Problem 1

Having problems with your Graphics Settings in Display Properties?

Solution 1

Reboot to Safe Mode

Open Device Manager

Remove ALL Display Adapters

Remove ALL Monitors

Reboot to Normal Mode - Windows will reinstall the required drivers - hopefully curing your problem (and may require another reboot to complete the reinstallation).

Try adjusting the resolution/settings again.

Problem 2

Having unidentified errors, which you think may be driver related??

Solution 2.1

Reboot to Safe Mode

Open Device Manager

Check for error-flagged devices - if you find any, make a note of them, then Delete ALL instances of that device (whether flagged or not!)

Reboot to Normal Mode - Windows should reinstall the required drivers. MAKE A NOTE of the items that Windows finds on the reboot(s), and any error messages you get during this process - which could require a number of reboots depending on what, and how much, was removed.

Solution 2.2

Reboot to Safe Mode

Open Device Manager (in view by type mode)

Check for duplicated devices - if you find any, make a note of them, then Delete ALL instances of each device, rebooting to Normal Mode after each set of duplicates. Windows should reinstall the required drivers. MAKE A NOTE of the items that Windows finds on the reboot(s), and any error messages you get during this process - which could require a number of reboots depending on what, and how much, was removed.

NOTE: - devices should be removed in a particular order if the change is to have the desired effect

Start with the IDE Master Controller (under Hard disk controllers), TOGETHER WITH the hard drives and CD/DVD drives

Next come the Display Adapters and Monitors

Then the mouse, and other externals.

Note that it's quite common for the following items to have duplicates in the System Devices branch in Safe Mode.

ACPI IRQ Holder for PCI IRQ Steering

Motherboard Resources

Problem 3

You're getting an error flag in Device Manager, even after trying the above

Solution 3

Look here.

This has a link to a list of error codes for Windows 9x systems - which is frequently more confusing than not knowing anything!

Your best bet, if you keep getting errors on a particular device is to go the manufacturer's website, and get the latest available drivers for that device from there. Make sure that you READ the instructions on how to install the drivers - Video cards in particular are rather fussy about how the drivers are installed.

I never recommend getting drivers from Microsoft Windows Updates, as these are frequently rather out-dated, and in some cases rather poorly written. (Note that Microsoft does NOT write these drivers, they merely make them available for users of Windows Updates)

Footnotes

"How to...." and "What does it mean?"

Reboot to Safe Mode

Don't know what this means? - don't panic!!

It's really very simple - Safe Mode in Windows loads the Windows interface with the minimum possible impact from the 'fancy bits'. The result is that you get an awful-looking screen, and in ME, the 'Help & Support' Window pops up, in an attempt to help guide you through some troubleshooting.

Open Device Manager

here are a number of ways to open Device Manager, which is part of the System Properties Control Panel item :-

1) Right-click on the My Computer icon on your desktop, and select Properties - this brings up the System Properties UI (User Interface)

2) Start > Settings > Control Panel - double-click on the System icon - this brings up the System Properties UI

3) Start > Run - type SYSDM.CPL and click OK - this brings up the System Properties UI

Once you're in System  Properties, you'll see a series of tabs across the top - simply click on the one labelled Device Manager - this should get you to a window that looks like this....

Error Flags

 There are three types of error flag used in Device Manager

1) the Green 'Default driver used - no device-specific driver available' one, mostly found on USB Hubs and controllers - MS has even written a KB Article about this one!

2) The Yellow 'This driver has problems' flag - which usually indicates that there's a conflict with another driver, or that Windows hasn't been able to find a driver at all (such as here, where my sound card has no drivers built-in to the OS).

3) The Red 'This driver is disabled' flag - either the device isn't working at all, or the driver has been switched off.