-1-2008 changed settings and appearance

[Chris]

BACKGROUND:

I am only a user, and do not have technical knowledge.

EQUIPMENT:

I have MS Vista Basic Home Edition with service pack 1 and all updates
current up to 6-1-2008 (there are today 6-4-2008 two updates waiting to be
installed, but now I am afraid to install them due to the following problem).

I have MS Office Home and Student 2007.

My computer is a PowerSpec 32-bit with 2 GB of RAM and my monitor is an Acer
17†wide.

All of this was purchased about four months ago.

PROBLEM:

On 6-1-2008, when I turned on my computer I was notified of two MS updates
(I do not use automatic updating), and installed them:

* Update for Windows Vista (KB947562)

* Definition Update for Windows Defender - KB915597 (Definition 1.33.9770.6)

My computer installed and then automatically shut down and re-started.

At this point all my fonts, icon sizes, etc were different than before. My
gadget clock, for example, was larger than before, and instead of round it
was an oval, like something was squishing it from the top. My Word Arial
font, for example, was “wider†and to get it to look like it did before I had
to change to Arial Narrow (but I don’t want my documents in Arial Narrow).
My email font (characters) were also different than before. Many other
changes also occurred.

My problem is, or the outcome I want is, to have my settings and appearances
like they were before.

WHAT I’VE TRIED:

I’ve spent about two hours trying to change my display settings. Nothing
seems to work. For example, I can get my gadget clock almost round, but not
like before. I can’t even begin to figure out how to correct the font
problem. All my email fonts look strange, and are hard to read, like the
letters aren’t completely filled in. The words that Yahoo uses in their
email forms are now bold and I can’t unbold them.

I’ve tried to restore to a date before 6-1-08, but can’t figure out how to
do it. Apparently in XP there was some kind of “return to before this dateâ€
function but this doesn’t seem to be available with Vista.

I’ve asked for help on a local email group, and most said try fooling with
the display settings.

One person said, “It sounds like the updates crapped out your video driver.
I would check your PC makers website for an updated video driver and install
that. Then I would play with the resolution in your display settings in
"Control Panel". If these aren't the issue then I might try deleting the
hardware (found under Display Adapter in Device Manager) and then press scan
for new hardware. This may require a reboot.â€

But I don’t know what this means and would feel afraid to try to do
something like this, whatever it is.

I tried to get into MS’s 90-day free help thing on-line (since MS obviously
caused this problem) but they aren’t recognizing my 20-digit product code, so
apparently they’re not going to fix this for free.

I searched this MS community and somehow found a posting about the same kind
of problem also dated 6-1-2008, but can’t find it now.

I apologize if this is redundant, but I just want to go back like it was
before, and need help doing that.

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[Mick Murphy]

It sounds like you installed a Video Card Driver from Windows Updates.
Never install 3rd party hardware Drivers from WU.

Go to either your Computer's, Graphic Card's or Motherboard Manufacturer's
manufacturer's website and download the latest Graphics/Video Driver from
there, not MS!

Also, you can uninstall the offending updates, and when they appear for
install
again>Right-Click> Hide.

And there is always System Restore.
Start>Programs>Accessories>SystemTools>System Restore.

 

[Chris]

Thank you, Mick.

I honestly don't know (and previously didn't really care) what I was
installing. I assumed that if an update came from MS and was labeled
important that I should install it. And I don't know enough, or have enough
time, to figure out what the installation is - I just want to have a reliable
computer / system that I can use everyday.

Your comments seem helpful, so I will try to do what you suggest.

But, first, when I start messing with this stuff, uninstalling, and the
like, am I putting myself at risk of crashing my whole system, or getting
involved in untold hours of time?

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[Chris]

bad_the_ba -

Thank you for responding.

You obviously took a lot of time with your response and I appreciate that.

I will try to think this through and give it a shot, once I can be assured
I'm not going to do something that completely messes me up.

At this point I'm troubled. Is this something that happens often or is
going to happen again? After the initial shock of the differences in Word
2007 / Vista from before, I actually thought this MS stuff was pretty good
(about 75 % of my time on the Internet and the remainder writing Word
documents), but now I'm wondering if I'm going to have to start becoming a
"techie' and I (to say it again) just don't have the time (or desire) to do
that.

I appreciate you answering, and I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Hardware updates are labled Optional, not "important". Uninstall the update
and leave things alone since it caused you a problem. Once you know an
update is not right for your system you should hide or just ignore it. The
"important" update was just the Defender update.

 

[C.B.]

You were given good advice by Mr. Murphy. Do a System Restore to a
point prior to the updates installation and then go to the video card
vendor's website and download and install any updated drivers. Do a System
Restore before installing the new driver.
Also, before installing any updates from Microsoft you should right
click on the update and select View. This will tell you, in most cases, what
the update is all about.
Windows update will create a System Restore before installing some
updates, but not all the time. You should create a System Restore point
before installing any updates or new software.

C.B.



It is the responsibility and duty of everyone to help the underprivileged
and unfortunate among us.

 

[Karl Snooks]

Chris,
I'm going to take a different tack to your problem.

+++++++++++++++
RtClk on desktop » Personalize » Display Settings » move Resolution slider
to desired resolution » OK

In the Task Pane of the Personalization window, choose Adjust Font Size
(DPI) and choose the desired DPI. OK button.

karl

 

[~nt~]

step 1: reformat your hard disk drives after you back-up data.
step 2: reinstal your orginal copy of vista to the system.
step 3: restore data. may you got like it was before.
the last, you wont do the same mistake again.

novri tampubolon - jkt - indonesia