Most bizzare problem with my Thinkpad T60 VGA output. Help please

I have the strangest problem with my VGA output. I currently use an external monitor 19" when i am at home, i connect it via the VGA output.
Approximately a month ago I connected it to the monitor as always and set it as extended desktop and oddly there is no color showing on the extended monitor. It was in color before but i'm not sure what happened, the strangest thing is when i play a any video in vlc media player on the extended monitor it shows in COLOR, other than that everything else is black and white, any one have any ideas?

Things i've already tried to remedy the problem:
- Reinstall the ATI Drivers for the laptop.
- Use another laptop to see if the cable or monitor was bad (it showed full color with everything)
- Use my external monitor as the primary monitor (no good)
- Jiggle everything there is to Jiggle
- Blow everything there is to blow (Flame suit on)
- Clone desktop (nope)
- Use external monitor as the only monitor for the laptop (no luck)

I'm all out of ideas, i've tried everything i can think of, if any of you guys have seen this problem before please help me out. TIA.

Oh yeah the weirdest thing is when i play a video on VLC media player the outline of the player (ie everything except the video) is in black and white except the video.
Also, color only seems to work in VLC media player.

-Stephen Cheung

 

You're not alone here.

The common consensus seems to be a wonky cable (often S-Video but perhaps VGA as well) that works with some video cards and can get picky with others, perhaps at odd times. Have you tried switching out the cable?

 

Unfortunately, it's not the cable, i've tried another monitor with a different cable, no luck. I've tried my brother's Dell laptop on my monitor and it works fine. So it seems like it's a laptop or video card problem. I'll run thru those links to see if i can find anything out of it. Thanks tho.

-Stephen Cheung

 

What OS? I have a t60p and have had nothing but problems with the video drivers in XP. When I switched to Vista, everything runs perfectly.

 

Because color works in the video player, I'm inclined to lean towards the driver and not to any hardware. I'm assuming you have the most up-to-date ATI driver? If so, maybe try to find an older version?

The other possibility is the color settings for the 2nd monitor were changed somehow. Do you have Catalyst Control Center or something equivalent? I would check the settings for the monitor in there as well. I would think that the video would show B&W if these were changed, but who knows.

 

TPA: I have Windows XP, i had vista orginally and hated it. I might have to go back...

Ben: I have the lastest drivers, i'll try older ones later, also my video card on my laptop is the X1400 and i have checked the settings on CCC. The wierdest thing i can't figure out is why color works perfectly when i play a video through vlc media player, but windows media player it won't work.

:/

 

Hi, I have the exact same problem. Anybody found out of this?
I have a ThinkPad T60p with updated XP.

This problem happened to me after connecting external monitor. I also experience the same problem when using docking station.

Today I got a bluscreen, and discovered that the bluescreen was blue (with color) on the external monitor. While rebooting the windows logo was with colors, but as soon as XP was up, the colors were gone (except for video).

I have tried changing settings in ATI Catalyst center, also tried installing the drivers again, but no luck so far.

-PM

 

I have good news guys. WOO HOO I have fixed it by messing around with a lot of stuff. I have the same exact issue except mine is just black and white.

Attempted:
1. Driver Update (Multiple Times) Manually and Auto
2. Check if Monitor Issue (Pluged into Xbox 360)
3. Called Tech Support for Toshiba (Pointless, suggest CD Format)
4. Checked Online Sources
5. Cried a little

Solution:
This is how I got mine to work again. Mine just went out one day for no apparent reason. I have seen when I boot my up it shows boot screen in color and kinda was pointed toward software vs hardware problem. Then when desktop showed up(black and white).

I went into Device Manager and update driver but didn't work so I attempt to uninstall thru Device Manager as well. It worked still but on one setting. 600x800 graphic size. No Dual..Just both monitor showing the same stuff in "COLOR"!!!! OMG Thank YOU COLOR! Which is my desktop of course. From then on I went and deleted everything ATI related from My computer.

Make sure you have copies of your Drivers to reinstall on the desktop so it would be done in like 5 mins. I had two copieds. One from the Toshiba Website which is the driver alone because drivers for laptop is different from Graphic Card External and the other from ATI catalyst from ATI of course. One was driver and other was Application.

Reinstall and Restart...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WALLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Back in Business....

Hope this help!!Good Luck