odd display problem

[kthompsn]

Running W-98 on Dell Dimension L433c.

Problem Description: Day after Christmas, my son installed MDK2 & supporting software, checked it out, & uninstalled. Since then, we have a green "brick" approx 1x2", about 1" down & 2" right of the upper left corner of the screen.
Disappears on reboot, reappears after monitor has been quiesced by power manager. Have downloaded & installed latest driver for Intel 810 chipset, with no apparent effect. Suggestions, pls?

Msg above was sent to Dell support; suggested fixes were:
_Uninstall MDK2 (done, no effect)
_Turn off power manager (done, no effect)
_Use MSCONFIG to selectively re-boot (done -- brick comes back as soon as i re-activate CONFIG.SYS (?!))

"Brick" is ALWAYS ON TOP, not 'sensible', kinda like a hole in the wallpaper. Only times it does NOT show up are when monitor is in power-saver mode, or when running in DOS mode. N.B. machine is on 24/7; if i can go over 5-6 days on a boot, the brick disappears on it's own, to re-appear after next boot. Have checked MDK2 homepage & vendor homepage; no reports of similar situation. If anyone has any ideas, however far-fetched, please pass it on.



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NOT the UNIX Ken Thompson

[maxximilian]

Don't know if I can help, but this problem is curious to me. Here's something to try and if it doesn't work you can change it back. Try turning down your hardware acceleration.

control panel >
display >
settings >
advanced button >
performance

move the slider one notch to the left and OK your way back out.

Also have you tried changing the wallpaper. And it wouldn't hurt to do a complete virus scan.

The last suggestion is to run the directx diagnostic tool. Many games install there own versions of directx and there may be a conflict. Go to start/run/[type in] dxdiag.exe and hit ok.

Sorry, all I can think of right now.



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I crash...therefore I am.

[kthompsn]

Originally posted by maxximilian:
Don't know if I can help, but this problem is curious to me. Here's something to try and if it doesn't work you can change it back. Try turning down your hardware acceleration.

control panel >
display >
settings >
advanced button >
performance

move the slider one notch to the left and OK your way back out.

Also have you tried changing the wallpaper. And it wouldn't hurt to do a complete virus scan.

The last suggestion is to run the directx diagnostic tool. Many games install there own versions of directx and there may be a conflict. Go to start/run/[type in] dxdiag.exe and hit ok.

Sorry, all I can think of right now.

Okay -- have changed the display setting -- will let you know what happens after re-boot. As for the rest: am running OEM version of McAffee virus s'ware; wife just changed wallpaper last weekend. Will also try the DXDIAG, asap! This isn't BSOD-serious, just kinda annoying.
Curiousity -- where's Allegheny County? Wife's from Harrisburg, am familiar w/ the PennPike....


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NOT the UNIX Ken Thompson

[maxximilian]

Hope something works for you. If not the config.sys thing sounds interesting, but I'm not at all comfortable in that area. Might have to wait for someone to pass by and lend a hand.

Allegheny county is in Southwestern PA. Pittsburgh is in the center of it. I'm a few hours ride up the Pa. Turnpike from Harrisburgh.

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I crash...therefore I am.

[This message has been edited by maxximilian (edited 04-18-2001).]

[PCSolutions]

My first thought was DirectX like Max suggested. But you say this occurs if you activate the config.sys file
Please post the contents of your config.sys file
Also, what video card is this/

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Keep it simple!

[kthompsn]

Well, changing diplay setting didn't affect it -- but that's one more idea i hadn't known about. Will try DXDIAG tonight. One other thing i remember #2 son saying, was that he also installed OpenGL. May be a problem there; will check. Guess could also have been a problem when he UN-installed -- like, something got deleted that shouldn't have. Will try ANYthing, short of reformat/reload.
Just checked -- my team lead is from just down the road a piece from you: Washington, PA.



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NOT the UNIX Ken Thompson

[kthompsn]

CONFIG.SYS so 'plain' it's ridiculuous -- had thought there might be some "hidden" code in there, in the so-called "white space". Will check again. Will also get video card info. Am sure it's probably something idiotically simple -- all the real stinkers are.



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NOT the UNIX Ken Thompson