PRB: VGA Monitor Loses Sync on 8514 Dual Monitor System

ID Number: Q81704

3.10

WINDOWS

Summary:

SYMPTOMS

On a system equipped with both an 8514 and a VGA monitor, when the

user uses ALT+ENTER to switch the display from a full screen MS-DOS

prompt to a windowed MS-DOS prompt, the VGA monitor loses

synchronization.

CAUSE

Windows does not change the settings for the registers of the VGA

card.

RESOLUTION

Load the ANSI.SYS device driver by adding the following line to

CONFIG.SYS:

device=c:\dos\ansi.sys

Then, place a command into the WINSTART.BAT file to initialize the

settings of the VGA card as Windows starts. Create or modify a

WINSTART.BAT in the Windows directory (by default, C:\WINDOWS). To

place the VGA monitor into 50-line mode, add the following line to

the WINSTART.BAT file:

@MODE 80,50

To place the monitor into 25 line mode, add the following line to

the WINSTART.BAT file:

@MODE 80,25

Additional reference words: 3.10