Hi all, I'm sure hoping there's a simple answer for this because it's got me baffled, along with my eyes feeling like they're being barraged every minute while I look at the screen. And I've been into computers and diagnostics and troubleshooting for a long time so that something like this is basic simple stuff.
In the Display Properties of Control Panel, the "Adapter" tab says "Intel HD Graphics Family" and the "Monitor" tab says "Generic PnP Monitor," and I have triple-checked that the laptop is set for using only its own display. And there is no external monitor connected to its VGA port. I've also updated the display/graphics driver to be the most recent, but it's made no change. I realize the graphics adapter is a separate entity hardware-wise from the display screen even though the monitor is attached by hinges, but I have just gotta' say that this is a new one on me that the screen of a laptop isn't recognized like it should be when the adapter is recognized perfectly.
Quite frankly, I couldn't care less if the "stated name" of the monitor doesn't look or read right, but I do care about the functionality that's supposed to go along with it being recognized correctly. My need is adjusting the refresh rate to be higher than the joke 60 Mhz that it's limited to now 'cause my eyes can sure feel it and it's enough to call this laptop unuseable in its present state. The only refresh rate in the list is 60 & the "other modes" is disabled. I've done some searching in the registy but so far I haven't searched for the right things (or in the right way, of "whole string" or not) because I'm not finding where the refresh rate is stored or the list of modes and refresh rates that shows in that dropdown list when it's not greyed out.
For some background of this laptop: my parents bought it in Dec. 2011 and I just got it today because they didn't need it anymore, and since they're not technologically adept about Windows settings and Control Panel things, to me it's understandable why it's been this way while they've had it. The warranty it was under while they had it expired many months ago, so that's not an option, and unfortunately my finances are way too tight to purchase additional warranty time.
Any insight or help, or insanely manual tweaking, will be greatly appreciated, and hopefully eye-opening.
Thank You, Kirby