Widescreen Gaming Forum

I just did a fresh install of Vista x64 (to clear up some non-related issues).

I've installed the nVidia 181.20 drivers and the latest Matrox software tools. I first noticed a problem after getting everything set up where my machine would boot up and be in 5040x1050 just fine. Then, after about 90 seconds all of my monitors would go black and report that my resolution is out of range. The OS is still running just fine, but the monitors are not syncing. If I turn the monitors off and then back on, they re-sync and I get about another 90 seconds until they go black again.

If I set up my resolutions manually, the nVidia test always returns "Custom mode test failed" regardless of what I do.

I never had this problem previously. Anyone got any clue what's going on?

BTW, my cards are nVidia 8800GTX's in SLI and my monitors are Samsung SyncMaster 2053BW's. My TripleHead2Go is the Digital Edition.

Try disabling UAC.

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[GTX1080 - 4.48GHz 4690k - planning projector mayhem]

Try disabling UAC.

I disabled UAC first thing after installing the OS, so it wasn't running.

thanks, though.

I get a similar thing... When I set custom mode for 5040 the screens flash blank for a second then come back in 5040x1050@57Hz (checked by OSD on monitors) with a 'test failed' error dialogue box. As soon as I hit OK on the test failed box the screens flash blank and it goes back to whatever res I had in the first place.
WEIRD.
Not much help, I only got 5040 working by using the old PowerDesk SE I had.

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Dipping bags at Mach1.9

I get a similar thing... When I set custom mode for 5040 the screens flash blank for a second then come back in 5040x1050@57Hz (checked by OSD on monitors) with a 'test failed' error dialogue box. As soon as I hit OK on the test failed box the screens flash blank and it goes back to whatever res I had in the first place.
WEIRD.
Not much help, I only got 5040 working by using the old PowerDesk SE I had.

So, after much testing, I've figured this out. The blame 100% rests with the custom resolutions that the new PowerDesk installs. It even works with the new nVidia 181.20 drivers.

Here's how I fixed it:
1) install nVidia 181.20 drivers
2) install latest PowerDesk SE drivers
3) set resolution to a "known good resolution"
4) reboot
5) after reboot, remove all custom resolutions from nVidia control panel
6) reboot
7) manually create your 5040 custom resolution
8) reboot
9) switch to your custom 5040 resolution
10) enjoy

granted, this is just my experience on my rig, so try at your own risk. but, it's working for me right now.

[quote]I get a similar thing... When I set custom mode for 5040 the screens flash blank for a second then come back in 5040x1050@57Hz (checked by OSD on monitors) with a 'test failed' error dialogue box. As soon as I hit OK on the test failed box the screens flash blank and it goes back to whatever res I had in the first place.
WEIRD.
Not much help, I only got 5040 working by using the old PowerDesk SE I had.

So, after much testing, I've figured this out. The blame 100% rests with the custom resolutions that the new PowerDesk installs. It even works with the new nVidia 181.20 drivers.

Here's how I fixed it:
1) install nVidia 181.20 drivers
2) install latest PowerDesk SE drivers
3) set resolution to a "known good resolution"
4) reboot
5) after reboot, remove all custom resolutions from nVidia control panel
6) reboot
7) manually create your 5040 custom resolution
8) reboot
9) switch to your custom 5040 resolution
10) enjoy

granted, this is just my experience on my rig, so try at your own risk. but, it's working for me right now.

2) when you say install PowerDesk SE drivers, do you install the whole program or just copy the matrox monitor driver. If you install the hole Powerdesk utility, you chose a resolution less than 5040x1050 during setup?

I mean install the whole program. For me, it let me pick 3x1680x1050. However, I noticed that it was showing 55Hz instead of 57 or 60Hz.

I let it do this and then, as I noted, manually went back and deleted all of the custom resolutions that PowerDesk SE installs for you.

Then, I set up my own with the proper video attributes per the FAQ/walkthrough that's already in this forum.

[quote]I get a similar thing... When I set custom mode for 5040 the screens flash blank for a second then come back in 5040x1050@57Hz (checked by OSD on monitors) with a 'test failed' error dialogue box. As soon as I hit OK on the test failed box the screens flash blank and it goes back to whatever res I had in the first place.
WEIRD.
Not much help, I only got 5040 working by using the old PowerDesk SE I had.

So, after much testing, I've figured this out. I'll try it out on Win7 64. It is the same as Vista in how the TH works.

_________________
Dipping bags at Mach1.9

This might help someone. I had 5040x1050x57 working under Vista 64 using 180.48 and a 8800gtx. I ugraded to a new 280GTX as the price had droped, just pulled my old card and plugged in the new. It worked first time but I noted that my customs modes had been erased and I could only chose between the standard resolutions. No problem I thought, just install the custom res that I was using before on the same driver. But I could no longer get 5040x1050x57 in custom res to work. The screen would display the correct resolution and all looked fine but it comes up with "Custom mode failed" and reverted back to the old res. I tried different refresh rates, 59,60Hz and all the same- shows up correctly but "Custom Mode Failed" is displayed and then it reverts to the old res. In desperation I swapped the the cable to the second DVI port on the graphics card and retried custom mode and it worked! The custom mode was saved to the list and I was able to change the resolution using the slider in the change resolution screen. I then swapped the cable to the previous DVI port and it was still working fine and has been for a number of reboots.

Now I am not sure if it was a loose connection or totally random, but once I had the custom mode on the approved list I am able to choose and use that res correclty. The res installed by powerdesk by the way was totally messed up for 5040x1050 (pixel clock was wrong, 16 bit colour, 55hz etc ), so I had to delete those and install my own custom res. So it would appear that "Custom mode failed" is being incorrectly displayed for some reason. And if you are getting this error message despite the correct res showing on the screen, if you manually add the custom res to the driver ini file (like what Powerdesk does when installs(incorrectly) - havent checked how do to this but some one must know) rather than attempt to add it via the custom res screen, it should work fine.

And if you are getting this error message despite the correct res showing on the screen, if you manually add the custom res to the driver ini file (like what Powerdesk does when installs(incorrectly) - havent checked how do to this but some one must know) rather than attempt to add it via the custom res screen, it should work fine.

Exactly my problem. When entering the custom resolution (CVT reduced blank-trick) it jumps to 5040x1050:57hz exactly as I want it to be, but it still says that it failed. How can it say that it failed even when it's showing at the set res?

As you said, adding custom res to the driver, or even the display driver, should work..! Anyone in here that knows?