[josephpolk]

For some reason, every time I boot up now, I get a black border around my desktop (a little over 1" thick) instead of it filling the entire screen. I always keep the background set to stretch so that it fills the entire desktop. I don't know what has happened, but I would love to know how to fix it!

Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[ozrom1e]

You have to adjust the monitor to get rid of it. The monitor adjustments are the little buttons on the front of the monitor and require fine tuning. Consult the monitor manual for how to accomplish this.

[josephpolk]

Um....i think there is something more than that being wrong with the computer if it had not done this at all for 3 years and now all of a sudden keeps happening after every reboot.

thanks for your advice, but I don't think that's it.

[matt-h]

Sometimes it can be the graphic card setting, have a look in display properties > setting > advance and have a look

[josephpolk]

thanks for the advice on looking at the "advanced" tab -- but what exactly would I be looking for that would make the screen change so drastically like this?

[valis]

have you tried to reinstall the driver? Go to the monitor mfg website and find the latest driver for your monitor, copy it down, and install it. Chances are the driver got corrupt. You can also try to roll back the driver; start > run > sysdm.cpl > hardware tab > device manager > double click monitors > driver tab > roll back. I'd be curious as to if there was a yellow circle next to the monitors in the device manager as well.

But I think you will probably have to reinstall hte driver for the machine.

[Pseudopath]

Originally Posted by josephpolk

thanks for the advice on looking at the "advanced" tab -- but what exactly would I be looking for that would make the screen change so drastically like this?

Could be your "Refresh rate" has been changed.

In the Advanced area mentioned above under "Monitor".
The default is 60hz, if it isn't already set it to that.

- Pseudopath.

[matt-h]

Depends on the make of your graphics card. I saw a option like this on a couple of years old Dell with possibily a Radeon card.

ATM, I am looking at my new PC, with a ATI Radeon card, looking at the Catalyst Control Center. Cant see anything... Just look about. Any pictures/icons/graphics should give you a clue as to what things do.

What make is your card?

[josephpolk]

thanks for all of this advice. I'll try each thing and get back to you all. Thanks again!!

[josephpolk]

Valis --> When I bring up that Monitors under the Device Manager, I have the following options:

1. Default Monitor
2. Default Monitor
3. Plug and Play Monitor

Note -- I have a laptop, not a desktop, so I'm not quite sure what to do since it I don't know what driver(s) I would need to update.

[valis]

If you ahve a laptop, go to the laptop mfg's site and download the graphics driver. If you are unclear as to which graphics card you have, start > run > dxdiag, display tab should tell you.

What is the make/model of your laptop?

[josephpolk]

I found the most "recent" driver for my laptop, and updating it didn't change anything.

I have a Dell Latitude C840.

[kiwiguy]

The correct screen resolution for your model of laptop is 1600 x 1200.

Running at anything less will show as a black border.

Please advise what resolution is currently set (display properties - settings).

[josephpolk]

Kiwiguy --> I'm not sure what you mean by the "correct" resolution for the laptop. I've been running it at 1280 x 1024 for 3 years now wihtout a problem. Now, all of a sudden, it keeps showing this black border around the desktop instead of filling the whole screen.

Any other ideas?

[valis]

lcd resolutions have a 'native' resolution that they are designed to run at. Running at other resolutions can and will cause damage to the monitor. As you have been running at something other than the native resolution for an extended period of time, you could have simply burnt out the monitor.