How do i reset my video settings? (PC to HDTV problems)

[Nvidiaguy07]

I gave my old computer to my dad a while ago to hook up to his dlp hdtv a while ago. The TV really doesnt support that many resolutions, so setting this thing up is a bitch.

Usually if you have a problem with the res, the TV will say something like "mode not supported" so youll have to hook up a 2nd regular monitor and then set the correct res for the hdtv and then disconnect the small monitor.

Well he got a pretty nasty virus on there so i reinstalled windows and had to go through this process again. While i was setting up the HDTV i was going though different resolutions to see which looked the best, and somehow it now thinks its displaying fine on the hdtv.

I now hve this problem: when i boot up with just the HDTV plugged in i get nothing on the screen, if i try plugging it in after im all booted up with the smaller screen both screens go out because in its memory i guess it thinks the HDTV takes priority, so theres no picture.

So basically i just need to wipe out the saved settings somewhere on the computer. If i can do this, by default it clones screen 1 (the small screen) and then i can correctly set it up from there.

Hope that made sense, thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Dahak]

do you see something before windows loads? if so hook up the smaller screen only, turn on the computer and hit F8 before the windows logo, may have to try a few times as timing is a pain, and then select enable vga mode. This should get you up and going back into windows. set the proper resolution for the smaller screen and then reboot.

Once rebooted then hook up the hdtv and it should be good to go

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

do you see something before windows loads? if so hook up the smaller screen only, turn on the computer and hit F8 before the windows logo, may have to try a few times as timing is a pain, and then select enable vga mode. This should get you up and going back into windows. set the proper resolution for the smaller screen and then reboot.

Once rebooted then hook up the hdtv and it should be good to go

If i hook just the small screen up it works fine, I can load up windows normally. but once i plug the hdtv in (via HDMI to DVI cable) they both go out. Same deal when i have them both hooked up and boot up, nothing shows up on the screen.

Im gonna go give VGA mode a shot though. The last time i fixed this it was pure luck, just kept unplugging, replugging, etc.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

the worst thing about this is i had it fine and was messing around with the res. Normally if you pick a res it doesnt support you just wait 30 sec or so and it switches back. Well i was on a res that worked 1920*1080, switched to 1280*720 which also worked but didnt look as good, so i hit revert to old settings, and then it cut out.

 

[Attic]

Yes, that's a pain. Sometimes the quirks of this stuff is maddening. Dahuk gave some good advice.

I don't understand your problem in its entirety, that being said, I'd reccomend if your still having problems to use the smaller screen alone and uninstall drivers and use driver sweeper in safe mode to get rid of any leftovers.

Then reinstall drivers, and finally plug in the hdtv.

I had something similar with a rolling screen on my hdtv a few years ago that would not go away no matter what I tried, a reinstall of the OS of course fixed it.