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Windows XP Ddisplay Settings

Dell Latitude D410 running XP Pro. The display settings have been set so the Text is so small it can't bee seen. It won't display on an external monitor. I pulled the hard drive to copy prior registry hives but here are no system restore points predating the display settings change. The dispay settings are retained when booting into safe mode or vga mode. Dell system configuration does not list what type of video card it shipped with.

Any one have an idea how I could remove the Video display setting on this.

xmlmagician

Cant you just use the magnifier in the accessibility menu so you can change them the normal way by right clicking on the desktop go to properties etc etc?

Statick001

is the problem the display resolution (so everything is too small) or the text/icon size (so some things such as the start menu and window borders will remain the correct size) ?

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nmacfall

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Steelers4life

You could also boot into safe mode vga only and remove the video drivers and reinstall.

pcenterprises

ASKER

1.) It won't display on an external monitor,
2.) VGA in safe mode has the same display settings
3.)magnify does not produce legible text

Any idea how what registry settings to change if I boot to a Bart PE disk or remove the hard drive and access it from another computer?

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☠ MASQ ☠

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jeffiepoo

I haven't seen this personally, but it sounds strange. I agree with Steelers guy. Re-install the video drivers before anything. If you're comfortable with the registry I'd be interested in what the keys say that MASQUERAID has suggested.

-Jeff

nmacfall

Steelers is offering the step I would personally try next. Sounds like ultimately it's a video card failure though...Here's the download link straight from Dell for your Latitude D410 -- Good Luck!

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=RC1076368&l=en&s=biz&SystemID=LAT_PNT_PM_D410&servicetag=&os=WW1&osl=en&catid=6&impid=-1&dateid=-1&typeid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=184276

pcenterprises

ASKER

From what I am told this is what happened. Client hooked up and external 22' monitor and set it as the primary dispaly and extened the desktop to the laptop. Thet then set the sreen resolution on the primary monitor to it's smallest setting. Then tey decided they wanted to see what a "clone' was so they changed the setting to clone the monitors and "everything went all fuzzy" so they turned the computer off and then back on. Then they brought it to me. No cd drive can't remember the Administrator password. An of course it's all Microsofts fault.

Anyway I'll try a few more things and post back. I appreciate the responses.

SOLUTION

☠ MASQ ☠

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nmacfall

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pcenterprises

ASKER

Well nothing like good luck as part of the solution. After reading everyones posts I wondered if in playing with the settings they had changed the dpi settings from 96 to some custom size. So I booted up an xp computer with intel graphics used it as a template and clicked on what I hoped were the correct selections and after 3 tries voila legible text and icons. Called her back and she said "oh yeah I forgot I changed that to 20%."

I appreciate everyone taking the time to respond it was helpfull to me.

nmacfall

Glad you got it resolved...Glad I could help!