PRB: VGA Monitor Loses Sync on 8514 Dual Monitor System

Last reviewed: January 5, 1995
Article ID: Q81704

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows version 3.1

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
KBCategory: kbsetup kbprb
KBSubcategory: GenSDK

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Last reviewed: January 5, 1995
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