Laptop Changes Screen Resolution Every 30 Seconds

[Mighty Jalapeno]

My laptop changes to 800x600 just by itself, gives me a little notice in the corner that "This is not the optimal resolution for Clone Displays", then changes back to my regular resolution with the same sound effect it used when I unplug a USB device. This happens every 30 seconds, roughly, but sometimes it'll just do it constantly, back and forth, for a little while, and right now, nothing for three minutes.

This has never happened before.

WTH.

[AvatarIII]

do you have multiple monitors? if not it sounds like your laptop thinks you do, maybe you could try reinstalling your video drivers.

honestly i have no idea, I just felt bad that you posted this hours ago and no one has replied yet.

[yewbie]

I wonder if there is some "gunk" in your vga/hdmi/s-video/rca video plug on the system that makes it think something is plugged into it.

[Mighty Jalapeno]

In response to both: nope and nope.

[JBJ]

Sounds like a behavior associated with the laptop lid thinking it is closed.

Does your laptop have the little pop-up button thingy (for lack of a better technical term) that gets pressed down when the lid closes? If so, try jiggling it or blowing it out with some compressed air to make sure it's not making contact.

If not, there's probably a sensor in the hinges that detects when the lid is closed. In that case, can you get it to change resolution by moving the screen?

[Mighty Jalapeno]

Why would it change resolution whenever it closes? Doesn't it just turn off when it closes?

So far, adjusting or moving the screen hasn't set it off, and it seems to have stopped.

[cphite]

Why would it change resolution whenever it closes? Doesn't it just turn off when it closes?

So far, adjusting or moving the screen hasn't set it off, and it seems to have stopped.

How long was it doing this? If it just happened a couple of times, you may have had a driver update or something and it was just adjusting itself.

If it was longer, it could be a hardware issue.

[Mighty Jalapeno]

Pretty steadily for two days, all done now. o.O

While typing another post, mid-sentence, a little screen popped up with a picture of the laptop's touchpad, and a red "no" symbol over the hand. My touchpad just turned itself off. Not only has it never done that before, I didn't even know it was possible. My Windows Help does not mention anything, anywhere, about my touchpad, or how to turn it on or off.

[ajd007]

Some laptops have a button next to or above the touchpad to turn it on or off. You may have accidentally touched it

[Amy78]

I had the same problem on my MAC! Nothing seemed to work to adjust the screen resolution. It would always just switch back. Did anything work out?

[Mighty Jalapeno]

Yes, it all eventually and inexplicably stopped. I think it can be safely summed up as "Fucking Windows 7".