Computer Techies Help!

[MikeCouves]

I had to format my C drive because of the stupid W32.Klez virus and was playing with my computer. I was too lazy to try and remove it because it's just wasn't working.

What's really bothering me is that before I formatted I could change the colors (2 color, 16 color, 256, etc.). I had it on True 32 Bit color and it was great. Now it's not there anymore and I am running on 16 colors (BOO!). Another thing is the Screen area. I can't change that either. I used to have way more working space now it's on 640 x 480. What is this? I am thinking it's the monitor and I need to get some software for it.

Thanks alot!

[ThePatriot]

Download the newest drivers for youe Video card, my friend had the same issue. By default it is doing that, trying to use your original vid card(if u upgraded yours) if not, then the drivers need to be re Dl'ed. Right now its running default drivers, download drivers for every piece of hardware you have if possible.

[MikeCouves]

Where can I download them? Off the manuf. websites? God, I can barely read anything on 16 colors.

[dave_p]

you can go to your computer manufacturers website and get them there, or you can go to each vendors website i.e ata, nvidia or whoever makes the card for vid, creative labs, ensonic, etc for sound . your computer should have come with all the drivers on a disk. you will need to reload video, sound, modem, network adapter(if you have one) printer and anything else that acts odd now. if you have problems list your hardware here. what type of computer is it?

[MikeCouves]

How do I find out what kind of graphics card I have? That's the problem.

[dave_p]

go to start/settings/control panel/system
click on the device manager tab
click on display adapter and see what is says.

or control panel/display/settings/advanced and see what it says

or click on start/run and type dxdiag in the box and hit enter then click on display tab(this will only work if you have directx installed)

if none of that works, open the box and look

[MikeCouves]

It didn't say what kind of graphics card I had though. I am going to call the place I got my PC and ask them, because they did it last time, but I know what it is so I will just call.

Thanks to all for their help so far.

[joker4hire]

If you still need help

My guess is that you did a fresh install of windows.

Default settings for a Video card that windows can't identify is

VGA adapter (or something like that)
this will only support 16 colors.

My recommendations.

1. Find the disks that came with your computer, one of them should be the video card drivers.

2. If you are somewhat computer savy, not scard to open your PC case, and not prone to touching and messing around with things, I suggest you open you case, look at the Video Card (the card that your monitor plugs into... there is usually a name on it, be it ATI, Matrox, Trident, or Nvidia)go to the respective website, and download the appriate driver.

3. Post what kind of computer you have
Make
Model number
Year Purchased?
What you found out when you opened your case.
And I can forward you a link to download the correct drivers.

[MikeCouves]

Well I am fairly comfortable with computers. I took my graphics card out, and have been staring at it with a magnyfying glass. I just can't find a name for it. I have tried all the names of the chips on it, I just can't get it!

S/N of the Vid Card: 05200032JN B1
P/N of the Vid Card: 90.05210.272

There's also a price tag sticker on it that says A128787

There's a crapload of other numbers on all the chips and other things too.

I have been trying to find the driver on www.driverguide.com but no luck yet.

Forced to use my slow laptop! Arg.

[MikeCouves]

Well I bought the computer at a local store and the serial is a Pentium 800 MMX

S/N: AS2000-12-21-23-2L

It has an Asus Motherboard, Sound Blaster Live Sound Card, Unknown Video Card (Mmph).

It's an AOpen. That could just be my local stores names of their computers but I am not sure.

[dave_p]

Aopen is a division of Acer, a computer company. aopen may have just made the case though, they make components, like sound and video cards and such using chipsets from the big companies like creative labs and nvidia and so on. usually at lower prices. you may have an aopen video card thus no markings. call em up or go to their site with those numbers and cross reference them. it may be their card.
good luck

[Blennidae]

Hi Mike,
I did a google search for the part number you listed and found this link.

http://www.aopen.nl/products/vga/pa256mx2.htm

Does it look like the right card?

[MikeCouves]

YES!!! Thank you Blennidae! If you only knew how much I appreciate this!! YAY! 32 Bit True Color is back!!

[MikeCouves]

Lol. I am just really glad she's back to normal! Thanks to everyone for helping me.