Problem: LCD laptop monitor is garbled when put on higher resolution.

[Wyumez]

Okay, so I was typing up a report yesterday on my laptop 1980x1200 screen. When all of the sudden the screen becomes garbled and I couldn't do anything but force shut down.

I ended up rebooting in VGA mode (which worked) but when I tried to put my screen up to 1600x1200. I can get it up to 1400x1050 but past that will be garbled...

So I backed up all the valuables and reformatted the hard drive. I'm still having the same problem. Without the graphics card, I can't get my monitor to its peak (1600x1200). With the graphics card, my peak is 1980x1200 but I cannot get it past 1600x1200!!

Stuff that I have done:

1. cleaned up the graphics card fans and tested for loose wires
2. reformatted the hard drive
3. ran a diagnostics test

Specs:

Intel Centrino Duo
1gb ram
Nvidia 7800go graphics card
WUXGA lcd laptop screen

Anyone have any idea what's going on? I am going to try using a desktop monitor and see if I can adjust the refresh frequency to see if that works. I would keep it at its current resolution but for gaming purposes, I will miss my high resolution. It kind of feels like it's not registering that it's a widescreen display!

Any help would be great. Thanks!

edit: my laptop is two/three years old and is a Dell Inspiron E1705

 

[KSoD]

Get ATiTool and check the temps. Could be you have been running it to hot and it is starting to go.

 

[Wyumez]

Basically, I had the laptop on my lap with my notebook on the keyboard while I was writing... then the screen blinked, flashed a bunch of wavy lines... and that is it.

What is the life of most graphics card? I've never overclocked mine and for the most part, is pretty well ventilated.


*edit*
Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

After a few installing/uninstalling several graphics drivers, I found one from tweaksrus.com that works pretty well. When I restart the computer, it automatically starts in 1920 resolution. I can keep it working just fine until I do a command that involves quick movement (like closing a popup). Then the screen looks like one of these:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/pacey86/100_3494.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/pacey86/100_3491.jpg

http://bellet.info//photos/2003/Aug/10Aug18:10/P8100004.JPG

or

http://www.spaceage.nl/files/screen.jpg



*edit2*
I just remembered: this was the last major thing I downloaded (a day before)

Computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and that are equipped with multiple processors that support processor power management features may experience decreased performance

I was experiencing really weird connection errors in game. After I downloaded this, the game was perfect... until the next day.



*edit3*
hrm.. the links don't seem to work:

http://bellet.info//photos/2003/Aug/...0/P8100004.JPG

http://www.freebsddiary.org/images/i...creen-mess.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7096/dscf0638ht4.jpg

Someone suggested that it could be a ram problem... any thoughts?

 

[KSoD]

Well first i would seggest you get Driver Cleaner Pro.

Driver Cleaner Professional download from Guru3D.com

Clean out ALL drivers installed. Then try to reinstall your drivers that you found working. From there download MemTest86.

Memtest86 - Download Page

Run the LiveCD for at least 4 hours.

 

[Wyumez]

How do I run memtest? I mounted it with alcohol 120%, but it won't let me run it, all I get is errors such as "this file is invalid for use as the following: security catalog"