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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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My computer is all messed up so naturally I decided to turn to the finest minds on the internet, you guys. The problem I'm having is the display. The resolution is stuck in 640x480 and the colors are in 4 bit. I try to change it but when I hit apply, it resets. So everything is giant looking and my screen looks like a gameboy color. The problem is immediate when I turn the computer on, though before it gets to windows, it's not as bad. Before it gets to windows, the Vaio logo is clear but there are some green lines on the screen. Once it gets to Windows it's completely messed up. I tried booting in safe mode and it's still the same. I also tried doing a system restore with no luck either. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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justdrop
Title: Supreme Overlord
Joined: Jan 11 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 558
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sidewaydriver wrote: |
My computer is all messed up so naturally I decided to turn to the finest minds on the internet, you guys. The problem I'm having is the display. The resolution is stuck in 640x480 and the colors are in 4 bit. I try to change it but when I hit apply, it resets. So everything is giant looking and my screen looks like a gameboy color. The problem is immediate when I turn the computer on, though before it gets to windows, it's not as bad. Before it gets to windows, the Vaio logo is clear but there are some green lines on the screen. Once it gets to Windows it's completely messed up. I tried booting in safe mode and it's still the same. I also tried doing a system restore with no luck either. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. |
Find out the video card model, download the latest drivers. 99% of the time that's what it is.
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"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."- Winston Churchill |
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Beach Bum
Joined: Dec 08 2010
Location: At the pants party.
Posts: 1777
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Yeah I'd check drivers first, since that is the cheapest and easiest fix. If not, see if a different monitor has the same issues. If it does I'd replace the video card. If not try plugging your current monitor into another computer and see if it has the same problems. A new monitor might be in order if it does. Hope it is just drivers though.
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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This is what's listed for my video card:
Unless that's not the right thing I'm looking for, I'm guessing that my computer is not detecting the card or something.
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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justdrop
Title: Supreme Overlord
Joined: Jan 11 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 558
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Yeah, it lost the drivers. If you have a legit copy of Windows, try using Windows Update and see if it auto-detects.
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"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."- Winston Churchill |
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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Windows Version, Computer Brand, Computer Model. Then we talk.
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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Sony's website will have drivers for you to install for your video card.
If you have a model number I can try to track the driver down.
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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Found it.
pcg-2a1l
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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Got some more info. I found the video card model and there's obviously a problem with it. I right clicked on it and clicked "Update Driver Software" only to have it tell me I already have the latest update. Then I went to Nvidia's website to find the driver and when I download it and it goes to install, it tells me that it isn't compatable with the hardware found. I also disabled it and enabled it again, then restarted with no results. An interesting thing I noticed was that when I found the driver on the website, it said it was a notebook driver.
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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New developments:
So while digging around some more, I found a code 43 error for the video card driver. I googled it and found that code 43's are a very common thing with the geforce 8400M GT.
Anyway,, I found this site and it's pretty much my problem exactly, except mine isn't a laptop. There's a lot of faulty 8x00 video cards in Sony Vaio machines. But from what I've read, the average life is about 18 months, I've had mine for almost 4 years. Guess I'm lucky. Probably going to need a new one but I'm still open to ideas.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=90875
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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@om*d
Title: Dorakyura
Joined: Jul 10 2010
Location: Castlevania
Posts: 4226
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I am not a computer tech, but if it is not a notebook, couldn't you just open the case, remove the card and then re-insert it, just to see if that does anything? I have had issues in the past with video cards and sometimes that was all it took.
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JoshWoodzy
Joined: May 22 2008
Location: Goshen, VA
Posts: 6544
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You gotta toggle the galvatron reaction core, then after that you must go into the dik.4 files and transverse the alternator by changing the settings on the ultimate nullifier.
After you do that go into the googlebot folder, turn on buffer underrun protection (to stop a baroque cancel) and get the alpha countering settings. open that in notepad, scroll down about three fourths of the way, and look for a part that says something about a K.I.L.R.O.Y. protocol. You might have to double check this in double zeta settings. see if that's set to RX-78 or not, and copy paste that here. After that I'll tell you what you should do to get it working.
Also, make sure your speakers are set to "stereo".
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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It is common for video cards in laptops to not allow support from anyone other than the OEM.
Frustratingly the Sony website does not distribute a Vista driver for your product. Do you have a DVD that has the driver?
As for the Error 43, where do you see that error?
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sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
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When I check the properties of the video card in device manager, it says under the general tab:
Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)
I tried to open up the computer to check the video card but the screws are embedded deep into the case and I don't have a screwdriver that's thin enough to get into the holes. I'm willing to wager that the video card is built onto the motherboard. That's the case with laptops and I think it's the same way on these all-in-one computers. I'm just going to take it in somewhere to see if I can get the card swapped out. If it turns out I need a new motherboard, I'll just get a new computer.
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 Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom. |
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Klimbatize
2010 NES Champ
Title: 2011 Picnic/Death Champ
Joined: Mar 15 2010
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 5000
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username
Title: owner of a lonely heart
Joined: Jul 06 2007
Location: phoenix, az usa
Posts: 16135
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sidewaydriver wrote: |
I don't have a screwdriver that's thin enough to get into the holes. |
thats what she said
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Klimbatize wrote: |
I'll eat a turkey sandwich while blowing my load |
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GPFontaine
Joined: Dec 06 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 11244
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