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Curious display issue

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mudskipper

Technical User
May 29, 2002
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I have a really interesting problem, and I'm completely stuck -- can anybody offer an insight here?!

A friend of mine is running Windows XP Pro. Everything was running fine (so I am told), when one day the software for the printer starts acting up. Supposedly, nothing really changed (but being a tech, and therefore cynical in nature, I won't promise this). [wink]

The printer is (of course -- let out the collective sigh now) a Lexmark all in one thingy -- an X75 that has the scanner, printer, the little tweezers, toothpick, and probably an attachment that sets small animals on fire.....

It runs fine, prints fine, scans fine (sorta) BUT there is trouble with the software that allows you to do the scanning and whatnot.

When the "All-in-one center" software starts up, the monitor blanks out momentarily (because it is changing dispaly adapter settings), then comes back at 8 bit color (no matter where you were set before). It throws up this error that tells you that you should be running at 800x600 or better with at least 16 bit color. It recommends that you click the Cancel button, make these changes, and then run the software.

The two options are OK and Cancel. If you hit Cancel, the screen blanks out for a moment while it is puting your video settings back to where they were originally(!!).

If you hit OK, then you can minimize the program, reset your color depth, and then the thing works well. When you close the program, it does not reset any display settings.

I tried downloading updated drivers, and I tried old drivers. I googled, I searched Lexmark, and I even called them. After getting WAY sub par support from them, I'm at my wits end. I explained the issue to them about 10 times, all the while they had NO idea what I was talking about. This was an hour of my life that I will never get back.

Their final answer? That the video card was incompatible with their software. When I asked how this could be when the thing worked fine before, they stubbornly told me that they would not be able to help me until I changed the video card.

GRrrrrrr...... So now the video card has been changed for a different brand, I've replaced video drivers (because, hey, I don't know EVERYTHING, and it IS a video issue...).

So does anybody have any grand insight into this before we attack the Windows install? How about slightly less grand insight? Okay, I'll even settle for sarcastic comments....

Thank you for listening! I feel better.

Mudskipper
-----------------
Groucho said it best- "A four year-old child could understand this!
Quick! Run out and find me a four year-old child: I can't make heads nor tails out of this!"
 
Geeze. All that typing for a "duh".

The doggone thing was installed in 98/ME compat. mode for some stinkin' reason and was set to run at 256 colors.....

Oh well...you can bet that I won't forget to check that next time....

Mudskipper
-----------------
Groucho said it best- "A four year-old child could understand this!
Quick! Run out and find me a four year-old child: I can't make heads nor tails out of this!"
 
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