audio/visual for windows ME

[red707]

My computer screen looks like it's on safe mode and the sound does not work. How do I fix it? I've tried rebooting it and using system restore, but they both did not work.

 

[Styxx 🎂]

Right-click Desktop; Point to Properties; Settings tab; the settings should be 16 bit and 800 x 600; click Apply; Click Ok.

 

[red707]

When I go to the settings tab and try to switch it to 16 bit,
it won't adjust to 800 by 600, it's staying at 640 by 480. I also noticed that the "true color" option is missing. Anymore suggestions?

 

[Styxx 🎂]

Right-click Desktop; Point to Properties; Settings tab; Advanced button; Adapter tab; Use the drop-down arrow underneath the Refresh Rate heading to change the choice to either Optimal or Default, whichever is not in the box when you first look; Click Apply; Click Ok. Restart your computer and see if you can now go back in Display properties and change to 800 x 600. That the True Color option being abscent is not as important as the 800 x 600 choice not being available. Just restarting might be your first choice.

If the above does not help, if I knew your computer brand and model I'd be able to better point you to the simple procedure of upgrading your video drivers.

 

[red707]

my computer model is

monitor: HP Pavilion M70
computer: HP Pavilion 6746C

 

[Styxx 🎂]

Little more suggestions available. Please say whay happened. Did you restsart your computer after switching the resolution to 16 bit and check to see if Windows would retain the settings after that restart?

 

[Low Mein]

red
You need to reinstall your video drivers. First you need to determine your video card, whether its Nvidia, ATI or something prehistoric. Once you've done that you can go to their web site and download appropriate drivers or perhaps you have a disc with them already. Or it might be possible to just remove the card from systems and have it reinstall the hardware and software. When your drivers are properly installed you will be able to change screen resolutions and colors to whatever the card supports. Same with sound card drivers, although losing sound could be for other reasons. Take it slow and do one thing at a time. Look in control panel, systems and see what installed under display and sound. If there's a yellow exclamation mark its not working. Write back after looking there first.

 

[red707]

Low Mein,

Where do I find out what kind of video card I have?

 

[Low Mein]

Red
You haven't said what Windows version you're running but this should tell you:Clickon start, click on settings from popup menu, go over to control panel click on that. In controlpanel open up the system icon. Click on the device manager tab. Open up the display adapter. This will tell you the type of video card you have. The simplest way of reinstalling drivers is to highlight the type of video card and click on remove device. Click OK when it asks if you want to remove it from system. Turn computer off and boot up. When the computer comes back up it will find the new hardware, the video card we told it wasn't there anymore and then find the software for it, the drivers. It might ask if you want to put in a disc or let it find the drivers. Let if find the drivers. These may not be the most current, but it should get you out of safe mode and 16 colors. Remember one step at a time. You can do the same thing with your sound card under sound in device manager. Reboot after it reinstalls the cards. If you get this far, you can take the leapand maybe update your drivers if you want (not difficult)
good luck write back if this worked or not

 

[NotRite²]

Windows key + the pause/break key is a shortcut to the system properties box.



Good Luck!

 

[red707]

Thanks everyone,
My computer display is back to normal. But my sound still doesn't work and I've tried removing the sound card from the Device Manager, but it didn't work. Any more suggestions?

 

[Low Mein]

Red
Glad to hear the video is fixed. Sound is more of a process of elimination and there are several places to look if you're not getting any sound. If you removed the sound card and reinstalled it and there's no yellow exclamation mark in device manager then it could be something as simple as having mute on or not having the volume slider up. First recheck the card:
Go to start, settings, control panel. Open up system, device manager tab. Open up the sound, video game and controllers tree. Highlight the sound card and click on properties. Make sure it says this device is working properly. If it does close out of control panel. Got to start, programs, accessories, entertainment, volume control. Make sure mute all ISNT checked at the far left. Move the slider up higher if its too low. Close out. If that isn't the problem check the connections between the speakers and the sound card. Check the volume control on the speakers. Make sure the plug(s) are in correctly and in the right holes. Those are the simple things. Write back if none of this works
good luck

 

[red707]

The Volume Control option won't open. When I tried opening the Sound Recorder, a warning appears that says that I need to install a sound device.

 

[Low Mein]

Red
What this tells you is that you are not getting sound because your sound card is not properly installed or in a worst case is broken. That would be rare. Again, go to start, settings ,control panel, system, device manager tab. When you look in sound, video and game controllers in device manager what is listed? Is there a sound card listed? Is there an exclamation mark? If a sound card is listed (ie SBLive etc) highlight it and click on properties. Is the box exists in all hardware profiles checked? Click the resources tab. Does it say No clonflicts? What were the circumstances when the sound stopped working (ie new program installed, crash etc)? Video is relatively easy to troubleshoot compared to sound. There is little to the video in a computer: monitor, video card, video drivers. that's it. Sound in computers is essentially been jerry-rigged from the beginning and is a bit more difficult to pinpoint a problem. But we can keep working at it.

 

[red707]

I've checked everything and it all seems to be correct. Is there any way to update or replace the sound card?