Windows-savvy dopers, I need your help! I turned on my computer this morning to find it starting Windows ME in 16-color mode with 640x480 resolution, so I’d just figured it had gone into Safe Mode. I tried to move the mouse, but lo and behold, there was no pointer on the screen. After restarting the computer, I found it booted up to the same conditions, so I went into Control Panel and set it back to my original preferences (hi-color, 1024x768). It prompted me to restart so the changes could take effect, I restarted the computer, and it booted up, once again, to 640x480 resolution, 16 colors and no mouse. After restarting and attempting to change the settings several more times, I’ve met with the same result.
Any suggections? I must call on your guys’ wisdom to save the say!
Er, save the DAY, rather.
Can you start it in Safe Mode, and does everything work there?
Sounds like your display driver has gone tits up. Open your device manager, locate the display adapter, highlight it and select Remove. Restart your computer and let it discover the display adapter and automatically install the driver again.
Not sure what is up with your mouse, but you could try the same thing with the mouse driver.
Sounds exactly like safe mode, except it would say “safe mode” in each of the corners.
As to why it’s happening, I don’t know. Have you installed any new hardware or software in the past few days?
Since you are running WinMe, you can try to do a System Restore back to a day when it was working properly. Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore and follow the on screen instructions (using keyboard strokes of course) to go back a week or so. Should fix your problem if it is software related.
If it’s only been a couple of days and if System Restore isn’t working, you can go to start > run, and type “scanreg /restore” You should then get 5 dates. Pick one from before when your computer screwed up and it will reboot itself, hopefully back to normal.
This happened to me on my old computer when my on-board video card died on the way home from the store, warrantee-less of coarse.