Monitor--Not configured properly

I am getting a popup on my monitor that says:
DISPLAY ADAPTER NOT CONFIGURED PROPERLY. S/B 256 COLORS.
I have switched to a DELL 15" monitor over a year ago with no problems. I proceeded to settings and display to check out the settings. It was set at 16bit and no way to make any changes. No way to change the resolution. Nothing moves. Every now and then I may get a "auto adjust in progress" and the system goes on.
Any suggestions.
Claire

 

You need your Display Adapter (Graphics card) drivers reinstalled or updated.

First, try going to Device Manager (Control Panel (switch to classic view) -> System -> Hardware tab -> Device Manager). Open the Display Adapter listing (click the plus "+ "). Make a note of the listing descriptions. Highlight the listing/s, right-click and select Uninstall (or Remove). Reboot.

When Windows starts the Hardware wizard will ask where to look for the drivers, uncheck all the checkboxes, that will make Windows search it's own system files.

Let us know how that goes. If that does not work you will need to find model number of the graphics card. Everest in my signature may be able to identify it.

If you have the drivers CDs that came with the computer the graphics card drivers should be on one of those. They may also be called VGA drivers or video drivers.

If the computer is a branded one like a Dell, HP, Sony, Compaq, Gateway, etc, let us know the model

Matt

 

Hardware wizard did not work

I need to mention that this monitor(Dell) came with my new computer. However rather than use it, I plugged the new(Dell) monitor to my old computer where I am having the trouble.
In doing some looking around in the device manager area, Advanced Config and Power Interface shows -- (2) ACPI.sys bus types.
Is this the area where the problem is located?
I also need to mention that the old computer is generic using Win98. The new computer usesXP on a DELL Dimension and I have all the disks with drivers.
Does any of this help?
Claire

 

This means that the drivers for the Display Adapter are not working. It is not a problem with the Dell monitor, it is the signals being sent from the Adapter (it sends the information to the monitor).

Go to the Start button and click Run. Type
dxdiag
and click OK.
Select the Display tab and post back here with the information in the Device section. You can try running the tests, it may tell you more about what is going wrong.

Display Adapter (graphics) drivers are the most complex in the system. The reinstall I mentioned in the previous post is the simplest form. Big problems can mean removing the drivers in Safe Mode or using a utility like in the "sticky" at the head of this forum (unless you have changed graphics cards I doubt you would need to go that far). If you have a friend or relative that has experience with installing and reinstalling drivers you could enlist their help.

Matt

 

Here is the latest. After I got to the device manager, there was a (?) at Advanced Config and Power. The following is the message I got:
"Windows could not load the driver for this device because the computer is reporting (2) ACPI.sys bus types.
Contact computer mfg to get an updated BIOS for your computer. "
It looks like the driver for the old computer is in there and hopefully the other is a Plug and Play Monitor driver which probably is what I need.
Does this help any?

 

I did a search on ACPI.sys BUS. They seem to be minor drivers and not related to the display, that's why I did not concentrate on them in my last post.

Before upgrading the BIOS, I would ensure that a good set of drivers is installed for the chipset. Either way, you will need to do some identification of the hardware. Best would be to identify the motherboard. If you do not have any information that came with the computer, try running Everest (in my signature). Post back with the information under Motherboard -> Motherboard -> Motherboard Properties.

Upgrading the BIOS is more serious than removing and reinstalling drivers. If you install (flash) the wrong one there is a high probability that the computer will no longer work, same goes with any sort of stoppage during the flash.

I don't think making the ACPI.sys BUS run is going to fix your display problems... because they relate to power management, but if we can find drivers for your motherboard/chipset it may go a long way to fixing both.

Matt

 

Downloaded and ran PC MightyMax. Cannot run 'repair problems now' as I have unlicensed software. Not connected to internet for old computer.
Where am I looking for motherboard information on the old computer?

 

O.k. I went back to message #2 which is
Go to the Start button and click Run. Type dxdiag
and click OK.
Select the Display tab and post back here with the information in the Device section. You can try running the tests, it may tell you more about what is going wrong.
There is no Display tab so there is no Device section. The tabs showing are as follows: General, DirectX Files, Music,Input, Network, and More Help.

 

Ok Claire, looks like you are running standard display adapter drivers and there are problems with the motherboard/chipset drivers (if they have been installed at all).

You/we will have to identify the motherboard first. This may be easy or it may be quite hard. Download and install Everest:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html
As I said, post back with the details under:
Motherboard -> Motherboard -> Motherboard Properties

If we can identify the motherboard, all the drivers that you need may be at the manufacturer's website. If you get the correct drivers installed you will probably think it's a new machine.

Matt

 

O.K. Matt here it is
Motherboard Properties
ID 09/13/2001-8361-686X-6A6LNBOBC-OO
NAME Biostar M7VK5

 

Looking good. Only one small hiccup, there is no M7VK5 model, there is though a M7VKS model. So at some stage the "S" has been misread as a "5 ". All the VK models use the same set of chipset drivers and Windows won't use the wrong drivers unless you force it too.
These should be the ones:
http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/driver/model.php3?name=M7VKS&os=

Install the chipset drivers, then the VGA drivers (these are the display adapter drivers), then the audio drivers if you use the audio.

Hopefully everything will be in good working order afterwards.

Matt
PS you should burn those drivers onto a CD as well as a copy of the motherboard manual:
http://www.biostar.com.tw/support/manual/socket.php3?socket=a
Although there only seems to be a manual for the M7VKG model, so get that one.

 

I just finished installing the drivers as you instructed.
chipset VIAHperion4in1456v
Video 9x3136--
Audio 985011
However there is NO change. I restarted the computer after all was installed. I went to settings and it still will not allow me to make any changes.
I installed the Video and Audio to Windows/system32/drivers. Is this where they should be? The chipset didn't give me an option where to install that.

 

The files you downloaded are self extracting compressed rar files. When you "installed" them you didn't actually install the drivers. You only extracted the files needed for the install to a folder in the system32 folder. You need to run the setup file that was extracted.

I downloaded the files and took a look at them. What you need to do for the display adapter is look in the system32 folder for a subfolder named WinXP. Look at the picture below that I've attached. There's two of them. The thumbnail on the left shows the contents of the WinXP folder (display adapter). Your's should have the same files in it. Once you find it, open it and double click on the setup.exe file. If your's just says setup find the one named setup that has the same icon as the setup.exe file in my pic. Double click on it and it'll install your video driver.

For the sound, look in the system32 folder for a subfolder named wdm. Open it and it should have the same files as the other picture I've attached. Again, click on the setup.exe file and it'll install the sound driver.

Once you've done this you can delete those two folders if you want. They aren't needed unless you should want to install the drivers sometime again in the future. For that, you'd be better off to keep the files you downloaded. They'll take less disk space then the folders do. It's up to you.

 

Hi Zander,
This system is Windows 98.

I will download the files and see if the Win 98 installation is different.

Matt

 

OOPS, didn't read close enough I guess. Guilty as charged!

Oh well, from what I remember from when I downloaded the files, the win98 files were also self extracting rars. They had the same icon as the XPfiles anyway.

 

Installation is the same for 98 as Zander outlined. The zip/RAR files are extracted to a folder called "Win9X ". In this folder, find the Setup.exe file and run that.

(I've been trying to install some Win XP drivers all afternoon...signed, unsigned standard, manufacturer's....argggh! )

Matt

 

I wanted to thank all of you for your efforts and advice of how to get the monitor working. But I gave up and took the case to my local computer repair shop. After a few days, he said it was good to use again. Once again I can play bridge, mygolf game and other things that I never moved over to my Dell. Forget the internet, for now.
Thanks again.