Dell 5150 Video : Resolution Problems - Help!

[Guest Vidarious]

Please find all the files referred to in this post in the zip file ErrorPics.Zip. Sorry I don't have a place to serve them on the net for easy viewing.

I've searched the forums and cannot find another case of my problem. The recommended resolution for my laptop (5150) is 1400x1050. The only time I can get this to work is when I install fresh drivers, and it only works for a couple minutes. When I go into a game or change resolutions Windows XP pops up with the error found in Error1.JPG. This message is telling me that the resolution I am/was at was not the proper and that 1400x1050 IS the proper. This is true. After I get this message my Windows changes the resolution to 1280x1024 for no reason. When I go into Display Settings to change it back I receive Error2.JPG telling me that my display settings being saved are invalid. When I click ok I then recieve immediatly the Error3.JPG message saying that it cannot change to that resolution and that I may not have appropriate administrative rights. Now the Admin thing is bogus, there is only one account and it is admin that I use, there is no question about that.

Also, when I update my display drivers using the newest Dell, or the Video/Bios drives off this website the version and date of the drive DO NOT CHANGE. When I look at my driver information for my video card it still says i'm using Driver Version: 4.5.8.5. See Image Driver.JPG

It almost seems as if the drivers that were installed before are LOCKED in and when I try to override them it just reverts back to the old ones.

So right now, I'm sitting here with 1280x1024 resolution which blurs everything. I am boggled why it wont let my use my recommended resolution when it tells me that I should use it.

Aswell, the option to change to 1400x1024 is taked away when I try changing to it (followed by recieving those errors). But when I reboot the option is availible again but can't change it still.

Please someone help, it is really being a pain.

Thanks!

ErrorPics.zip

[Teraphy]

The error message about being an improper resolution is the driver itself. Dell sets a registry key for this box to come up and yes it is annoying and does cause issues so why Dell keeps using it is beyond me.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\NVTweak\QTwkEnableModeChangeWarning

I couldn't help but laugh 'cause I also get issues (not driver related) saying you have to be an admin to do something. It's hilarious because I AM the admin. :) Yes quite frustrating as well. I assume the latter issues are with Windows. If after installing drivers it says "no don't reboot" then install failed. Is that what happens when installing? The driver wouldn't change then but if it's from Dell you should have no problems installing. You might want to attempt a safe-mode boot up (F8 after BIOS and before Windows bootup) and install new drivers. In many cases uninstalling is recommended although I've overlooked that step many a times :)

If for some reason you made any changes to the INF then uninstallation may have been broken.

I've attached a display modes program I wrote a while back. It may or may not work for you since it might require some old DLL's. I think windows slider is a little conservative -- this will show all possible resolutions, bit depths and frequencies possible. Just a quick test not intended to fix the issue.

DisplayModes.exe

[Guest joe jacobs]

hi, I don't understand this site, but I have same problem; I left a message I think on Dell board, replying to yours. If you get any further, please email me direct - ajjjja@blueyonder.co.uk

thx

[Guest Vidarious]

*sigh* I've tried everything i possibly could when it comes to drivers, and methods of installing drivers (ie safemode install) and still no luck. The only option I have left that I can see is to reinstall windows, this isn't really a problem but from the problems i've seen to be getting its not going to help :)

Anyone else have any ideas?

Edited March 26, 2004 by dontknow