Computer problem

[Mary Leathert]

So, sometimes when I turn my computer on, everything looks like the resolution was turned down/zoomed in. Websites might get a sidescrolling bar because they're too wide, everything is too big and hurts my eyes.

This might go away if I restart, or it might not, sometimes it takes a couple of tries.

Things that are not the cause: actual resolution changing (even in this mode, the resultion setting is on the highest one), the magnifying class being turned on automatically, or having used another screen with this computer and that messing it up somehow.

It is an HP laptop from a couple of years back (approx. 4), running on Windows Xp (the default would have been Vista, I payed extra to get Xp).

This is mostly just annoying and confusing, as it usually goes away by restarting. I'd just like to know what is causing this.

[Erloas]

As a guess, it might be adjusting the resolution thinking you have multiple displays and matching an external one that doesn't exist and resets that sometimes on restart.
The toggle between screens is usually FN + F5 or F6 on a lot of laptops.

The other option, and should be done regardless, is updating your video card drivers. Or potentially if you just updated them (depending on update options and video card, it might update automatically) to try an older driver and see if that fixes the problem.

[nedz]

I had this on an old computer, but 4 years isn't old — though Laptop.

Basically the Driver is picking up the wrong parameters at start-up.
This could be:
Driver bug — if so change the version you are running.
Change in the Boot sequence — have you installed any hardware recently?
Flaky Graphics Card — most likely just old age.
Flaky RAM

Can't do much about the hardware — well you could change it, but that's expensive and you don't know what's wrong.

You could try ding what Erloas suggested with the Driver, but it could be red herring.

Whenever something like this happens: it's usually because something on the system has changed. Did you make any changes to the hardware or software immediately before this started to happen ?

[Whoracle]

Had this on a desktop PC once: Power supply didn't supply enough power.

On a laptop this shouldn't be an issue, since they tend to regulate power consumption et al., but who knows?

As for what to do if I am right: You're out of luck, sadly. You usually can't replace the power unit on a notebook, since it's hardwired to the mainboard.

[nedz]

Are there any other symptoms ?

[Mary Leathert]

Ugh, I don't know practically anything about computers, so I have no idea about how I could change the drivers.

I haven't done anything to the hardware since I got this laptop. (Okay, I have changed the battery and power chord, and the new battery is about useless, it doesn't load at all most of the time).

Interestingly, most videos/games on the internet run very slowly when everything is normal, and start running smoothly when everything gets enlarged.

[Whoracle]

Going by your elaborations, I'm pretty sure it's the power supply.

Your new battery doesn't charge? "New" as in "bought from store" or the like, or "new" as in "bought a used replacement"? If a new battery doesn't charge, it's most likely it doesn't get the voltage it needs. Maybe the power chord you changed is shot?

[Mary Leathert]

Ah, I didn't mean that the battery is new anymore (it was bought new from the store). It worked fine for a while, but these days, it usually requires removing it and putting it back again to make it realise it should start charching itself.

The power chord works though, otherwise I wouldn't be able to use the whole thing. I have just resigned to the fate that I can't really use this thing on the go, more like an extra light-weight desktop.