1/4 of screen stays black

[Dionne]

Can someone help me solve my display problem? I have an Asus laptop which is a little over a year and a half old and 1/4 of the screen stays black. The dimensions are suppose to be 1024x768, but a few days ago no matter how many times I reboot the laptop it never readjusts to the correct size. I had this problem a few weeks back and rebooting it would solve the problem (it's only happened twice before) and now that is no longer fixing it. I've downloaded the driver for my video card thinking that could solve it but no success so far.

I've also gone to the display setting hoping I could adjust it that way but according to the settings it's already on the "full" size. Would reformatting or reinstalling windows help? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Suspishio]

Do you see a full screen of information or is some cut off? And does it look 1024x768 what you can se8?

If the latter, then, diagnosing at this distance, I'd suggest a hardware problem.

If the former, then I'd suggest working backward through 800x600 to 640x480 and reporting what proportion of the screen you see.

We can try and move forward from there.

If the former

[Dionne]

Thanks for responding. The screen dimensions is uppose to be 1024 and it is displayed at that distance just instead of it using the entire screen 1/4 of it is black.

When I tried making it 800x600 and 640x480, the black space stays the same size but the icons on the display get bigger.

I see the full screen of information, nothing is blocked by the black space.

[Suspishio]

I can only think of two possibilities apart from hardware or driver malfunction:
1/
Monitor properties are set at the wrong refresh or sync rates. On a laptop that shouldn't happen, but if you get into the drivers management screen you might care to ensure that 60Hz is selected for vertical rate. Also ensure that the driver resolution is the same as the Windows resolution (1024 x 768).

2/
Do you occasionally attach to an external monitor - say a CRT? If so, what happens and do you then run it in dual monitor mode? If the CRT is the screen 1 then maybe when you go back to pure laptop, it has the settings of the CRT at a refresh rate it can't manage.

[Suspishio]

What throws me, and I'm sure you, is that you did a reboot in the past to clear the problem. That fact could invalidate the suggestions made to you other than some malfunction or other.

have you looked in your BIOS (catch it with F1 or F10 or whatever is displayed at Boot up) to see what settings are available for your monitor?

[Dionne]

No I don't use another monitor with my laptop. I'm going to check the BIOS right now to see what my setting are.

I scanned my laptop for viruses and adware things which may be the cause, but nothing was found so it's not a virus issue. As far as I know I haven't deleted any system files to cause the problem.

Thanks Suspishio, I really appreciate your help.

[Dionne]

The problem just solved itself. I just went to my BIOs and I couldn't find anything related to my screen info so I just exited it. (I didn't change any of the settings). It asked me if I wanted to disgard the changes (I didn't make any) made to my screen and I selected yes. When it logged in, the screen was normal. The black space was gone. I don't know why it fixed itself but it's fine now. Thanks again. :) I hope the screen stays normal.

Maybe just going into my BIOS fixed it?

[Suspishio]

Please mark this thread as SOLVED.

But I don't think that your problems are at an end. Just going into the BIOS and changing nothing changes nothing.

Anyway, let's hope we don't see you again with this particular problem - but I have a feeling .....

[Dionne]

Ok I'll make it as solved although I know you're right. The problem will probably arise again later in the future.

[Suspishio]

By the way - as it's a laptop - do take it to a CRT screen and plug that in. It would be interersting to know what happens.

[Dionne]

Sadly I only have LCD monitors now. The problem hasn't happened since the time I posted so I hope it doesn't happen again.

[Suspishio]

Sadly I only have LCD monitors now. The problem hasn't happened since the time I posted so I hope it doesn't happen again.

Does that mean you have an external LCD monitor you can use? If so, did that have the same problem?

Just curious for the files, you know.

Glad you're OK.

[Dionne]

Nope, I don't use one but I do have a LCD I'm using with my desktop. I haven't tried connecting it.

Thanks for helping me.