Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread II

[Souron]

Well, I think if you're gonna change to a keyboard with vastly different key placement for keys like enter and tab, you might as well go the whole mile and learn Dvorak.

 

[Zelig]

Well, I think if you're gonna change to a keyboard with vastly different key placement for keys like enter and tab, you might as well go the whole mile and learn Dvorak.

Colemak is probably a better option than Dvorak if you're on Qwerty already - it's marginally better for English text, but more importantly, it's more similar in layout to Qwerty, so easier to learn.

 

[Narnia]

In several games (battlefield 3 and medieval 2 total war) my computer stopped automatically stretching the game out to fill the screen. My computer's current screen resolution is 1366 x 768. I am running battlefield at 800 x 600 resolution. Until today, the game would just stretch the game out but now the game is instead simply placing a black box around the screen. How do I fix this? I want the pixels stretched out to take up my entire screen (because I get a much higher frame rate than if I up the resolution to 1366 x 768 or anything similar). Thanks.
PS: I've tired re-installing medieval 2 several times without any luck. I've made no changes to my computer recently. Medieval 2 started having problems almost a year ago, BF3 started having problems about an hour ago.
PS: I've searched Google and so far I haven't found an answer but I'll keep looking. However, any help on the subject would be GREATLY appreciated

Edit: I have an nvidia gt 330m

 

[Tahuti]

In several games (battlefield 3 and medieval 2 total war) my computer stopped automatically stretching the game out to fill the screen. My computer's current screen resolution is 1366 x 768. I am running battlefield at 800 x 600 resolution. Until today, the game would just stretch the game out but now the game is instead simply placing a black box around the screen. How do I fix this? I want the pixels stretched out to take up my entire screen (because I get a much higher frame rate than if I up the resolution to 1366 x 768 or anything similar). Thanks.
PS: I've tired re-installing medieval 2 several times without any luck. I've made no changes to my computer recently. Medieval 2 started having problems almost a year ago, BF3 started having problems about an hour ago.
PS: I've searched Google and so far I haven't found an answer but I'll keep looking. However, any help on the subject would be GREATLY appreciated

Edit: I have an nvidia gt 330m

This really sounds like a typical NVIDIA problem, even before you mentioned the make of your card. If I were you, I would play around with the screensettings in the NVIDIA configuration screen, in regard to the desktop aspect ratio, because that's where you will want to look. If that doesn't work, I'd suggest downgrading your drivers. As an almost universal rule of thumb, NVIDIA cards work better on drivers released around the same time as the particular model you use, as opposed to the newest one, as is too often believed.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Look in your NVIDIA display settings about display aspect scaling. That might help if the option is actually there. It was missing for me for some reason.

This might help, too, if the first one doesn't. Ive been using it. It creates a shortcut that changes your resolution and then launches the program.
http://www.bcheck.net/apps/reso.htm

 

[Narnia]

Look in your NVIDIA display settings about display aspect scaling. That might help if the option is actually there. It was missing for me for some reason.

This might help, too, if the first one doesn't. Ive been using it. It creates a shortcut that changes your resolution and then launches the program.
http://www.bcheck.net/apps/reso.htm

I checked that. I don't get that option. I downgraded my driver and it fixed it

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I have 2 AMD graphics cards set up in crossfire mode. What I did not know before I bought and installed them is that when you have 2 cards set up in crossfire, you cannot run more than one monitor at a time. This seems like a huge step backwards.

When I first installed them, the AMD program came with a checkbox that would virtually 'uncrossfire' the cards, allowing you to run dual or multiple monitors. I updated the drivers, and this checkbox dissappeared.

Other than this problem, the cards and drivers work perfectly, so I don't want to downgrade my drivers for this. Does anyone know of any work arounds or drivers or software that will allow me to run dual monitors while in crossfire mode (besides physically unlinking them or downgrading the drivers)?

I've researched this extensively and it's a known issue with crossfire but I've found 0 solutions.

Thanks

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Anyone have any advice? Please?

Even a firm 'you can't run dual monitors in crossfire, period' would be appreciated.

 

[Cutlass]

I can't think why that would not work. I mean I thought the reason you used more than one graphics cards was to increase the number of monitors you could use.

 

[Zelig]

Multiple monitors with crossfire should work as long as all the monitors are plugged into the main card.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Multiple monitors with crossfire should work as long as all the monitors are plugged into the main card.

No it doesn't work.

I can't think why that would not work. I mean I thought the reason you used more than one graphics cards was to increase the number of monitors you could use.

This is true if they are not linked. You link them so that your two seperate graphics cards become like one huge one. Having them unlinked means you can run many more monitors (each one of mine can support 4 or 5 individuall when not in crossfire) but only one card can drive games, etc.

When they are linked, they both drive games, etc. I did this so I could run any game in full awesome mode for a few years without worries.

However, when you link them, (at least with AMD crossfire, I think the other card linking architectured does the same) you can only use one monitor. Period. It's stupid and AMD acknowledges this is a problem (but only if you really go digging to find info) and it's mentioned on other forums.

I was hoping someone here had a workaround.

 

[Cutlass]

I don't know. My AMD card won't run 3 monitors even though it has more than 3 outputs. I haven't looked into the whys of it though.

 

[GoodGame]

IDK, I've never done multiple cards/monitors, but maybe this guide will be helpful

 

[trader/warrior]

I run two screens in crossfire all the time... What cards do you have?

I have never run a game on both screens at once though. I thought thats what Eyefinity is for, do your cards have it?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

IDK, I've never done multiple cards/monitors, but maybe this guide will be helpful

Thank you for the guide. It doesn't help me though, but I appreciate the effort. When I plug in the other monitor, it acts like it doesn't exist. I have no options use both. It's one or the other.

I run two screens in crossfire all the time... What cards do you have?

I have never run a game on both screens at once though. I thought thats what Eyefinity is for, do your cards have it?

2 AMD Radeon HD 6900's

I am not interested in running games on both screens. I only want the second screen for ease of multitasking homework and such.

 

[trader/warrior]

I have 2 HD6950's. To activate the second screen I go to the AMD Vision Engine Control Center(what a stupid name) and click Desktop Management, Creating and Arranging Desktops where I can detect and select the second screen to duplicate, extend or replace the first screen. Select extend and I then have two screens working fine for moving windows and other stuff between them. Fullscreen applications will only be able to use one screen. Otherwise I can use AMD Eyefinity Multi-Display to make a truer dual screen where the resolution is 3840x1080p and the start bar etc. extends through both screens.

I have monitored and checked that crossfire is working fine with both solutions. Just tested a game in Eyefinity. Idle temperatures will be quite a lot higher as the master card will not downclock as much as normal.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Yeah it doesn't even recognize the second monitor.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

As long as the temperature remains within a safe range, is there any reason why you shouldnt run your CPU at 100% for long periods of time?

 

[Zelig]

No, it's fine.

 

[Michkov]

Power consumption