[parrot feet]

Sorted! (sort of). I followed the guide about setting in low video mode. I did it all on the telly, and when it switched to the hideously low res mode, I switched the cable to the monitor sure it would work, and it didn't. I was stumped. Not one to give up, I tried again, and just before I pressed f3 to change to low video mode, I switched the cable to the monitor, which displayed this set up screen as before, pressed 3 and it worked. I am now typing using the monitor on my new machine for the first time

 

At least I know it works so I will start catching up on business email etc as I am 3 weeks behind! I have used the tablet a little but I hate using it to type!

 

I did try and reverse the cable as suggested, but no joy. It was mentioned that the monitor couldn't support above a certain res and refresh rate. I set it under these figure in normal windows mode on the telly, switched to the monitor and nothing happened. Of course I could be doing it wrong.

 

I will change the monitor in time, so could I ask for advise on what I should look for based on my current machines spec (see speccy report in my initial post).

 

Here is the screenshot of the HDD info as suggested. I really have no idea what this means or where to start in making a recovery disc, or whatever I need to do, so your advise is greatly appreciated. I could take a guess, but im not used to windows 8 yet, and I want to do it right!

 

And finally, as for that 'Roll Around Ads' thing, I followed a couple of guides and removed any trace I could find. I will run a Norton scan as soon as possible.

Attached Thumbnails

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Edited by parrot feet, 02 March 2015 - 02:55 PM.

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Thanks terry1966 for your very useful info.

 

Found the monitor manual, > http://www.emprex.com/var/manual/LM-1905user%20manual_English.pdf?PHPSESSID=005bfc716ff8962d9f6ba7f4eace9139 

Set the monitor to it's factory setting first,  Press the + & -  buttons simultaneously to engage the Auto Adjustment.

[iammykyl]

Thanks terry1966 for your very useful info.

 

Found the monitor manual, > http://www.emprex.com/var/manual/LM-1905user%20manual_English.pdf?PHPSESSID=005bfc716ff8962d9f6ba7f4eace9139 

Set the monitor to it's factory setting first,  Press the + & -  buttons simultaneously to engage the Auto Adjustment.

[parrot feet]

Thank you both terry1966 and iammykyl for your detailed responses about the monitor. The restart in low video mode did work, but restarting again reverted back to the old setting. I went back into low video mode to mess around with the res, and it was automatically on 800x600 @ 60htz. If I selected any other setting, the screen would go blank with 'no signal' and I would have to wait for the 15 seconds to revert back to previous settings. It has saved this new resolution setting, so when I restart, it loads windows in glorious 800x600. Not exactly what I had hoped, but it has the monitor working for now, which means at least I don't have to keep lugging everything downstairs to use the TV

 

So, at the moment, it is working. It doesn't look like I can get a higher resolution than 800x600, unless I have missed something. It just seems to refuse to try anything bigger.

Edited by parrot feet, 02 March 2015 - 05:35 PM.

[iammykyl]

You are very welcome    good you got some result.

It does look like the monitor has a fault, possible you could confirm by testing it on another compute/laptop.

If you are keeping the computer, consider the free upgrade to Windows 8.1, please read the whole blog first, > http://windows.micro...dows-8-tutorial

As well as creating the recovery media, done yet?   You should create a image of the Boot drive, > http://winsupersite....em-image-backup

[parrot feet]

 

It does look like the monitor has a fault, possible you could confirm by testing it on another compute/laptop.

Why didnt I think of that, though the result has confussed me more. The donated machine that the monitor originaly came with is running Windows 7, and is happily displaying 1440x900 @75htz. Ive tried using this exact setting on the new machine with the monitor, and again, no joy. I noticed the colours is set to high at 32 bit on the old machine, could this have anything to do with it? I am unable to try with the new machine until this evening. Is there anything I can run to test the monitor to see if it has a fault? Could it be anything to do with the graphics card on the new machine?

 

I think now I will be keeping it, as far as I can tell, it hasnt been used by the previous owner, and is running fine, apart from the monitor thing. As far as I am aware though, I am already upto 8.1 so I'll check  that tonight.

 

And as for the recovery disc etc and boot drive image, I have yet to create one. I am waiting a reply from Zoostorm before I do that, and after that I will start using the machine properly and install Norton and other bits and bobs.

Edited by parrot feet, 03 March 2015 - 07:25 AM.

[iammykyl]

The video displays to the TV and on low res to the monitor, so think the computer graphic is OK. Check in device manager to mmake sure all drivers are installed. Windows display troub

[terry1966]

what resolution was it using when connected to the tv?

 

the monitor works fine with the win 7 pc, so the problem must have something to do with the win 8 os and new pc,

if there are no missing drivers, warnings in device manager then never having run across a problem like this myself the only thing i can think of to try is to update the graphics apu drivers from here :- http://www.amd.com/e...p/a-series-apu#

 

and make sure the windows os is fully updated.

 

[parrot feet]

SUCCESS!! I had checked on the drivers previously via device manager. I also checked via screen resolution>advanced settings>monitor>properties. The device status showed as 'working properly' and when I clicked driver>update driver it searched for a minute or two and came up with everything is up to date. As suggested by Terry1966, I went onto AMD's website and selected what my machine had, and it suggested installing AMD catalyst software, which wasn't entirely clear but I assume it included drivers. Once installed and reset, I changed the resolution to 1440x900 @75htz, and low and behold, I am now using my monitor on my new machine in lovely detail. Nice 

 

I had a reply also from Zoostorm and they said although they no longer bundle the disc (they provided a link to a guide to create a USB boot), they are going to send me out a Windows boot disc.

 

I wont resolve the topic just yet, I'll make sure I can create the recovery media and boot image as suggested previously and get things going with Norton and other software, but it looks like we're getting there.

Edited by parrot feet, 03 March 2015 - 01:01 PM.

[terry1966]

 

for your recovery and backup media you should find a program somewhere installed on the pc to use to create those, the recovery cd/dvd needs 1 blank disk and for the backup/reinstall image (to be used if the drive fails so you can't use the restore partition) usually needs about 7 blank dvd's in my experience.

 

[parrot feet]

Thanks for that extra info Terry. I have never had the need to use any sort of recovery or back up, so don't know entirely how they are used in the event. I will create these asap, and then I will feel like my PC is ready to use

[terry1966]

the recovery cd is used if for some reason the bootloader or something gets corrupted (yet hard drive is fine.) and it won't boot into the windows os, you'd boot the cd and get it to repair things or even use it to start the restore process using the restore partition to reinstall everything to the same state it was in when new (factory restore.).

 

the backup/reinstall dvd's would be used only if the hard drive ever failed and needed replacing, when the new drive is installed you'd boot the dvd's to install the recovery partition and os onto it so everything works just the same as if the old failed drive was still in there. make sure you number the backup image dvd's in the order they were created because that is the order they'd need to be booted/used.

 

 

also make sure the disks are verified during the creating process, usually there's a box somewhere in the software that needs a tick in it for this.

Edited by terry1966, 03 March 2015 - 02:26 PM.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, just briefly to add about the backup and reinstall disks, as Terry said usually six or seven DVD disks are required. However, if that has already been done by the previous owner, in most cases the original data on the partition is wiped, so a new set of disks cannot be created.

 

If that has happened then other means of backup of the full system will have to be used, usually a system image created and stored on an external hard drive. Various software is available for doing that and Macrium Reflect is one that you will find instructions for its use in the forum tutorials. Several in fact, including one I wrote about three years back.

 

Nev.

[iammykyl]

Well done parrot feet  

[parrot feet]

Well, I can happily say, thanks to all you guys, I am finally using my new machine just how I want to. To go back to what I originally started the topic with ...

 

 

 

1. What should I look for in a monitor? Obviously my current one doesn't support it, what should I look for when getting a new one?

2. Can I see if anything has been done to the computer before I got it? I have to assume it was used, but would like to know how much, or if it was the bad reviewer and he had the same monitor trouble, and in the end didn't use it!

3. It didn't come with a Windows disc. Should I be worried, is it normal not to be supplied with one?

4. How do I get the windows key if I need it for future issues? Its not on the case (I haven't opened it up yet).

5. Can I do a health check, just to make sure everything is working fine? The HDD is making a loud noise, but Im used to silent laptop so its probably normal.

 

 

1. It turns out my old one was just fine, that's a big save from you lot. Even though Windows said the device was working correctly, and drivers were all up to date, new ones were needed from AMD via AMD Catalyst software. If I'm honest, I'm not entirely sure what it does, or if indeed it does contain extra drivers, but it allowed the monitor to work which makes me happy

2. As pointed out on the Speccy report, it was only booted 49 times, of which about 20 were probably me trying different settings etc. to make the monitor work (doing the 4 restart trick). Another 20 were probably the previous owner doing the same thing! Nothing seems to have been installed etc, in fact it asked me when I finally got the monitor to work, to name the computer, so the previous owner didn't even get past that.

3. After contacting Zoostorm customer services, they have kindly sent me out a Windows recovery disc.

4. Got it via Magical Jelly Bean

5. Everything is working nicely. The HDD is loud, but I can live with that.

 

I created a restore point (something Ive never done before  ) and installed all my software including Norton. I scanned with Norton and everything is tip top.

 

Overall, a very successful outcome. So THANK YOU

Edited by parrot feet, 06 March 2015 - 07:50 AM.

[terry1966]

loud hard drive maybe nothing to worry about but i would still make sure i made the full restore image dvd's as soon as possible just in case,

i never like noisy hard drives even tho i've had some that worked fine for years.

 

yes the catalyst program does install up to date drivers and is also then used to control the screen settings instead of using windows built in controls, you can uninstall the catalyst program if you wanted to, just keep the new drivers and things should still work fine.

 

personally with amd hardware i don't install it's own catalyst control program yet for some reason with nvidia hardware i do install it's own control program when i install drivers, either way now everything is working fine you don't need to change anything and just thought i'd mention it for extra info.

 

glad your happy with your new pc and everything works great now.