# Monitor display is SIDEWAYS, need hel p FAST **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296 "2008-11-24T18:34:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/1 "2008-11-24T18:34:36Z")
So I was playing a game (Road Rash) on the computer. It went through some glitch or other and eventually booted me out. When all was said and done, My screen resolution was in 16 color and everything was flipped 90 degrees to the right. Basically it’s not a problem if I don’t mind just turning my monitor on its side, but that doesn’t seem to really be the right solution. I got my display settings back to where they were before with no problems, except for everything still being sideways. When I start the game back up it runs fine and it’s NOT sideways. Turned off the machine, started and ended the game a few times and nothing. What now? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/2 "2008-11-24T18:37:18Z")
You don’t give an operating system. You need to go to the video drivers and turn the display. The drivers allow for you to use 4 orientations. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/3 "2008-11-24T18:53:04Z")
Little known secret – In Windows XP, hold **CTRL + ALT and and arrow key** to change screen orientation. Great for an office prank. Almost impossible to reverse/find in the display settings menus. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/4 "2008-11-24T19:23:22Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > Little known secret – > > In Windows XP, hold **CTRL + ALT and and arrow key** to change screen orientation. > > Great for an office prank. Almost impossible to reverse/find in the display settings menus. And AFTER you do that go to the properties and uncheck “enable screen rotation” there’s nothing funnier than the look on the pranksters face… (it also helps prevent personal screwups in oh, say, games. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/5 "2008-11-24T19:34:07Z")
Note that this does not work with all video cards/monitors. If your configuration allows it, then the above tips will work. In the case of the OP, it must be supported, or he wouldn’t be in the predicament in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/6 "2008-11-24T21:29:57Z")
This is a weird coincidence. My notebook computer mysteriously switched sideways when I opened it up today. The cursor was also moving exactly backwards in every direction using the touchpad. It was a real bitch to get the cursor to the right spot to switch the monitor back. Thanks, **Jayrot** for the hint. It’ll be useful in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/7 "2008-11-24T22:47:34Z")
AFAIK this works only with Intel graphics cards. It is very useful on tablet PCs. You can then hold it sideways like a book. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/8 "2008-11-25T16:06:52Z")
Thanks **Jayrot** ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monitor-display-is-sideways-need-hel-p-fast/474296/9 "2008-11-25T18:37:11Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > AFAIK this works only with Intel graphics cards. It is very useful on tablet PCs. You can then hold it sideways like a book. Naw, most modern graphics cards support rotation. The keyboard hotkeys (if enabled) may be different from one to the next, though.