XP - small but annoying problem

[Ethel]

When I boot up my desktop the sign in screen seems to have moved to the right and dropped by a third.

There is a black border along the top and down the left hand side, and much of the XP sign in page cannot be seen - it isn't shrunk, just shifted.

Restart solves this, so it is just an annoyance, but I would like to know why it is happening and how to solve it.

[ACtheTROLL]

how old is the machine? what mobo
some mobos needed to be told what resolution to use on startup (but that's many moons ago)
some laptops have a full screen option without it they do a postage stamp thing

the only other thing I can think of is the refresh rate (either of OS ... or possibly screen) lcd or crt?

Is the screen bottom right from startup during post
or does it sink when windows starts to start

what happens in safe mode?
once signed in ... where is the screen?
what happens if you change the desktop resolution/refresh rate in window.
(phew!)

[Ethel]

Ac - nearly 5 years old.

Mobo - dunno

LCD

When I switch it on, it seems fine until I get the welcome sign in to account screen.

This is a recent thing, and a reboot solves it.

Very odd.

[ACtheTROLL]

during startup your screen shows 3 resolutions (on a LCD) all at 60Hz - or at least it should be
640x480 in the post sequence
800x600 when windows starts
whatever you are working at once into the desktop

at that point xp is still in "vanilla" mode 800x600
it's the same in safe mode (have you tried that?)
the only difference is that the admin account will show
and the standard windows driver is used not the one for your card.

also the screen driver does the same

I'm guessing you'll have done this already but on a slightly more mature machine ... it's got to be in this order
d/l the latest video drivers
uninstall the existing ....cancel the found new hardware
restart ... cancel the found new hardware
install the driver - reboot.
cross fingers

is this by anychance your ubuntu machine ....
do you ever loose the screen once using windows
can you get to the desktop from the bottom right logon screen - is it normal

[fo3nix]

Resolved the issue?

On the monitor will be auto-setup functions (or just manual ones to realign the screen); booting between systems can cause this sort of thing sometimes.

Try getting the screen to auto-size the image on screen.

[ACtheTROLL]

Bu@@er
I think Fo3 is probably right .... I'd forgotten your alternative life with ubooboo

[Ethel]

All sorted now - thanks to you all