Non-modelling PC issue. Help required.

[MikeWilliams]

My AutoCAD runs on an elderly but reliable Dell Latitude running Windows 2000.  Today it decided to display a tiny screen rather than the full size, and a reboot made no difference.  Control panel lets me change the display settings, but they have no effect.

Windows being unsupported, none of the professionals want to know.  Is there anyone who could give me some basic suggestions please?  I tried googling the problem but most answers either say what I've already tried, or that I have the wrong driver - but I've changed nothing on the laptop for many years.

Sorry that this has nothing to do with modelling - except that without AutoCAD I'm stuck!

Thanks,

Mike

[John Candy]

Assuming you have checked the resolution settings (as you would appear to have done) the only other suggestions I have are:-

1) If you are running on battery power try plugging into mains.
2) Check the BIOS settings to see whether the display configuration is correct.
3) Download and install the latest display driver (the one you have may somehow have corrupted).
4) Do a system/registry "restore" from a recent backup (you do occasionally take backups, I hope).

John.

[John Witts]

Which version of AutoCad are you using?
Do you have service pack four for 2000 installed?

I will check through my support notes, having work with AutoDesk for a number of years I may be able to help

John

[MikeWilliams]

Thanks both.

Its AutoCAD 2004 and I have the service pack.  I am however certain that its a Windows issue because the screen size is wrong in all applications and indeed no applications, except Windows.

I'll follow through the suggestions asap. and one day get back to modelling!

Mike

[John Witts]

Hi Mike,

I have just had a conversation with old work friend at Autodesk, your problem is new to him, but with both products loosing their support some time ago errors may not have been recorded or investigated.
I will not bother you with his sales pitch.

John     

[John Candy]

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-6127_102-89143/screen-display-size-changed-on-its-own/

Try above link, it addresses same problem with Windows 2000 on an IBM Thinkpad.

[John Candy]

Another thought, have you tried booting in "safe mode"?

This stops all the Windows drivers loading (including display driver).

Microsoft instructions for Windows 2000 below.

To use a Safe Boot option, follow these steps:
Restart your computer, and when the Boot menu appears, press F8.
When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, select an option, and then press ENTER.
When the Boot menu appears again, with the words "Safe Mode" displayed in red at the bottom, select the installation you want to start, and then press ENTER.
WARNING: Do not select a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 installation.
Description of Safe Boot Options

Safe Mode (Safeboot_Option=Minimal): A minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows.
Safe Mode with Networking (Safeboot_Option=Network): A minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows plus the drivers necessary to load networking.
Safe Mode with Command Prompt (Safeboot_Option=Minimal): This is the same as Safe mode, with the exception that Cmd.exe is started rather than Windows Explorer.
Enable VGA Mode: This starts Windows in 640 X 480 mode using the current video driver (not Vga.sys). This mode is useful for cases in which the display was configured at a setting the monitor cannot display.

NOTE: Safe mode and Safe mode with Networking load the Vga.sys driver instead.
Last Known Good Configuration: This starts Windows using a previous good configuration.
Directory Service Restore Mode: This mode is valid only for Windows domain controllers. It performs a directory service repair.
Debug Mode: This option enables debug mode in Windows. Debugging information can be sent across a serial cable to another computer running a debugger. This mode is configured to use COM2.
Enable Boot Logging: When the computer is started with any of the Safe Boot options except Last Known Good Configuration, logging is enabled. The Boot Logging text is recorded in the Ntbtlog.txt file in the %systemroot% folder.
An environment variable is set when you use one of the Safe Boot options. The environment variable is "Safeboot_Option." This variable is set to either Network or Minimal.

The default Microsoft VGA driver is used for display (640 X 480 X 16 colors). You must log on in all modes (either by a domain or the local SAM, depending on which Safe Boot mode you choose).