Windows Update caused video screwup

[ericboo]

A friend has a Dell 2400 desktop with XP Home. The morning of the 19th, she found her video res was changed and it would only allow 640x480 4-bit. I checked the machine, it was not in safe mode. I restarted it and checked the bios for anything. I updated the video drivers from Dell and that did not fix it either.

After uninstalling and reinstalling the hardware, it was still the same.

I finally decided to do a System Restore to the day before the snafoo. It worked perfectly until Windows did the automatic update again and the problem reappeared.

Needless to say, I disabled automatic update and restored back to the 18th but am trying to find out how to determine what updates are coming through and which is causing the problem.

Any ideas? I was thinking about calling Dell but I get annoyed when they start and end every sentence with my name.

 

[TechnoPro]

Interesting. I just encountered similar with a client's PC. The system spntaneously increased resolution. In my case, it went back to the users normal resolution without incident. I have another upcoming service call describing the same phenomenon.

Which update messes with resolution settings?

 

[pkme2]

Have you right-click on your desktop to check your display properties, settings? You can change screen resolutions to 800x600 or higher if that option is available to you.
If you done this, then check your Device Manager for any problem.

 

[ericboo]

I did check the display properties as well as checking device manager. There was no issues with the device itself. It is definitely a Windows update that caused the issue.

This reduced resolution lower than the default vga. 640x480 4-bit was all that was available.

I am hoping to hear back from Microsoft about it.

TechnoPro, when did you encounter this problem, the 18th or 19th?

 

[ericboo]

She just called me and again, when she came in to work this morning, it was screwed up again. I know I turned off auto update.

Think it could be a faulty onboard video or maybe a bios thing?

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: ericboo
I did check the display properties as well as checking device manager. There was no issues with the device itself. It is definitely a Windows update that caused the issue.

This reduced resolution lower than the default vga. 640x480 4-bit was all that was available.

I am hoping to hear back from Microsoft about it.

TechnoPro, when did you encounter this problem, the 18th or 19th?

First reported to me in the AM of the 19th, as an issue having happened overnight. I was next made aware about it by a different party yesterday.

 

[ericboo]

So what the heck is going on?

 

[ivwshane]

I had a similar thing happen to me too. My video was messed up and displayed three desktops on my screen! I thought it was a fluke but it would go away untill a third reboot.

I do not have windows update turned on.

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: ivwshane
I had a similar thing happen to me too. My video was messed up and displayed three desktops on my screen! I thought it was a fluke but it would go away untill a third reboot.

I do not have windows update turned on.

Did you manually install any recent updates?

 

[ivwshane]

Possibly from the 17th and 18th:

kb908531
kb911562
kb912812
kb911567


But the problem fixed itself, I didn't install or uninstall anything.

 

[MadRat]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165

 

[TechnoPro]

Originally posted by: MadRat
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918165

Although that is the article everyone is pointing the finger at, it does not identify the arbitrary resolution switching that I and others have noticed. Unless I am missing the obvious here?