Windows 7 Everything on new laptop is huge (Icons / graphics) Please help me fix this!

[Tara100]

Hello

I have a new laptop with Windows 7 installed, but I am not enjoying using it at all, as everything is huge! I don't just mean the text, the icons and all graphics are effected, and tweaking hasn't helped at all. (reducing the text size is easy)

I have to scroll so much to view a webpage; my e-mails are huge, and the AOL top taskbar is way to big (hogging lots of space)
I did manage to reduce the width of the bottom taskbar through Googling, but I can't find out how to fix the main problem.


So far, I have tried to fix the problem by:

• Updating all related and unrelated software through Windows Update, and then I updated the drivers through Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel.
• Pressing 'Ctrl' and '+' or '-' to zoom pages (this doesn't reduce the graphics or icons though)
• Trying all tweaks on the screen resolution page, including changing the DPI (this just narrows the browser, making it disproportionate and leaving blank sides - the icons and graphics do not change size)
• Making sure that 'Use large icons' in IE is NOT checked. Under 'view' in IE, text size is set at 'medium' - If I set it to 'smaller' then the page looks ridiculous. Also, tried tweaking 'zoom / text size' in IE.

I am pretty desperate to sort this out, as web browsing and reading my e-mails is just not a good experience.
Please can you help?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Saltgrass]

Any chance you have the magnifier turned on? Try hitting Winkey+Esc and see if it might turn off.

 

[davehc]

Forgive me if this sounds too basic. It looks like you have been through the normal procedures, but have you got the correct resolution set?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

What size is your display, the resolution that you show is appropriate for about a 13" screen.
If you have a larger screen 15" or so, then that you should be running something more in the 1680 by 1050 range.

If there you have the option to use a higher resolution try that.

Why don't you try a different browser like Google Chrome which has a much simpler interface, with out all the tool bars and junk at the top.

If you are using a mouse with your laptop you can change the screen size in your browser by holding the Cntrl key and moving your mouse wheel.

Mike

 

[Tara100]

Hi

What size is your display, the resolution that you show is appropriate for about a 13" screen.
If you have a larger screen 15" or so, then that you should be running something more in the 1680 by 1050 range.

If there you have the option to use a higher resolution try that.

Why don't you try a different browser like Google Chrome which has a much simpler interface, with out all the tool bars and junk at the top.

If you are using a mouse with your laptop you can change the screen size in your browser by holding the Cntrl key and moving your mouse wheel.

Mike

Hello Mike

I've already done the Ctrl / mouse maneouvre and that doesn't affect graphics anyway, just text outside of taskbars.

I think you may have something though regarding the resolution, in that it just isn't high enough - the max the slider will go to is 1366 x 768. (see screenshot)
Is there anything I can do about this?

Many thanks!

 

[Tara100]

Any chance you have the magnifier turned on? Try hitting Winkey+Esc and see if it might turn off.

Hi

No the magnifier isn't on, and this problem is persistant with every reboot. Thanks though

 

[Tara100]

Forgive me if this sounds too basic. It looks like you have been through the normal procedures, but have you got the correct resolution set?

Hello Dave

Yes. the resolution is the highest setting with (recommended) next to it. The slider won't go any higher either.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm afraid that your laptop doesn't support higher resolution display settings.
This may depend on how much you paid for your computer.

Higher resolution displays cost more money.

Here is some information about picking the right laptop for your application.
There are small displays that support up to 1920 by 1200 that are used in high performance laptops used for Graphics and gaming.

Link Removed due to 404 Error

Click on Tech Specs in this link and you will see that this Dell has two options for displays, one that is the same as yours and a much higher one that comes along with the higher end graphics card.

Dell XPS 15 Laptop Details | Dell

Mike

 

[Tara100]

Repeated post deleted - please see post below.

 

[Tara100]

Hi

I'm afraid that your laptop doesn't support higher resolution display settings.
This may depend on how much you paid for your computer.

Higher resolution displays cost more money.

Here is some information about picking the right laptop for your application.
There are small displays that support up to 1920 by 1200 that are used in high performance laptops used for Graphics and gaming.

Link Removed due to 404 Error

Click on Tech Specs in this link and you will see that this Dell has two options for displays, one that is the same as yours and a much higher one that comes along with the higher end graphics card.

Dell XPS 15 Laptop Details | Dell

Mike

Hi Mike

I now realise that the low resolution is causing the problems - It's not something I considered when I bought the laptop, and I had no idea that AOL would not be truly compatible.
I have a one month free support package with a company named ZuuMedia, and they took remote control of my laptop and couldn't improve anything visually. The advisor said that I could have the basic VGA card changed. Do you think the company I bought the laptop from would do this for me?

Many thanks again (I'm very grateful to you because I now know the cause of the problem)

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm not sure that you can get by with changing only the video card.
I think that both the card and the display panel probably would have to be changed to increase the resolution.

One thing you can do is to experiment with the text size setting.
You don't have to select just the options offered.
As you already noticed this doesn't just change the text size, it changes the size of everything, icons, bars, etc.

Click on the "Set custom text size (DPI)" link and try setting it somewhere in between the options.
For example I always set my display to 135% on my 24" 1920 by 1200 monitor.
That seems to work best for me, 150 is too big and horsey looking and 125 looks too small.

Mike