Packard Bell Display Problem!

xthe12onex · July 11th, 2004, 05:48 PM

I don't know what has happened to my computer.. it is a packard bell, about 5 years old. Windows 98 (build 4.10.1998).

Here's some info
Packard Bell NEC PLT SUPR 1961
Board: Intel Corporation AL440LX
300 megahertz Intel Pentium II
64 Megabytes Installed Memory

Here's my problem.. I can't get my display to change from 640x480 16 Color.. i want it to be 720x576 256 Colors.. it won't let me change it.. i've tried everything.. shut down my computer a number of times, and the settings just won't stay. I've tried to go into advanced settings and change the monitor but that hasn't helped either.

S3 Inc. ViRGE GX2 [Display adapter]
Packard Bell 1024 [Monitor]
Packard Bell 1428ME [Monitor]
Packard Bell PnP 7480 [Monitor]

Please reply with ANY help..

paul9 · July 11th, 2004, 06:33 PM

have you tried setting the refresh rate from default to optimal or vice versa? does it change to these settings you are trying, but not keep them? will it do 800x640 which is a more 'standard' resolution? and does it show s3 virge on packard bell 1024 or s3 virge on default monitor in the settings as your primary display? make sure it is not on default monitor, if you can.

xthe12onex · July 11th, 2004, 06:42 PM

yeah.. i've changed the refresh rate..

and it will change the settings from 640x480 but NOT STAY

I'm not sure if it's set as default monitor, how do i change that?

It says:
Display:
Packard Bell PnP 7480 on S3 Inc. ViRGE GX2

paul9 · July 11th, 2004, 07:08 PM

that one looks ok, as long as that is the actual monitor type you have. not too sure how to proceed, apart from a driver update/reinstall, but it seems more likely a windows annoyance than a driver at the moment. you could maybe try telling it to apply the settings after a restart instead of without restarting.

xthe12onex · July 11th, 2004, 07:23 PM

tried that too.. i set it to apply after restart, restarting before applying, and to apply without restarting.. the setting just goes right back..

also when i click the display icon on my taskbar.. it has a check beside the 640x480 16 Color and there's not other choices.. I Tried to take the check off, but it won't let me

paul9 · July 11th, 2004, 07:31 PM

16 colour? sorry, i assumed 16 bit colour. either you are in safe mode, or it is new driver time. also try a direct x 7 install if you can find it, or reinstall your current version of direct x

xthe12onex · July 11th, 2004, 08:02 PM

no.. 16 color.. not 16 Bit..

I'm not in safe mode.. though i have tried going into safe mode to see if i could fix it but it didn't work. It may be time for a new driver.. also, i'm installing directx 9..

paul9 · July 11th, 2004, 08:12 PM

dx9 might be pushing it a bit for the cpu and memory you have. at the very least, you should consider upping the memory to 256m. it wil fly like a new machine. that and a largish fast hard drive will boost the performance quite a bit. if the new drivers don't work, then it may be time to chant the microsoft mantra: reformat and reinstall.

xthe12onex · July 11th, 2004, 08:27 PM

i'll try to find dx7 then and download it and see if it helps.. if that doesn't help what do you reccomend?

Sweeper · July 11th, 2004, 08:34 PM

Sounds like a driver issue. Try either reinstalling the drivers you were using and or install the latest for that video adapter.