CRT Monitor Narrow Display

[jwcpa48]

I have a Dell E770s CRT monitor purchased in 2000 with my Dell Dimension XPS T500 system, all of which have run well until recently. A few weeks ago one of my kids said the display went unstable, and after she shut everything down and restarted the computer system, the display shrunk with about 1.25" black bands on each side, although the actual display still show everything it should, it's just narrower than it should be. None of the monitor adjustments on the front are capable of making the display wider.

I'm assuming that this a monitor mech. malfunction since I can not find anything wrong with either the Windows 98SE software or monitor driver. The Dimension XPS T500 system with the E770s monitor came new from Dell, set up with a Microsoft provided driver, as per the system Device Manager (which says the monitor set up OK) properties info. for: Display Adapter\32 MB Diamond Viper V770D UltraNVIDA\Driver\Drive Details, which indicates the existence of 3 driver files in the Windows\System folder (NVDISP.DRV, NVMINI.VXD, VMM32.VXD). The one reply I got from the Dell website Dimension monitors forum suggested it might be a corrupted monitor driver problem, but the reasons I think the monitor has a mech. problem, and the device driver is not the issue, are:

- When I attach the E770s monitor to a Toshiba Satellite laptop external monitor connection (laptop with same Win98SE OS and set for same 800 x 600 screen resolution as the Dell), the E770s shows the same narrow Windows displays with the approx. 1.25" empty black areas on each side of the display, same as when it's attached to the Dell.

- Just to check that the laptop is not causing the E770s problem same as on the Dell, I attached the laptop to a 17" CTX monitor, and the CTX show the normal full screen Windows displays as I would have expected.

- During the computer system bootup process with either the Dell or the laptop, the E770s shows the narrow display, e.g. with Window splash screens or when booted to the DOS command line.

My local TV/computer monitor repair shop, and I suspect others, want $40 just to examine the monitor (credited toward any repairs), but this is already ca. 1/3 the cost of purchasing a comparable used Dell monitor.

Has anyone else had a similar problem with this particular monitor model, or a similar problem with some other CRT model, and if so is something like my problems fixable and if so, what a repair shop might charge to fix it. A handle on an approx. repair cost would allow me to make a repair or replace decision.

Thanks to anyone who may be able to give some advice.

[darkshadow]

i'm not 100% sure but it sounds that your monitor is going out have you check out other name brand and non name brands moniters

[jwcpa48]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm starting to be resigned to the fact that I'm probably going to have to replace the monitor, haven't been able to get any definitive mech. advice from various computer hardware forums (including Dell monitors forum for my computer model) where I've posted this monitor problem inquiry.

[TallCool1]

I have a Dell E770s CRT monitor purchased in 2000 with my Dell Dimension XPS T500 system, all of which have run well until recently. A few weeks ago one of my kids said the display went unstable, and after she shut everything down and restarted the computer system, the display shrunk with about 1.25" black bands on each side, although the actual display still show everything it should, it's just narrower than it should be. None of the monitor adjustments on the front are capable of making the display wider.

Bad monitor, not worth repair. Either the microcontroller's width function has failed or the width control circuitry has gone bad.

You can buy a decent, new 17" monitor for as little as $120, or used for about $50.

[jwcpa48]

Thanks for the reply.

I think what you say and sources I've contact about my problems have been consistent, it's time to replace the monitor.

[krafka]

I have recently experienced a similar issue with my dell E770s

[mmiikkee12]

If you use the buttons on the front of the monitor to make it the right size, does it stay that way the next time you turn it on? If so, do that and save a little money. :)

[4xmyworld]

yEs, I have the same problem with my unbranded monitor. Old things need replacement.