Windows Update ruined my LCD monitors dimensions.

I just got home from work and all was well with my PC. Windows update said I had two optional updates.

"nVidia Display, other hardware - Nivida Ge Force 8400 GS"

and

"Ralink Rechnology Corp. - Network 802.11 Wireless PCI Express Card Lan Adapter"


I don't know what to call it, it's not my screen resolution, but I guess the dimensions? The screen is like squished after the updates. Round icons look oval, text is smashed, etc. It's upsetting me pretty bad as I uninstalled the nvidia display update and it doesn't seem to be helping anything. When I go to my display settings to change the resolution it doesn't help anything either. It just changes the screen resolution, but everything is still smashed. Any help at all would be appreciated.

I'm running Windows Vista btw.

 

Update: I've noticed it looks normal if I switch it to 800x600, but everything is HUUUUUUGE. No way to fix it back to my normal 1600 by 1200?

 

Go into the device manager and bring up your video adapter properties and "roll back driver".

 

I have a GTX480 by Nvidia and will not use the latest drivers (I am using last years)because it also reduces the screen resolution.

I have my PC set to ask before installing updates and never let it do the video drivers.

 

Totally agreed! Add audio too.

 

Yup, thrice burnt and very very shy!:-o I now have a checklist to go through whenever I build/format my machines, believe it or not, I always forget some stupid niggling detail.:banghead:-D

 

The latest driver for your graphics card can be downloaded from Nvidia here: 275.33 for Vista 32 bit

When you install, I suggest that you choose Custom Installation and install Only The Driver - uncheck the other components.

 

As we have stated the newest drivers are not always best especially the 200 series.
I am using the 197.45 and find that it gives the best resolution.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_64bit_197.45_whql.html is for 64bit

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_winvista_32bit_197.45_whql.html is for 32 bit

 

Yes, I'll ditto that, also from unfortunate personal experience.

I had a problem with the latest version of the Nvidia 8400 GS driver, 270.61, so I went back to 266.58 and managed to get it to work OK.

@BILLMCC66
Based on your advise, I uninstalled the 266.58 driver and found the Windows XP version of the 197.45 driver
which I have installed. So far, all is well.
Thanks.

 

Wow, thank you all for the prompt replies. I don't know what happened, but I went to work the next day and we had a tornado. My power went out and when it came back on my PC was fixed. Weird. Maybe it had something to do with me uninstalling that driver.

The thing is that I don't think I use the Nivida card. I believe that was the on board video card. I bought a better (but still cheap) graphics card to play Mass Effect a few months ago. Anyway, sorry it took so long to post an update, Cable internet has been out since the tornado. Thanks again for all the help, this forum is super informative.

 

Well thats a strange solution to a problem but i am glad you got it sorted.

 

tornado fix works everytime.

 

Okay, back again. So the power went out again while I was at work, this time when I booted up the resolution was wacky again, but that wasn't the main problem as it was fixed easily by changing the settings. But now there is this green tint over my entire screen. All the colors are really wacky and I have no idea what to do to fix it. I've messed with the color settings in display properties and on the monitor itself.

I've also noticed the display properties look different, so I'm thinking maybe another update happened? I'm going to download the 197.45 drivers and see what happens. I also disabled Windows Update because it's really terrible.

 

Sorry I figured it out, it was a hardware error. I unplugged my monitor and plugged it back in. Works fine now. Thanks again for all your awesomeness.

 

In case you need it, Driver Release 197 for Windows XP:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_197.45_whql.html

You can set Automatic Updates to: