Win 7 won't recognize my monitor

[yxd0018]

suddenly my win 7 ultimate won't recognize viewsonic vg2230wm LCD monitor. Installation of driver doesn't help. It always show non-PnP monitor and max 1024x758 resolution which should be 1680x1050. Hardware id shows just default monitor. However win 7 recognize my other monitor correctly. I'm out of options. Pls help.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

What type of connection are you using?

 

[yxd0018]

digital, DVI dual output card, NVIDIA GeForce 7900GS.

 

[yxd0018]

any one?

 

[fixxxer113]

WHen you say suddenly, you mean that up to now windows recognized the monitor as "vg2230wm LCD monitor" and now it doesn't? Monitors have some drivers too, so that Windows can recognize their specs and color profiles properly, so try reinstalling your monitor drivers. You probably got a cd when you bought it, or you could try Viewsonic's site.

 

[yxd0018]

I didn't check if win 7 recognize the monitor before. But it can show 1680x1050 native resolution. But one day win 7 suddenly can only show 10245x768 max as non-pnp mointor. I tried to install viewsonic signed driver, but it reported as monitor not found.
I found out last night that when machine boot up with 2 monitors (1 viewsonic vg2230wm and 1 LG L226WT), then swap cables, win 7 can show higher resolution choice for vg2230wm while not losing LG resolution. But that means I have to swap cable every time machine boot up.

 

[yxd0018]

I don't have the CD when I bought it used. I tried viewsonic signed win 7 32-bit driver and it reported error not finding my monitor at the end of installation.
updated: I tried unsigned driver from viewsonic, it ends with same error. I think win 7 didn't recognize the monitor. i came cross some thread saying maybe my video card is giving up, one port at a time. I guess I need to wait till it's totally given up before shelling out 100+ bucks for a new card. I'm at my wit's end now.

 

[yxd0018]

The problem is resolved, for now.

I think a unplug of power cord to reset viewsonic monitor so it has to init its hardware ID so win 7 can recognize it.

I also planned to try this http://www.tablix.org/~avian/blog/archives/2010/06/the_curious_case_of_viewsonic_s_edid/

 

[joeman99]

Thanks yxd0018 I have been searching for a solution all night.
I didn't think it would matter to actually take the cable out but it did it.
Thank you

 

[yxd0018]

glad it helped.

 

[pogman]

Had a similar problem, and although this thread is a couple of years old, thought I would add another solution. Getting a copy of the .inf file allows you to manually "force" the pc to see the monitor.

Try folder c:\windows\system32\driverstore or ...\filerepository for the .inf file for your monitor. (You might have it on that pc, or could get from another pc that DOES recognise the monitor, etc. Also it could be hidden inside one of the multiple-lettered folders within the temp folder of driver store - try a search for: eg "va2213w.inf", or the code for your monitor.)

Also, if prepare beforehand (have c drive open in another window), can catch the viewsonic folder as it is created temporarily. (It likely normally deletes after telling you that it can't find your monitor, etc) Then open this folder and search for the id for your monitor - mine was va2213w. Copy the respective .cat, .icm and .inf files for your monitor to another drive - I copied mine to the same folder as I stored the signed driver zip and its opened .exe. Then with these files, you can enter Device Manager, click on monitor, choose update driver, let me choose, and have disk, navigate to the stored folder and click on the .inf file. The Device Manager should then change for your correct monitor. Then set your resolution, etc - be aware that some graphics cards/adapters place limits on highest resolution and/or the refresh rate, as well. Regards, Nigel.

Edit - there are also 64bit versions of the signed drivers as some viewsonic for windows versions have both 32 & 64 - Ultimate may have both as well.

 

[Lizzybeth]

Had a similar problem, and although this thread is a couple of years old, thought I would add another solution. Getting a copy of the .inf file allows you to manually "force" the pc to see the monitor.

Try folder c:\windows\system32\driverstore or ...\filerepository for the .inf file for your monitor. (You might have it on that pc, or could get from another pc that DOES recognise the monitor, etc. Also it could be hidden inside one of the multiple-lettered folders within the temp folder of driver store - try a search for: eg "va2213w.inf", or the code for your monitor.)

Also, if prepare beforehand (have c drive open in another window), can catch the viewsonic folder as it is created temporarily. (It likely normally deletes after telling you that it can't find your monitor, etc) Then open this folder and search for the id for your monitor - mine was va2213w. Copy the respective .cat, .icm and .inf files for your monitor to another drive - I copied mine to the same folder as I stored the signed driver zip and its opened .exe. Then with these files, you can enter Device Manager, click on monitor, choose update driver, let me choose, and have disk, navigate to the stored folder and click on the .inf file. The Device Manager should then change for your correct monitor. Then set your resolution, etc - be aware that some graphics cards/adapters place limits on highest resolution and/or the refresh rate, as well. Regards, Nigel.

Edit - there are also 64bit versions of the signed drivers as some viewsonic for windows versions have both 32 & 64 - Ultimate may have both as well.

 

[Lizzybeth]

How does this sort of thing happen? Makes me think there is something not right about windows....

But in my case, I have had my Viewsonic monitor for some time running with Win 8 and it worked fine. I upgraded to Win 10 and had several issues with it and then it suddenly didn't recognize my monitor. So i went back to Win 8 hoping it would fix it, but it didn't: still no connection to the monitor and doesn't recognize it when it searches. I've unplugged it from power and reconnected. I have rebooted several times, sometimes with the monitor connected and sometimes with it disconnected. Nothing worked.

I have followed your instructions and the outcome was that I had the "most updated drivers". So then I thought maybe I should uninstall the monitor and reinstall it, but I can't figure out how to do that! Can you help with that?