Launching Messenger changes resolution?!

Hi all,

I've been asked to diagnose a strange problem on a friend's machine--every
time you launch MSN Messenger on this XP machine, the resolution drops to
640x480x16 color. I have to launch the display properties dialog box and
change the resolution/color depth every single time.

At first I thought I'd bypass the problem entirely by installing Windows
Live Messenger instead (since--AFAIK--Microsoft has stopped development on
MSN Messenger entirely anyway), but the problem is still there. So I'm
thinking it's gotta be some strange DLL that both messaging apps use...

Windows Update shows there's nothing newer available--the machine has all
the latest updates.

I've re-downloaded/reinstalled the latest drivers (the card is a GeForce4
MX)...same thing again.

As long as you don't touch Messenger, there's nothing wrong with this
machine otherwise.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

Greetings,

This problem can usually occur when Messenger it set into compatibility mode. To check,
click Start, then Run, type "%programfiles%\MSN Messenger" and click OK. Right click on
msnmsgr, choose Properties and then click the Compatibility tab. Make sure nothing is
checked and then click OK.

--
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2007 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.
--

"Homer J. Simpson" <root@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:...
> Hi all,
>
> I've been asked to diagnose a strange problem on a friend's machine--every time you launch
> MSN Messenger on this XP machine, the resolution drops to 640x480x16 color. I have to
> launch the display properties dialog box and change the resolution/color depth every single
> time.
>
> At first I thought I'd bypass the problem entirely by installing Windows Live Messenger
> instead (since--AFAIK--Microsoft has stopped development on MSN Messenger entirely anyway),
> but the problem is still there. So I'm thinking it's gotta be some strange DLL that both
> messaging apps use...
>
> Windows Update shows there's nothing newer available--the machine has all the latest
> updates.
>
> I've re-downloaded/reinstalled the latest drivers (the card is a GeForce4 MX)...same thing
> again.
>
> As long as you don't touch Messenger, there's nothing wrong with this machine otherwise.
>
> Any thoughts/suggestions?
>
>

> Greetings,
>
> This problem can usually occur when Messenger it set into compatibility
> mode. To check,
> click Start, then Run, type "%programfiles%\MSN Messenger" and click OK.
> Right click on
> msnmsgr, choose Properties and then click the Compatibility tab. Make
> sure nothing is
> checked and then click OK.

I'll be damned. That turned out to be the case.

I have no idea why this would've been set in the first place (keeping in
mind that this isn't my system)...hence I didn't even think of looking for
this.

Also, even if someone would've used the compatibility setting, I've
installed Live Messenger to replace the existing MSN Messenger installation.
Does the installer actually look at the older MSN Messenger shortcut
settings and migrate them?!

Hello!

So this compatibility thing made the resoultion changing thing? Because my
friend's laptop has exactly the same problem.

Greetings,
Zoli

"Homer J. Simpson" wrote:

> > Greetings,
> >
> > This problem can usually occur when Messenger it set into compatibility
> > mode. To check,
> > click Start, then Run, type "%programfiles%\MSN Messenger" and click OK.
> > Right click on
> > msnmsgr, choose Properties and then click the Compatibility tab. Make
> > sure nothing is
> > checked and then click OK.
>
> I'll be damned. That turned out to be the case.
>
> I have no idea why this would've been set in the first place (keeping in
> mind that this isn't my system)...hence I didn't even think of looking for
> this.
>
> Also, even if someone would've used the compatibility setting, I've
> installed Live Messenger to replace the existing MSN Messenger installation.
> Does the installer actually look at the older MSN Messenger shortcut
> settings and migrate them?!
>
>
>

> Hello!
>
> So this compatibility thing made the resoultion changing thing? Because my
> friend's laptop has exactly the same problem.

Yes. On the same dialog box you can specify to use a different resolution.
I still don't know why that was changed in the first place.

Meanwhile I checked it, and yes it had the same problem. Just deselected all
the compatibility things, and now it's working perfectly.

Thanks!

"Homer J. Simpson" wrote:

> > Hello!
> >
> > So this compatibility thing made the resoultion changing thing? Because my
> > friend's laptop has exactly the same problem.
>
> Yes. On the same dialog box you can specify to use a different resolution.
> I still don't know why that was changed in the first place.
>
>
>