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muppie
April 26th 03, 03:56 PM
I have a Dell Inspiron 2650 with WindowsXP Home. The
problem: I tried to show a PowerPoint presentation with
a projection system. I was able to start the program - it
said Slide show loading - I could see it both on the
notebook screen and on the projection screen - and then
the first slide appeared. On my notebook - I was not
really seeing a normal presentation. I got - not a slide
sorter view - but close. All of the slides were visible
in a column on the left of the screen. I could see one
larger slide filling the right side of the screen. On my
notebook, I could click on any slide on the left column
and it would appear on the right side of my notebook's
screen in a larger version. But - on the projection
system screen - the first slide would still remain -
ALWAYS. My notebook would not run a slide show being
hooked to the projection system. ( I tried toggling
between Fn and F8 - nothing worked.)

When I was first starting my notebook after I had attached
it to the projection monitor, I could see the Windows XP
start up screen on both monitors. When my desktop
appeared - it was normal on my notebook - but on the
projection monitor - I could only see the background
picture - NO bottom start bar - NO desk icons. (I also
tried running it with no picture on the desktop - no
change - just a blank blue screen on the projection
screen.) I have tried two different projection systems -
Epson and 3M. I have tried hooking up my notebook to
other external monitors- my home desktop monitor - and my
classroom's computer monitor. I get the same exact
problem. I have used 4 different cables to attach my
notebook - so I know that the cable is not the problem.
Dell tech support had me try things from the safe mode
with an external monitor. I was able to see the identical
desktop on both monitors - start bar and icons - but the
PowerPoint presentation would still not run correctly.
One of the Dell support techs said to change the
resolution. I tried changing the resolution of the
external monitor and not the notebook. I tried changing
the resolution of both the external monitor and the
notebook. I tried changing the resolution of the notebook
and not the monitor . It still did not work.
Another Dell support tech said to go to Microsoft and
download a new video driver. When I went to Microsoft -
there was only one choice - nVidia GeForce2 GO Driver
Version A 15 for Inspiron 2650. I saved it to the desktop
and ran the installer - but now I can't find it.

When the 3rd Dell tech person was working with me, she had
me do many things including reinstalling the driver from
my original disc that came with my computer. But when I
asked her about the newer version - she ignored me and
went on to something else.

Dell's latest response is for me to reinstall WindowsXP.
I am relucant to do this since that would mean losing
everything on my computer. Is there anything else that I
can try before taking this drastic step?

Sharon F
December 5th 03, 12:10 AM
Although it's possible, I don't think this is a Windows XP problem. I
can't think of a single thing that restoring the operating system, as
Dell suggests, could achieve towards reaching a solution.

More likely, this is a PowerPoint or display driver problem. I'm basing
this opinion on observations. My tablet PC's display drivers
specifically supply a "presentation mode," something I haven't seen
offered in my desktop's display drivers. Perhaps this is what really
needs reinstalling or adjusting?

I've only used Powerpoint a few times but have noticed it has many
settings and choices for various presentation styles. Not very familiar
with them yet but maybe someday <g>. Have you tried asking for advice on
this matter in the Powerpoint newsgroup yet? It is located on this same
server: news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.powerpoint

Sharon F
MS MVP [Shell/User]


On Sat, 26 Apr 2003 07:56:16 -0700, "muppie" >
wrote:

>I have a Dell Inspiron 2650 with WindowsXP Home. The
>problem: I tried to show a PowerPoint presentation with
>a projection system. I was able to start the program - it
>said Slide show loading - I could see it both on the
>notebook screen and on the projection screen - and then
>the first slide appeared. On my notebook - I was not
>really seeing a normal presentation. I got - not a slide
>sorter view - but close. All of the slides were visible
>in a column on the left of the screen. I could see one
>larger slide filling the right side of the screen. On my
>notebook, I could click on any slide on the left column
>and it would appear on the right side of my notebook's
>screen in a larger version. But - on the projection
>system screen - the first slide would still remain -
>ALWAYS. My notebook would not run a slide show being
>hooked to the projection system. ( I tried toggling
>between Fn and F8 - nothing worked.)
>
>When I was first starting my notebook after I had attached
>it to the projection monitor, I could see the Windows XP
>start up screen on both monitors. When my desktop
>appeared - it was normal on my notebook - but on the
>projection monitor - I could only see the background
>picture - NO bottom start bar - NO desk icons. (I also
>tried running it with no picture on the desktop - no
>change - just a blank blue screen on the projection
>screen.) I have tried two different projection systems -
>Epson and 3M. I have tried hooking up my notebook to
>other external monitors- my home desktop monitor - and my
>classroom's computer monitor. I get the same exact
>problem. I have used 4 different cables to attach my
>notebook - so I know that the cable is not the problem.
>Dell tech support had me try things from the safe mode
>with an external monitor. I was able to see the identical
>desktop on both monitors - start bar and icons - but the
>PowerPoint presentation would still not run correctly.
> One of the Dell support techs said to change the
>resolution. I tried changing the resolution of the
>external monitor and not the notebook. I tried changing
>the resolution of both the external monitor and the
>notebook. I tried changing the resolution of the notebook
>and not the monitor . It still did not work.
> Another Dell support tech said to go to Microsoft and
>download a new video driver. When I went to Microsoft -
>there was only one choice - nVidia GeForce2 GO Driver
>Version A 15 for Inspiron 2650. I saved it to the desktop
>and ran the installer - but now I can't find it.
>
>When the 3rd Dell tech person was working with me, she had
>me do many things including reinstalling the driver from
>my original disc that came with my computer. But when I
>asked her about the newer version - she ignored me and
>went on to something else.
>
>Dell's latest response is for me to reinstall WindowsXP.
>I am relucant to do this since that would mean losing
>everything on my computer. Is there anything else that I
>can try before taking this drastic step?

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