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Question

Icons on my WIN XP monitor's screen are on their side

Sep 11, 2018 12:00PM PDT

I turned on my Dell desktop PC with Windows Home XP yesterday morning to print out some papers to take to a doctor's appointment but when my desktop screen finally appeared all the icons on the screen were on their side; its like everything that normally was straight up before was now turned on its side.

I tried to open up the icon labeled "MY DOCUMENTS" to see if I could open up the folder and print out my report but I couldn't. Also the cursor on my mouse was now going all over the screen. Is this a computer problem or a monitor problem and is it something I can correct? To make everything appear as it should appear on my monitor's screen?


Big Steve
09/11/18

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Given the age of XP machines.
Sep 11, 2018 12:11PM PDT

It could be hardware or other issues. The symptoms do not tell us "DO THIS" to fix it. Only to try it with another mouse and try it in SAFE MODE. Again, the age of the machine is worrisome. I haven't seen a XP machine at the shop counter in about 4 years now.

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Re: Given the age of XP machines.
Sep 11, 2018 1:42PM PDT

It is an old machine; my brother shipped it to me in April 2006. I've been looking at Dell Inspiron desktop towers on Dell.com; Best Buy.com; Office Depot.com and Amazon.com. All of them come with Windows 10 or Windows 10 Pro.

I've read a lot of negative comments on this board from computer users who have computers with Windows 10 or Windows 10 Pro. I have Windows 7 Pro on my Dell Inspiron 3558 laptop which I like very much because it works like the OS on my previous Dell laptop which was Windows Vista.


Big Steve
09/11/18

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You may be missing out
Sep 11, 2018 1:47PM PDT

On what may be the nicest Windows or Linux ever. Anyhow, if you feel the fixes here don't work, just restore from your last backup.

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Answer
Tried Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow or Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow?
Sep 11, 2018 12:15PM PDT

Or maybe even Ctrl+Alt+Up Arrow.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Re: Tried Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow or Ctrl+Alt+Right?
Sep 11, 2018 1:46PM PDT

I haven't tried that but I will try it and I'll let you know if that works.

Big Steve
09/11/18

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Re: Tried Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow or Ctrl+Alt+Right?
Sep 11, 2018 6:18PM PDT

Grif Thomas:

Your trick worked; thanks; my screen is now upright again. By the way my cursor is working normal again; it's no longer jumping all over the screen.

Should the problem happen again I'll use your trick but if it doesn't correct the problem a second time would that be a computer problem or a monitor problem or possibly both?


Big Steve
09/11/18

Post was last edited on September 11, 2018 6:23 PM PDT

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what model of monitor?
Sep 11, 2018 10:59PM PDT

there are some made to be used either as a widescreen, or turned on a swivel so they can be long up and down instead of sideways. Of course XP probably doesn't have the proper driver files for using it that way.

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Re: what model of monitor?
Sep 12, 2018 2:34AM PDT

I have a 15" KDS CRT color monitor which I purchased new from an Office Depot store in Katy, Texas where I was forced to evacuate to from the MS gulf coast before Hurricane Katrina made landfall here on August 29, 2005.

I spent 29 days in Katy, Texas before it was safe to return back home here in Biloxi, MS. I plan to buy a new LED color monitor to go with a new Dell Inspiron desktop computer later this year.


Big Steve
09/12/18

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Re: keys
Sep 12, 2018 12:41AM PDT

It's not a problem. It's not a trick. It's just a setting.

With me here in Windows 7 (but it's more or less the same in other versions and with other graphics), you can reach the setting by right click on the desktop, choose Graphic Options, then choose Rotation. The keys mentioned by Grif are shortcuts to do the job. Use what you prefer.

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Re: keys
Sep 12, 2018 2:43AM PDT

It may not be a trick; just a setting but whatever it was it worked. My computer screen is back to normal now and should it happen again I'll use that same trick to reset everything but if it keeps doing it it'll be time to buy a new computer and monitor. If you were going to buy a new Dell desktop computer would you buy it directly from Dell.com or would you buy it from another online retailer like Best Buy.com, Office Depot.com or Amazon.com?


Big Steve
09/12/18

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Re: buy
Sep 12, 2018 3:10AM PDT

It's certainly not an error of the monitor. So it's certainly not necessary to buy a new monitor if it happens again. And it doesn't make much sense to buy another computer, I think.

When I bought a Dell laptop, I did it directly from Dell, because they let me configure it to my wishes. All desktops I ever bought were custom made by a nearby shop, and not from Dell.
In your case, if you find a site that has the PC you want for less than if you order directly from Dell, and the customer service is the same or better, there's no reason to not chose such a site.