E1405 changes screen resolution on sleep, AND another display issue

Question

I've seen other folks have been having this problem, but with other models. Basically whenever I close my screen, the resolution resets to a lower res (I believe 1024x768), instead of staying at 1440x900 which is the default one for my wxga+ screen. It's really quite annoying, as my icons get reset every time.

It might be important to note that I did a fresh wipe of the system when I got it (off a guy on Craigslist, it was still in the box though), because I can't stand the preinstalled Dell software. In the process I wiped the partition that had the re-install materials, but shouldn't have been a problem because all the necessary drivers are on Dell's website. I've even tried the stock Intel GMA950 drivers, which refuse to install for some reason.

Additionally, every once in a while the screen will flicker and flash black, and then come right back. Honestly, I've had this computer a month and I'm already rather dissapointed, especially due to the shoddy case: one of the hinges even started to get loose within a day or two of using it. Does anyone know what the former problem may be, and if Dell will make a stink about it if I try to get it fixed and don't have the original invoice, and no way to get in contact with the guy I got it from? I still have the box though, and none of the serial numbers have been stripped off.

Message Edited by erojas on 08-21-200608:35 PM

Amaboknaai · Answer

What Video display card do you have in your laptop? Is it the onboard shared Video adaptor or an nVidia X1300 / X1400? When you say the driver refuses to install, it appears that you might be trying to install the incorrect driver...   Right click on My Computer, select Properties, select Hardware, select Device Manager and expand the Display Adaptors tab.   Post your results here - also what is your Service Tag number?

erojas · Answer

I thought the computer came with a GMA950, but the hardware profile says 945GM. Message Edited by erojas on 08-24-200608:19 AM Message Edited by erojas on 08-25-200608:40 AM

Amaboknaai · Answer

The Graphics controller is a GMA950, but the chipset is as indicated http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/945gm/index.htm

The Service Tag seems incorrect to me, it should be an 8 - 9 digit number / letter combination.

Amaboknaai · Answer

Mmmmm

The service tag that you have quoted above returns your computer as a PowerEdge SC1420 which is a Dell Server...

Are you sure that this is the Service Tag on your machine...or do you have a PowerEdge SC1420 as the machine that you are referring to?

Type the service tag you have given in to this URL

http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/index.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen

and it will identify your machine

erojas · Answer

yeah, that one was wrong. anyways i plugged the right one in, and that's the same page. i know what model my computer is, and i know the chipset, but those drivers don't seem to help my problem at all.

i tried them again, still no dice. aren't there any OEM drivers i can use that i can count on working?

Message Edited by erojas on 08-25-200605:54 PM

dutchman71 · Answer

I have the same exact problem.  I am running a clean install of Vista Ultimate  Has anyone found a resolution to this annoying problem?  I have tried the drivers supplied by Dell as well as the newest drivers available on the Intel website..

MASJFL · Answer

I've got the same issue.  C'mon Dell step up and give us a fix!   640M Windows Home Basic Intel 945GM Video chipset   Runs fine as 1440 x 900 until it comes back from sleep mode and goes to 1024 x 768

Biaspoint · Answer

I have the same problem as well, from some searching on other forums there is a change that can be made using regedit, however the key they suggest changing is called LidBehavior, which is not used the on the e1405.  So what we need is dell to figure out what the key is for our machines what it should be changed to and that should fix the issue. I also have the flicker problem as mentioned by the first post and the BSOD from not having a grounded outlet (which by the way will cause this discussion thread to mysteriously dissapear in a few days because I mentioned it)... not bad for a computer 3 weeks old.   Running Vista with the intel graphics media accelerator, I set my screen to 1440 x 900 and when every it returns from sleep (usually from the lid being closed) it reverts to a resolution 1024 x 768. Any help would be appreciated, does dell have a return policy?

dutchman71 · Answer

I noticed that if I set the screen brightness under the power options to a lower setting the screen resolution doesn not change.  At least since I made the change last night...

handsallovr · Answer

I was experiencing the issue with my e1405 changing resolutions after returning from sleep mode. The problem disappeared on my machine after I installed the latest BIOS update from A09 to A10. My screen still flashes a bunch of times after returning from sleep mode (on a properly grounded outlet), but it no longer changes the resolution.

http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/MX61_A10.EXE

Dell's solution to the problem was to use the System Restore disk and wipe out everything on the computer. I couldn't believe they would suggest that for this issue. This is my first Dell. Is that a common answer for problems such as this?

Update: For the most part the problem has gone away. There are intermittent times that the resolution will change on its own when the computer is waking from sleep mode. It probably happened twice in the past week. Not perfect but much better than it happening each time as was the case before.

Message Edited by handsallovr on 05-04-2007 02:37 PM

Mailan · Answer

I noticed that the screen resolution didn't change after I went to power option and selected the 'High Performance' option. This option gives a brighter screen when on battery. Lidbehavior change didn't work for my laptop.   Inspiron 1505 Vista 32-bit NVIDIA Go 7300

dutchman71 · Answer

A combination of the new bios and the driver available on Windows Update have resolved my problem..  The newest drivers available from Intel did not work, even with the bios upgrade, so stay away from those.

psurko · Answer

I also have the same problem.  Inspiron 640M that changes screen resolution on sleep, but worse, screen goes black for several seconds at a time, unrelated to what I'm doing at the time.  Dell has replaced the screen and video cable and the system board.  What else is there?  It's got to be a driver problem, but tech support says I have the correct drivers.  Does anybody else know of better drivers?

audiowriter · Answer

The BIOS and driver updates failed to resolve the problem for me. However, changing a handful of settings in the registry seems to have done the trick. Search for DefaultSettings.XResolution and DefaultSettings.YResolution in the system registry and change all of them that are under a VIDEO key to the native resolution of your display. The default edit mode is hex, so make sure to change to decimal before entering the new values. This seems to have resolved my problems. The usual caveats concerning editing the registry apply.

flamestar07 · Answer

The actual culprit is TMM, Vista's process that looks for multiple monitors and attempts to intelligently modify resolution. If you aren't using multiple monitors, you can disable TMM:

1. right-click on 'computer' and select 'manage'
2. on the left pane, expand 'task scheduler' then ' task scheduler library' then 'Microsoft' then 'Windows' then 'MobilePC'
3. select TMM in the center pane, then on the right pane, choose 'disable'

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E1405 changes screen resolution on sleep, AND another display issue

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