setting up my 2005 fpw

[mset]

Hi guys

WIN XP PRO
Asus A8N-E

Well, I went ahead and picked up a 2005fpw from eBay. Trusted Seller, so I'm hoping this isn't a bad unit.

Plugged it in through the DVI out. The image is very strange - kind of psychedelic bright pastel colors everywhere, but no definition in the images. I can just barely read the text when I open Control panel-->Display and check the settings. Most screens are mainly a fluorescent pink color, like the background of this post, for instance. Also, there is some horizontal interference that looks vaguely like a TV with bad reception might look.

Tried plugging the monitor in through the D-Sub connection. No image at all - I get a box that says 'D-SUB Self Test feature check' and 4 bars - red, green, blue and white. This little box is randomly floating around the screen.

The resolution is set at 1680 X 1050 already.

I tried downloading the latest driver from the Dell Site. Followed the instructions in the read me that came with the driver, but at the end of the process, Windows told me that 'The software you have installed already is the most up-to-date for this monitor'. This strikes me as a little weird. I had purchased a Dell E228 unit (one of the new 22" TN screens) but sent it back; however, I never did install any drivers (not that I recall anyway).

One other thing - with the dual monitors running, some very weird stuff is happening - my desktop is too wide and I have to hold my mouse at the edge of the screen to 'scroll' my desktop so that I can see what I want to see.

So I am going to continue to try some stuff here but I just thought I would post this up in case someone can just say "Oh, yeah, do this and this and you will be fine'.

I have been running dual monitors, but I unplugged the other unit, a D-SUB Dell P1130.

I have KVM switch software installed on my machine but I am not running through the switch at all while trying to get this unit running.

Thanks.

 

[mset]

OK!!

Update - some success. I actually got the monitor to display a 'normal' image. I did this by lowering the resolution down to 1024 X 768. I am not sure if the color/image quality is what it's supposed to be. It is way better than the E228 was, that's for sure - no weird viewing angle problems or backlight bleed or weird geometric shapes (yet, anyway).

I can run my old CRT at normal resolutions, but if I try to bump the 2005 past 1024 X 768, the picture just reverts back to the crazy pastel/no definition/TV interference thing.

So... one problem is this. I have both monitors plugged in. In Control Panel-->Display_>Settings there are representations of the two monitors marked 1 and 2. However, I could not choose to have the 2005 as my primary monitor! I clicked on the monitor 1 and asked for it to be primary... the main desktop popped up on my old CRT. I then asked for #2 to be primary... and still the desktop was on the CRT. I had to scroll all the way to the right of the CRT before the cursor appears on the 2005. This seemed very strange.

So then I grabbed the box marked #2 monitor and dragged it to the left. Now the 2005 is showing as the primary... but that should be the one that has all my icons on the desktop and the start menu and my system tray, right? The thing is, all my icons and system tray and start menu are appearing on the CRT, the 'extended desktop'. It doesn't matter which monitor I choose as primary, the icons and system tray etc. appear on the CRT only. One thing is, I can now move my mouse back and forth between the monitors as usual (i.e. the extreme left limit of my mouse movements is on the left monitor, not the right one). Hope this is clear.

So... I will now go back and keep twiddling. I don't want to start playing with the R/G/B settings until I have the resolution issues worked out.

My issues are

1. Getting the resolutions right

2. Take it from there, I guess.

Thanks in advance for anyone who can take the time to suggest anything here.

Monitor looks pretty nice, though, I have to say that!

 

[mset]

Hmmm.. Latest update:

I tried the driver installation again, just for the hell of it. Same process but this time, Windows tells me that the new driver was successfully installed!

OK! But unfortunately, after a restart, I still can't set the resolution for the 2005 to anything higher than 1024 X 768.

Another strange thing, after this latest change, is that the Windows 'taskbar' which is at the bottom of every windows screen, where the system tray and start menu are, still appears on the CRT or the 'extended desktop'. However, all the icons (My Computer, Recycle Bin, etc) have now appeared on the 2005, or what Windows is telling me is the 'primary desktop'.

 

[mset]

bump for any advice on this 2005 problem

 

[Dkcode]

The DVI cable that came with my 2007WFP was borked. I had to request a replacement but luckily i had spares. With the broken cable i could not achive resolutions above 1024 x 768.
I know you have used the analog connection but have you tried a seperate cable or did you use a DVI to DSUB adapter?

I would try another cable, if this does not work i dont know what to suggest. Other than an RMA.

 

[mset]

hey dk

Thanks for the reply

I used the DVI cable that was in the box, and the D-SUB cable that I use for my CRT. I do have a DVI-to D-SUB adapter here so I am going to try that right now.

I am on hold with Dell just to see what they will do for me but since I bought the unit from eBay (even though it's allegedly new) I am not getting my hopes up.

I'll post back to let you know what happened when I tried the adapter.

 

[mset]

Yer the man, dk!

Went down and got a new DVI cable and voila! Immediately able to change the resolution to 1680 X 1050. System tray/Start button/blue bar at bottom all magically jumped into place on the correct (primary) monitor.

Now... the question of why I can't get this monitor running on a D-SUB connection is a separate issue. I am going to be very curious as to whether I can get that going on.

Hopefully this was just a cable issue but things are looking all right now.

Thanks, dk.

 

[Dkcode]

Pleased to know it worked out for you. Dell must be notorious for shipping faulty cables
I have no idea why the D-Sub wont work. So cant help you with that sorry but least you have the monitor functioning with DVI.

Anyway, enjoy the monitor :beer: