OT: Windows Vista help?

 I run XP on my computers; know nothing about Vista.   My mom has a
Vista laptop on which my sister, trying to help my mom see things
easier, set the screen resolution to 600x800.  Giant icons, can'[t fit
much of anything on the screen, needs to be set (should be 1280x768 or
something; it's a 17-inch Gateway laptop).

Anyway, the Vista screen display for resetting screen resolution
doesn't fit on the screen when the resolution is set to 600x800.
Just about 1/8th of the screen shows.  You can move the screen left to
right and it stays fixed when you release it.   So, it is possible to
reset the resolution in the window.

However, to "apply" the changes, the "apply" button is at the bottom
of the screen.  And while you can move the screen up and down, it
doesn't stay where you are when you release it; it "bounces" back up
to the top (I guess the gui description is that the screen is anchored
at the top?)   So, you can't click on the APPLY button.

Any ideas on workarounds?   I've searched VISTA forums and Windows
forums and haven't found this particular problem discussed anywhere.

 tomorrow@erols.com wrote:


What happens if you press Enter?  That should operate the default
button, I believe. Either the [ Apply ] or [ OK ] button should reset
the resolution, the difference being [ OK ] will also close the dialog
window.

You/she might also try a system restore to "yesterday."

--
   -bts
   -Friends don't let friends drive Windows

 On Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:10:25 -0400, Beauregard T. Shagnasty wrote:


Boot in "Safe Mode."  :-)

Change the video driver to/from VGA.

Sounds as though you may be on an LCD.  Try installing proprietary
video drivers.

--
.. Be Seeing You,
.. Chuck Rhode, Sheboygan, WI, USA
.. Weather:  http://LacusVeris.com/WX
.. 57° — Wind Calm

 

Hit Alt and try Tab until you are tabbing between buttons in the window...
then
when you think you're on the Apply button, hit Enter.

Good luck.
__
Steve
Vista beta tester
XP user
.

 
Remote desktop into the machine and fix it remotely. Will need to get
terminal services running and setup to allow her/you to login remotely. (No
experience with Vista here, either. I would think it should be possible.)

Maybe try attaching an external monitor and extend the desktop temporarily.
You'll have the same difficulty you have already with that applet, though.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\VIDEO has the default
resolution settings. Change the DefaultSettings.XResolution and YResolution.
Restart. You might get lucky.

If it has an Nvidia chipset, you can try the Nvidia settings applet. The
window can be resized and has scrollbars. Alt+Space, Resize will do it if
you can't see the window borders to drag them.

Don't know if Vista has an option to boot in Safe Mode. That's worth a try.
It doesn't load the "real" display driver, but you can force desktop changes
to stick from the Advanced... dialog.

Maybe try setting a smaller system font size temporarily to help it fit.

Good luck. ;)