Everything On My Monitor SHRINKS!

[richard37066]

Hey Folks. Y'all know that I visit periodically, lurk in the shadows and have nothing to contribute so ya don't even know that I'm around. UNTIL - disaster strikes! Like now!!!!!!!!!!

Basic info: Dell XPS 410, Windows Vista, IE8, 2GB ram, 160GB HD.

Figure THIS one out: Everything is rockin' along nicely - then - the screen blinks - the dreaded black screen appears for a couple of seconds - the page reappears - but all of the text and graphics are shrunk. Really small for these old eyes, folks! Further, my desktop is shrunk to about 70% of normal. I have arranged my desktop icons in three neat rows along the left hand side. They are now in some random order and crammed into the upper left hand corner.

The zoom indicator in the lower right hand corner says "100%". Under the "Page" drop-down menu, the Text Size is "Medium" and "Zoom" is, as you would expect, 100%.

To complicate matters further, I periodically get a pop-up window which says "Parsing error in file C:\ProgramFiles\HP\DigitalImaging\bin\hpqscloc\1033.xml". This is always followed by a nondescript screen seemingly associated with HP and stays but for a couple of seconds before disappearing. Yes, I use an HP printer. Have uninstalled the software and reinstalled it but to no avail.

It's been suggested that I stay away from a System Restore but that is the only way that I can get things to return to normal. I judiciously pick the Restore Point which coincides with known good performance.

and a bunch of other feelings.

Respectfully,

Richard

[DavesComputerTips]

Are you using a CRT or LCD based monitor?

[richard37066]

Dave -

It's a typical plat-panel LCD.

Thanks for starting to arrive at an answer.

Richard

[DavesComputerTips]

The zoom indicator in the lower right hand corner says "100%". Under the "Page" drop-down menu, the Text Size is "Medium" and "Zoom" is, as you would expect, 100%.

Is this in one specific program? I'm a little confused as to where the zoom indicator comes from.

Also do you know if the computer has an Nvidia video card?

[Ziggie]

The zoom indicator in the lower right hand corner says "100%". Under the "Page" drop-down menu, the Text Size is "Medium" and "Zoom" is, as you would expect, 100%.

Is this in one specific program? I'm a little confused as to where the zoom indicator comes from.

Also do you know if the computer has an Nvidia video card?

Zoom, page, and text size all sound like a web browser. It sounds as though the display is resetting to 800x600 on a LCD designed for larger (1024x768?). these numbers are very much made up.

Possibly a video driver crashing? How old is this system? Is it still under warranty?

[DavesComputerTips]

Possibly a video driver crashing?

That's kind of where I was headed, Chad, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a specific program or extension. Great minds think alike!

[Ziggie]

Possibly a video driver crashing?

That's kind of where I was headed, Chad, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a specific program or extension. Great minds think alike!

Oh yeah, right. :/

I suppose the better question then is: Are windows resizing/zooming, or is there a black border around the desktop display now?