HELP with my DD's computer

[wdwmom0f3]

My FIL gave my DD an old computer of his. We cleaned everything off to put it back like new. The trouble is that everything on it is huge. We have AT&T and the home page is huge. Everything that she pulls up is so large that it wont fit on a page without moving over & down. It looks like everything has been magnified.

I have tried everything that I know and my DH has too. My FIL came over today and he can't even fix it. We have gone under everything and nothing works. Can someone help me with this? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[kwhite1022]

are the desk top icons big as well? AND What operating system are you using, vista, xp?

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Yes, the desk top icons are large too. We are on windows XP.

it's a Dell computer, if that helps.

 

[kwhite1022]

If you havent already tired this, Click on view in your web browser, down to text size and change to a smaller size.

Or if that doesnt work, try right clicking on the desk top, down to properties and see if you find any font/text options there.

 

[Dokietoes]

Try Control Panel...Display...Settings...and try to adjust screen resolution higher.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

We have tried all of that and when we try to adjust the screen resolution higher, it will not move. It's stuck.

 

[kwhite1022]

Is the color set to low....like 4 bit color, and the resolution set low as well? Also, what video card are you using.

 

[jmebonner]

If the bar for the resolution won't move, you likely need the updated drivers for your video card. You may need to call the FIL and ask him what type of video card is in it. There are a couple other ways to tell, but asking him is probably the easiest.

Once you find out what card (or chipset if it's onboard video) then you can download the drivers from the internet.

 

[Dokietoes]

If there is no real data on the puter, why not just reinstall windows from scratch...assuming of course you have the system cd/dvd.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

OK, you all lost me on the video card. I am checking with my DH to see if he knows. I am unable to contact my FIL at the moment.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

If there is no real data on the puter, why not just reinstall windows from scratch...assuming of course you have the system cd/dvd.

Oops, we have NOT done this yet. We are about to try to reinstall windows. I thought he had already done this.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

We reinstalled windows and nothing is different. I went in and tried EVERYthing again and still, nothing works.

 

[Feeln'Froggy]

Go to the dell website on the bottom of the page is the drivers and download link.
Click the link and enter the serial number of the machine and it will list the drivers of your machine.
Download and install the the video drivers.
Good luck!

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Go to the dell website on the bottom of the page is the drivers and download link.
Click the link and enter the serial number of the machine and it will list the drivers of your machine.
Download and install the the video drivers.
Good luck!

Thank you! I am off to try this. Wish me luck.

 

[jmebonner]

Hi wdwmom0f3, you pm'd me, but I can't pm back until I have 10 posts

As mentioned above, try the dell site. If you still can't get that to work, give us the model @ and we'll try to steer you in the right direction!

 

[themarquis]

I don't know if anybody has mentioned this, but there is a setting for people with low vision that somebody might have set for him. It is under accessibility (start bar, then probably accessories, then accessibility? or find it on the control panel -- sorry I actually have a different operating system). Fiddle with that and see if you can reset the size -- there may be a magnification option or something. Another setting to look at is the one that lets you change the colors of the menu bars, shape of the cursor, etc. There is a setting on there that lets you use extra large icons -- maybe that is set. Sorry I can't be more specific, but maybe this will help.

 

[wdwfan1]

Since it is a Dell computer, I believe you can call their support center for help even if the computer is old. There may be a charge, but they will help. Good luck.

 

[rcraw45425]

I"m running Vista on this computer (XP is on my laptop upstairs), but in the bottom right corner is a magnifying glass with a plus and the number 100%, next to that is an arrow. When you click on that it shows numbers all the way up to 400% and the words zoom up and zoom down. Try adjusting this to 100% if it's on something different and see what happens. I jsut moved mine up to 400% and I think I experienced what you're seeing, but it's only on the internet pages, if this helps.

 

[torinsmom]

So, you have tried changing the font size in the control panel? You would go to COntrol Panel-->Appearance and Themes-->Display-->Appearance-->Font Size(Change to normal)

This is different than screen resolution. Hope you get it working right!

Marsha

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I have already tried all of that, .

My FIL said that the computer never looked like that until they removed everything and then reinstalled it. When it came on, this was the result.

I went to the Dell website last night and tried to download a new driver but I never found a place to put the serial number in. I did see where there was a list of models or something to choose from but I couldn't find anything that matched anything on this computer. I didn't want to mess anything else up so I quit. Plus it was getting late.

We are about to leave for a few hours but when I get home, I'll try again. I don't think I'll ever get it. Calling Dell would cost a lot of money, so that's out. Hopefully someone can help me figure out which one to choose.