- Apr 26, 2008
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- 18,630
I have a very strange issue with a client's machine. It is a Gateway e4000 (yes, it's an old machine) with an Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV onboard integrated graphics controller. It is connected to my main monitor via a generic KVM which has (to date) given me no video problems.
When I have the desktop visible, the screen is rather rich in colour. When I bring up something white (like Windows Explorer or Notepad) that is maximized, the screen changes shade so that the application (and the entire screen, including the start button and the blue status bar) appears to have a "dirty" or dishwater grey shade. Minimizing the app causes the screen to return to its rich colour pallette.
This is a visible, very noticeable, non-instantaneous change that takes about 2-3 seconds to implement *after* a large white area appears on or vanishes from the screen. It appears to be something that the video card is doing, on purpose, in order to make the maximized program look "less brightly white". Problem is, I have never come across something like this before, and have no clue whatsoever as to how to turn it off.
This change only occurs *after* there is a maximization/minimization of a program's window. This "greying" of the screen is specifically with large white backgrounds, and appears to be linked to how much white is appearing on the screen. Dialogue windows which have a grey background or which cannot be maximized don't induce such a significant "auto-greying" of the screen.
I can only guess that the programmers thought it might be "nice" to prevent large white areas from blinding the user, but my client works in a bright area to begin with and this "auto-grey" feature is just pissing him (and me) off. If he maximizes Word or Windows Explorer, he can barely make out the text at times (depending on how bright the room is).
PS, the machine does not have an AGP slot, and it pre-dates PCIe. We have no choice but to work with the graphics card built into it. The client is NOT open to purchasing another computer just to fix a software issue.
All drivers are up to date, fresh install of XP SP3, but Microsoft Update does provide a "driver update" which is incorrect, and reduces the screen to 640x480 at 8-bit colour.
Clues? Suggestions? How does someone turn this (rather annoying) feature off?
When I have the desktop visible, the screen is rather rich in colour. When I bring up something white (like Windows Explorer or Notepad) that is maximized, the screen changes shade so that the application (and the entire screen, including the start button and the blue status bar) appears to have a "dirty" or dishwater grey shade. Minimizing the app causes the screen to return to its rich colour pallette.
This is a visible, very noticeable, non-instantaneous change that takes about 2-3 seconds to implement *after* a large white area appears on or vanishes from the screen. It appears to be something that the video card is doing, on purpose, in order to make the maximized program look "less brightly white". Problem is, I have never come across something like this before, and have no clue whatsoever as to how to turn it off.
This change only occurs *after* there is a maximization/minimization of a program's window. This "greying" of the screen is specifically with large white backgrounds, and appears to be linked to how much white is appearing on the screen. Dialogue windows which have a grey background or which cannot be maximized don't induce such a significant "auto-greying" of the screen.
I can only guess that the programmers thought it might be "nice" to prevent large white areas from blinding the user, but my client works in a bright area to begin with and this "auto-grey" feature is just pissing him (and me) off. If he maximizes Word or Windows Explorer, he can barely make out the text at times (depending on how bright the room is).
PS, the machine does not have an AGP slot, and it pre-dates PCIe. We have no choice but to work with the graphics card built into it. The client is NOT open to purchasing another computer just to fix a software issue.
All drivers are up to date, fresh install of XP SP3, but Microsoft Update does provide a "driver update" which is incorrect, and reduces the screen to 640x480 at 8-bit colour.
Clues? Suggestions? How does someone turn this (rather annoying) feature off?
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