Help! (Computer problem)

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by The Mrs, Apr 13, 2009.

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  1. The Mrs

    The Mrs Crush on Casey Starbucks!

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    I need some computer help. OK, here's what happened. I was playing the game "Cradle of Rome" on my laptop. Well, I didn't notice that my laptop was not plugged in, some my battery was running out of gas. All of the sudden, my screen goes black and then it says, "preparing to hibernate". So, I plugged my battery in, then turned my computer back on. Here's where the HELP part comes in.

    When I turned it back on, my screen had gone skinny, meaning that I have an inch of black space on both sides of my screen, yet the words/graphics have "swollen". I don't know how to get the screen, etc. back to the way it was. Anyone have any ideas before I take it to my neighborhood computer repair shop? I have a Dell laptop and it's got Windows stuff.

    Oh, if you have ideas, please be advised that if computer knowledge was rated on a scale of 1-10, I'm at about a 3.5-4. I am a VERY basic computer user.
     
    #1 The Mrs, Apr 13, 2009
  4. Blazing Arrow

    Blazing Arrow The 12th man

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    Shut down and then turn it back on. Probably fix it.

    PS I think you rate your comp skills a little high :)
     
    #2 Blazing Arrow, Apr 13, 2009
  7. CRUDS

    CRUDS Moderator Staff

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    Did you try Ctr-Alt-Dlt or the Windows key? any of F buttons?
     
    #3 CRUDS, Apr 13, 2009
  10. Childress79

    Childress79 Loungefly ®

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    Exactamundo! Reboot the machine elfin.

    When your PC is running all the processes it's running are each allocated their own portion of memory.When a PC hibernates,all your processes states in memory are temporarily stored on a space on your hard drive.

    Memory is read faster than hard drives.When a PC comes out of hibernation all those processes you had running have to be restarted to the memory in state they were in before.Those states are slowly copied from the space on your hard drive to memory and often errors occur.

    Restarting the machine clears the memory and restores everything back to the way it's supposed to be.
     
    #4 Childress79, Apr 13, 2009
  13. Puck

    Puck Pro Bowler

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    :gag:
     
    #5 Puck, Apr 13, 2009
  16. Tuckfro42

    Tuckfro42 Frozen Donkey Wheel

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    ^ Great answer Childress. :yes:

    Another good answer would be to grab your Dell, get in your car, get on the interstate, chunk the Dell out the window, proceed to nearest Apple store, and get a machine with an OS that won't crap out on you.
     
    #6 Tuckfro42, Apr 13, 2009
  19. The Mrs

    The Mrs Crush on Casey Starbucks!

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    I've already restarted it 4 times, it still looks the same. There's no need for me to get an Apple or any other super laptop because I only use mine to play basic games from Pogo and visit sites like GoTitans and other WAG sites. Oh, and to order clothes and accessories online. I'm not using my laptop for anything serious.

    Bah, you guys didn't help at all. Curses, Trevor is about to get $100 bucks out of me!
     
    #7 The Mrs, Apr 13, 2009
  22. Blazing Arrow

    Blazing Arrow The 12th man

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    Have you tried SHUTING DOWN? Sometimes restart does not work.

    If I were to guess you laptop forgot it's native video settings and just need to remember the size of your screen.

    Have you ever had a second screen attached to the laptop? That can mess with the settings or realizing which screen is the primary. If you vid does not look very boxy and like it was a 1980 computer then it is just a matter of resetting the vid settings. Only other thing it really could be is (if looking very boxy and old) the vid card fried the memory.
     
    #8 Blazing Arrow, Apr 13, 2009
  25. The Mrs

    The Mrs Crush on Casey Starbucks!

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    Blazing Arrow, could you repeat that in a way that my 3.5-4 can understand. I turned off my computer, shut the laptop, let it sit all night and when I woke up, I turned it on and it looks the same!

    Sigh, I give up!
     
    #9 The Mrs, Apr 13, 2009
  28. Blazing Arrow

    Blazing Arrow The 12th man

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    Restart and shut down are two different options. Use the shut down option. It will totally power down the comp. Wait like 10 seconds hell maybe 20 then turn it back on. If that does not work come back. I have harder options that will fix it but that should really fix it. Harder options will require you going through menues in the control panel that should not need to be used.
     
    #10 Blazing Arrow, Apr 13, 2009
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