Monitor doesn't always display properly

Does anyone know what would cause a laptop only utilize the full length and height of a screen sometimes, but then only part of the screen other times? (Such as shown in the pictures.)

The laptop is a Gateway MT6840. According to the Gateway site the monitor is listed as "15.4-inch WXGA Ultrabright TFT Active Matrix Assembly (FRU) [Part #2527817R]".

Full specs on it:

http://support.gateway.com/support/srt/docs.asp?sn=T3C75H1000467

I'm fiddling around in the BIOS now and not seeing any relevant options regarding this... Could this be a microcontroller or cable issue?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.





(Pay no attention to the mess in the background . Laundry day.)

 

In my ATI (I know you have Intel) but in the ATI Catalyst I can set the resolution, I can also set applications to fit screen ( I know that is not the issue here as it is the desktop). Check the display properties might be resolution. I have run applications that some how reset my resolution.

I have a very useful tip for when things were working fine then mess up. Be it this (if was working fine) or icons or many others. If that happens the worst thing you can do is a proper shutdown as that will save the bad settings. 9 times out of ten when I have a problem like you and icons or even Word starts acting funny? I do a "forced shutdown" I hold the power button down until notebook shuts down. Wait 5 seconds (old school, static? don't know but do.) And restart, this forces Windows to use the last good shut down to load not the messed up one causing the issue. Once you shut down thru Windows the bad settings are saved. In 98 with scanreg /restore dos prompt you had like 4 chances to pick a good start up. Got rid of that now shut down once and system restore only option. I have yet to successfully do a rollback.

Minor stuff happens I press the power button and kill the system.

 

It's actually my buddies laptop. He wasn't able to give me any description about when it happened or the events surrounding it, so I'm working blind there...

I played around with the Vista display settings and didn't find anything relevant... I'm curious if it isn't a Vista issue as the screen is also like that during the Windows boot screen...

Is there a display setting control other than the standard one in Vista I should be looking out for PP? (As you may know, I don't use Vista or new laptops, so I'm lost here ).

 

Start in safe mode forces Windows generic drivers. If it displays full screen then driver issue. IGP could be failing. And to all I am aware that for the most part boot screen rules out drivers but well a free test no harm. Boot screen makes me think fried IGP at this point.

Also when no more options and desperate BIOS update?

 

I was just looking up the BIOS updates. Gateway apparently doesn't list the change log for updates, which is pretty lame. Oddly, the BIOS version currently installed is newer than the latest available from the Gateway site... I'm not sure what to make of that.

EDIT: The BIOS is displaying smaller than it should as well.

EDIT EDIT:

I'm thinking you're right PP that it's a problem with the graphics card starting to fail. I just noticed that occasionally certain parts of the screen will massively pixelate or other odd distortions will appear.

 

Greg, you are making my day, here comes post 3000

At first I was worried cause I thought the screen on your laptop was going wonky after our fix. Thankfully it is not, but it does not look good.

Here is what you can do:
1) take the hard drive out of the system,
2) boot the system up and open the bios.

If the bios uses the entire screen than the problem is software related. If the bios only uses a strange portion of the screen like in the windows images above than you have a gpu problem or a connectivity problem.

Also try using an external screen. if the same problem occurs their than it is not the lcd, but either the gpu or a software issue.

Good luck man, hopefully it is just software bs, which a quick reinstallation can fix.
Try reconnecting the lcd ribbon cable too, just to make sure that the lcd isn't causing the problem.

K-TRON

 

Hey KTRON sorry for the delayed response. I took out the hard drive and tried using an external monitor as you suggested.

The BIOS displayed improperly as well. However, the the external monitor everything [in Windows] displayed fine.

My friend said he did a reinstall of Windows using his recovery partition before bringing it to me, but I'm not sure I trust his skills .

Any clue what's the next point to investigate? From this it must either be a connectivity problem or a GPU problem like you said... I'm hesitant to open up his computer unless absolutely necessary. But perhaps I should, so that I can check the cable between the motherboard and the LCD as was necessary on my Toshiba?

 

greg, that makes no sense.
So your saying that the bios is all scewed up on the laptops lcd, but fine on the external screen?
That means you have a connection issue between your graphics card and the screen. Try reseating the cables again and making sure that the end which plugs into the motherboard/graphics card is properly connected.

I thought it was a graphics problem myself, but if it posts and reads fine on the external, than it is a connection issue. Just do the same on his laptop as you did on yours.
If its under warranty, than have it sent in, but if the warranty is up time to operate

Also as a note, dont let your friend stay over when disassembling their laptop. They get very uptight, and start disrupting you, and could cause you to make a accident. The best thing is to operate when the owner is not around. - Trust me it will save you the headaches.

K-TRON