why are my graphics blotchy?

[Shona_J.]

My computer kept sayin a file was missing 'aoltray', so i re-installed windows 98, after i started it up it didnt say that a file was missing any more, but my graphics are still blotchy. When i'm on the internet the pictures appear 'deformed' and blotchy. also on msn messenger the icon, pictures and other people's webcam pictures are blotchy and hardly visible. I have gone into properties and settings and triedto change the screen colours and screen area, but as sonn as i am prompted to restart the computer it all changes back to before, even though i press 'apply', i would be grateful if anyone could help me A.S.A.P. It is second-hand, and i am getting a new one mid-october, but is there any way anyone could help me, (without spending money on new parts) till then. Thanx.

[dodgyshirt]

Have you installed the drivers for your graphics card after re-installing Windows. If not, this will be the reason for the blotchy graphics. Find out the make of your card and download the latest drivers from the manufacturer`s website.

[Shona_J.]

How do I Do That

[Gandy]

Click Start, Run and type regedit in the box press F3 on your keyboard and type in windowmetrics. It should find the following registry string -HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]. In the right hand window there will be a file called shell icon bpp. Right click it and select modify. In the box titled value type 16 and then restart your computer. Hopefully (if you have got the right drivers for you graphics card) your graphics will be back to normal.

[dodgyshirt]

Gandy, its not very wise advising an obvious novice to attempt to edit the Registry, apart from which, a clean re-install of Windows should not have resulted in a corrupted registry. The questioner has clearly not installed the graphics drivers and probably not the motherboard drivers either. Shona, your PC should have been supplied with all the necessary disks containing all the drivers for it. If you do not have these, they can be downloaded from the websites of your motherboard and graphics card(if separate) manufacturers. To find out the make of these you need to look in the Device Manager. Right-click `My Computer' and from the pop-up menu select `properties'. This will bring up a tabbed box. Select the Hardware tab and then Device Manager.From the list provided, by right-clicking each item you can find the type of graphics card and any other item of hardware requiring drivers will have an exclamation mark on a yellow backgrond.When you have gleaned all the necessary information go to the various suppliers websites where you will find their drivers under the Support or Download sections.

[Shona_J.]

That Didn't Work it didn't name any websites or manufacturers, i dont think ive got a graphics card! Lol is that possible

[dodgyshirt]

I didn`t say it would give the manufacturers website addresses but it will list the make of each component. Yes you might not have a graphics card which is why I said `if seperate'. In which case the graphics will be `onboard' i.e. incorporated in the motherboard so the make of this is essential. Go to http://www.belarc.com and download Belarc Advisor which is a small programme which will list every single piece of hardware and software on your computer and check in Device Manager whether drivers are required as I outlined previously. The manufacturers websites are invariably their name + .com