# Computer problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 5, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568 "2001-10-05T13:27:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/1 "2001-10-05T13:27:03Z")

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When the computer booted up this morning it failed to detect the monitor and is using the 16 bit default mode. The device monitor doesn’t list my monitor and add/remove hardware won’t detect it. Anyone have any ideas?

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**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/2 "2001-10-05T14:17:52Z")

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If it’s the monitor it failde to detect (and not the graphics card) under advanced dispay options you can change the monitor type - If you cannot see your monitor listed and don’t have any driver disks just select one of the generic ones.

IIRC A monitor doesn’t have any specific drivers apart from a list of which colour/refresh rate/resoulution it’s compatable with.

The exact procedure will vary depending on your OS.

Also Windows only detects Plug & Play Monitors,

Regards,

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/3 "2001-10-05T15:07:58Z")

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Hope its not too much to ask, but what computer & what monitor & what operating system?

BTW plug & play only works if turned on in the bios.

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**Author:** ![geepee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@geepee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geepee)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/4 "2001-10-05T15:16:49Z")

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ha Plug and play oly really works on Amiga PPCs and the G series plug it in turn it on and it would work , now plug and play in the PC world means plug something in , wait for it to be detected , then install drivers , then setup options then reboot , and wait for sys configs to be changed  
not really my idea of plug and play really , wish Amigas would come back on a grand scale (they are still used but just $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ due to small market base)

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**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/5 "2001-10-05T15:35:03Z")

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Thanks Gartog, Everything is back to normal.

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**Author:** ![Gartog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/22d042/32.png) [@Gartog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gartog)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-problem/85568/6 "2001-10-05T16:19:33Z")

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No problem 🙂