Switched monitors, now I can't switch back

[Psychless]

I was preparing to build a new pc so I brought a relative's computer down to my house. It's a Dell Dimension L700cx with a Dell E551a monitor. I decided to switch monitors so I could browse the Internet easier. So my new monitor was hooked up to my relative's computer. Then my PC parts came and I put them together. Then I removed the new monitor from my relative's computer and hooked up my relative's monitor. I booted up the computer and after it got past the Windows 98 loading screen the screen went black and all the led lights started blinking. I could hear the os starting up.

I hooked the new monitor back up. It worked perfectly. I could go into safe mode with the relative's monitor and I tried to reinstall the monitor drives, but it still won't work! What am I doing wrong? How can I get it to work?

[dahlarbear]

1.  The first thing that comes to mind is that your "display properties" are set to values that the "old" monitor cannot support.  Specifically the display resolution, the color quality, and monitor's refresh rate.  Suggest that you force your display properties to lower values you know the old monitor can support.


2.  While I know you're dealing with a Dell, HP's procedures should be acceptable.  Basically connect the old monitor, reboot into safe mode, force a reset of the display properties to basic VGA values (by hitting "Apply"), and then reboot into normal mode.  Once in normal mode, you should have your display back so you may reset display properties to the values you want.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph04198&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=61605&rule=44904&lang=en

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bph07120&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=61605&rule=44904&lang=en

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=61605&rule=44904&lang=en&docname=c00003408#c00003408_monitor


3.  Or you could reset the display properties using the "new" monitor.  Boot the system up normally.  Reset the display resolution to a known safe value, e.g. 800 by 600 pixels, set the color quality to Medium (16-bits), and set the monitor refresh rate to "60 Hertz".   To accomplish this:

    o  Right click on a blank area of the desktop, a context menu should appear.
    o  Left click on the "Properties" item, the "Display Properties" window should appear.
    o  If not already selected, left click on "Settings" tab.
    o  In lower left of window there should be a screen resolution slider. slide it left until you get "800 by 600" pixels".

Next set the color quality:
   o  Toward the bottom right of the current window there's is a "Color Quality" box with pull-down value menu.  Reset it to Medium (16-bit).

Next ensure the monitor refresh rate is in a safe range for the old monitor, e.g. "60 Hertz".
From the previous "Display Properties" window, with "Settings" tab selected:

    o  Left click on "Advanced" button in lower right of Settings tab window.  A new window will appear with multiple tabs.
    o  Left click the "Monitor" tab.  There's usually a "Monitor settings" subsection in the middle of the resulting window with a box for the "Screen refresh rate".  If there's a checkbox below this box that says "Hide modes that this monitor cannot display", check the checkbox to ensure only "safe" monitor setting values are displayed.  However these would only be safe monitor settings for the current monitor.  For now, set screen refresh rate to safe value of "60 Hertz". 

Now click "APPLY" and/or "OK" on all display property windows to apply and back out of the application.  Hopefully your display properties are now set to values that are compatible with the old monitor.

[Psychless]

I'm sorry I did not respond in a timely manner. Thank you though, your solution worked perfectly.