Can't change refresh rate.

jseabolt · 4th January 2006

Hello. I bought a new backup PC with Windows XP without a monitor. The problem is this computer doesn't like my old monitor. The monitor is almost eight years old (outlasted three computers) but still has a good picture and isn't worth scraping just because it's old. It's a Sampo AlphaScan 500.

After the computer boots up and as soon as it displays the desktop, the screen is all garbeled. So I went into Safemode to see if I could adjust something like the refresh rate.

I goto Display--> settings --> advanced --> monitor

Trouble is unlike my other PC, the window on this computer under monitor settings is "greyed out" so to speak. There is nothing to click on to adjust.

What do I need to do? Locate driver's for this monitor? It's old and Sampo's website is in mostly Chineese.

I'm not even sure if it's the refresh rate that is causing the screen to be garbled.

I've seen this happen once before but I don't think it's related. I've got this old IBM Pentium 90 out in my garage connected to a 13" or 14" monitor from an IBM microchannel (ain't not joke!). If I set the resolution to anything smaller than 800 X 600, the screen is garbled on that computer.

I was thinking this might be the case with my new PC but Safemode automatically defaults to the 800 X 600 setting so I don't know how to change this in normal mode since I can't read anything on the screen.

When I was running Windows 95, 98 and ME on other machines this monitor would support 1024 X 768 so like I said I don't think that's the case.

By the way. A co-worker built this computer for me. He was the one who told me to adjust the refresh rate. I don't know what type of monitor he tested this machine on but I don't think it's a problem with the computer itself. Just some setting that doesn't like my old monitor.

I'm going to ask him what I found tommorrow. But thought I'd run this by the forum in case he's stumped by it.

Thanks.

**PeteC** · 4th January 2006

In Safe Mode only the Windows VGA driver is loaded - have you checked that the drivers for your video card/chip (if on mobo) are loaded? Bear in mind that they need to be XP version. If they are a reinstall of the drivers may help.

Have the chipset drivers been loaded?

The refresh rate is unlikely to give you a garbled screen - just flicker if it is set too low.

skeet6961 · 4th January 2006

do u have another monitor? if so, use it to boot in normal mode, then adjust u'r scan rate to something the sampo can 'do'. then switch monitors.

jseabolt · 7th January 2006

As reported, I mentioned that I bought a new PC but when I connected it to an 8 year old monitor, as soon as the desktop popped up the screen was all garbled.

So I plugged in another monitor. This one I bought at Circuit City around 2000. This time the desktop appeared and everything looks fine.

I still don't know why I wasn't able to view the desktop after I went into safemode and set the settings to the lowest available (like 4 bit or something). I could view the desktop in safemode but not normal mode.

OK so here might be a dumb question. With computer #1, I'm using a 15" LCD monitor. About 2 years old. It's set at 60hz 32 bit 1024X768. That's what the computer defalted at.

Computer #2, I'm using a 15" CRT monitor, about 6 years old. This computer defaulted at 75 hz 32bit 800X600.

I've heard if you set the monitor to something it doesn't like it will fry it. So how do you know what it's supposed to be set at? I tried setting the refresh rate to 60 hz on the computer using the CRT monitor and it doesn't really flicker, it just hurts my eyes.

I don't like using anything smaller than 800X600 on a CRT 15" monitor. It's not that it's blurry, it just hurts my eyes. 1024X768 looks fine on a 15" LCD monitor.

**PeteC** · 7th January 2006

I have merged you threads in the interests of continuity.

Quote:

So how do you know what it's supposed to be set at?

If you go to Display Properties > Settings > Advanced > Monitor tab you should see a check box 'Hide modes this monitor cannot sisplay' - that is your safeguard against selecting an unsuitable refresh rate.

LCD monitors work on an entirely different principle to CRT's and will default to their native resolution - at which they work best.