Lost 256 color option

[MaryLee]

Help me someone. I don't even know if I am posting this question in the right place. I have checked the archives and found someone who had a similar problem where she was told she needed to restore her drivers. According to what my daughter found our video drivers are still intact. We are still not getting the colors. What do we do now. Also, I cannot scandisk my c drive or do a disk defragment on the c drive either. I am really computer illiterate so be kind to me please.
Thanks!
Mary Lee
marylee@qcol.net

 

[~Candy~]

Hi MaryLee, welcome.

When you say the video drivers were found intact.....they could be damaged.....do you have the driver cd or disk? There should be a setup.exe file on it, run that and you should be good to go.

 

[itsmeitsmeitsme]

cowboy gave this explanation that might help you........

I had a similar problem when I put in a new video card. I used the disk that came with it to provide the drivers and they were already obsolete. Even then, I downloaded newer drivers and still couldn't get it out of 16 colors.
I took the video card out and tried to return it and was told that after you have the video card in, most current drivers downloaded, you need to change the adapter refresh rate. For some reason the adapter refresh rate defaults to "unknown" and as long as that's what it is set at you can't get out of 16 colors. I took the card home, reinstalled it and darn if it wasn't true. I
changed the adapter refresh from "unknown" to "adapter default". apply reboot; then changed it from "adapter default" to "optimal" and apply, reboot. (You have to do this in increments because if you go from "unknown" to "optimal" it defaults back to "unknown". Try right clicking on desktop>properties> settings tab> advanced button> adapter tab and change it if on "unknown". Just worth a try. But keep in mind that you may need updated drivers from maker's web site. Just something else to consider! Good luck!

 

[MaryLee]

Hi again,

No, I do not have the disk. My son in law put this computer together for me and I know absolutely squat! My fault...I should have learned from day one. I am trying to do things on my own and I don't even know what I have. If your answer is what I have to do then I will have to get the information from him first.
Thanks a lot.
You can bet I will refer to this site often in the future if I have any problems.
Mary

 

[~Candy~]

Chances are he has the driver disk, or perhaps put them on your hard drive......he'll know.......

In the remote chance he doesn't have them, then we'll need to know the motherboard model.

 

[MaryLee]

Well, I did what cowboy said and what I did get is an update to 16 colors now, the only option. Any other suggestions before I get the disk from my son in law?
thanks again.
Mary

 

[MaryLee]

Hi this is Mary again,
I was wondering, we just added a zip drive, could that possibly cause my color problems? I said I was totally illiterate so I have to ask. Also, do you keep the zip drive plugged in all the time? It is an external one.
Mary

 

[~Candy~]

Mary, if things were working just recently, let's try this.....

Restart the computer, tap the F 8 key, until you get a menu, choose command prompt only.

Once there type

scanreg /restore
and hit enter

do you have a date prior to the beginning of the problem?


P.S. You didn't say what operating system, I'm hoping not ME........

 

[MaryLee]

Hi, Before I go further why do you say hopefully not ME. It is either 98 or Me. How do I find out? Will it say in my computer somewhere?
My color was fine yesterday. Last night my daughter downloaded some songs from Kazaa and she plugged in the zip drive. After that I noticed my color was gone.
Thanks for having patience with those of us who know nothing.
Mary

 

[~Candy~]

Well, with ME, you can't follow my instructions......it boots to Dos differently......right click on my computer.........then properties......it should say there.

And I don't have any experience with ME

 

[MaryLee]

I have Windows Me. Thanks for offering your help, I really appreciate it. I will be back I am sure.
Mary

 

[~Candy~]

Supposedly in ME you should have restore points.......or to get to a dos prompt, you need a ME boot disk......one can be downloaded from here:http://freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml

save it to your desktop (not a floppy) and then double click on it and follow the instructions. Then boot the computer with this, choose minimal boot......then follow the scanreg instructions.....

you thought I'd give up that easily?