Trouble w/graphics for games that use lower resolution in FULLSCREEN

When playing lower-resolution games that use full-screen mode on my Windows 7 Professional X64 will not play without serious color glitches. It flickers and the colors are all completely messed up. I have a Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX Integrated RAMDAC video card that is updated with the latest drivers. My monitor is a Hanns-G 28" wide-screen and is up-to-date as well.

It is SO irritating to not be able to let my kids play these old games.

I have had success disabling the "explorer.exe" in the task manager, but ONLY when playing the Age of Empires 2: Conqueror's Expansion. This method has not yet worked for any other game.

My old Myst games from Cyan and a bunch of others refuse to be clear enough to play and enjoy.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Mengistuh

Mengis,

Welcome to Sevenforums to you!

I will be providing you with links that you may click that lead to a tutorial part of this website for a how-to.

Make sure you have windows completely updated, along with every one of the games. Also, make sure your drivers are updated, especially your graphics driver. If you'd like me to find the appropriate one for you and a how-to, fill out your system specs with this tool.

Try putting your game into compatability mode: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html

Failing that, lower your graphics resolution and settings through your graphics control panel. If you'd like more of an explaination, please ask.

It is unusual, but some antiviruses may get in the way of the game. While I don't recommend disabling a much needed antivirus while connected to the internet, you might try it as a test. What antivirus do you use? I can offer recommendations based on how well your antivirus performs according to my experience, if you would like.

To more easily find drivers compatable with your computer, you can set windows to find them auatomatically: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html. Then you can check for updates and see if there are any "optional" drivers available to you.

Thank you for your reply. Everything is updated, but none of the other possible solutions you offered were successful. It is really a bummer.

You forgot to update your system specs and you didn't let me know what antivirus you are running that may allow me to further help you out and offer opinions on how you might find a solution.

Mengistuh

I have a similar problem with a older game too but came to find they will play and do so very well in a VM. I use Oracle VM VirtualBox and have XP installed with there 3d Drivers that they call Vboxguestaddones (All one word)

And these all play with no problem at the lower res your looking for.

Another thought, It may not be the system that is causing this, your monitor may not go this low and cause it to act like this.

HOPEFULLY you will be able to get the specs by looking at these. I couldn't just ADD a picture to this thread. My anti-virus program is BitDefender.

I believe that it is in fact a monitor issue. I tried just switching the resolution to 800X600 and it does the same thing. So, now what? The monitor is updated...

Mengistuh said:

************ ************* **************** **********

HOPEFULLY you will be able to get the specs by looking at these. I couldn't just ADD a picture to this thread. My anti-virus program is BitDefender.

Click to expand...

Now you go back and delete this post with your real name. Bad idea. Use this method to upload pictures:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

Almost guarantee it isn't monitor related, and easiest way to check is trying another monitor. Its probably the program just doesn't work with Win7.

Also:

DustSailor said:

Mengis,

Welcome to Sevenforums to you!

I will be providing you with links that you may click that lead to a tutorial part of this website for a how-to.

...fill out your system specs with this tool.

Click to expand...

You don't need to use the tool, but please update your specs....

how many mhz your running the monitor at? sometimes when your monitor does not display the screen correctly is like say your monitor supports 60mhz only at you put it at 75mhz ingame it will have graphical glitches, make sure your running it at a rate your monitor supports

Thank you so much DustSailor for helping me figure that out. Awesome.

M1GU31 said:

how many mhz your running the monitor at? sometimes when your monitor does not display the screen correctly is like say your monitor supports 60mhz only at you put it at 75mhz ingame it will have graphical glitches, make sure your running it at a rate your monitor supports

Click to expand...

How do I check what mhz I'm running it at? Sorry, a real technical noob here.

Mengistuh,
Not a problem. This is how you can view the Refresh rate of you monitor, 60 is best. But this won't solve your problem either, as older monitors could produce higher refresh rates than 60MHz whereas many LCD monitors cannot (Don't need to as much - little factoid for you):

Sorry that reinstalling the Graphics software didn't work for you. Would you mind attempting again? You might consider installing a thorough uninstaller such as Revo Uninstaller Free (http://www.revouninstaller.com/start_freeware_download.html) to remove it with, but if you don't want to, once more remove them in the control panel. Remove all of Nvidia software BUT uninstall the actual graphics driver LAST. Unfortunately, it is also likely that this will not help solve your issue either, but it is a small step in the right direction. Here is a picture of the drivers to remove:


Then look here for your driver, install it and select "custom" install. Select all drivers (May leave 3D drivers out if you don't use them) and select "perform clean install": http://www.geforce.com/Drivers/Results/38916

As I've said, sadly it is likely that the program or game is just too old to work with your computer. What is it by the way? Sorry if you've already said. If compatability mode doesn't help, nor does lowering graphics settings including resolution work, then there is little else. You might try troubleshooting it. My next post will tell you how -

Run the program troubleshooter. You will have to indicate which program that isn't running well. This will put the program into compatability mode after determining what may be going on

Done. However, it isn't just this game (The Secret of Margrave Manor). If I manually try to set my monitor resolution to 800X600, I get the same effect---all of the colors are screwy and the monitor flickers.

The refresh rate can only be set at 59MHz or 60MHz. I tried it at 59 just for troubleshooting's sake and it made no difference. Didn't figure it would, but did it anyway.

Then it is likely the game just doesn't work with windows 7, and/or your hardware.

Which is strange because apparently it works with vista.