Windows desktop display upside down
I had someone call and start by saying she bet me a dollar I’d never heard of this before…. She said she was doing something (adjusting font size?) and all of a sudden everything on her screen went upside down and nothing will bring it back. I’ve actually heard this before, not too long ago and the last time I figured it had to be a key combination (the user said they were trying to do a combination of keys but couldn’t recall what they had hit.)
The fix, is fairly simple as well…. here’s the story. Windows has a feature (XP) that allows the display to be rotated 180 degrees. Some video cards don’t support this, but many do. Ctrl-alt-down arrow can turn the display upside down, ctrl-alt-up arrow can return your display right side up. One of the solutions I’ve heard of people do is turn the monitor upside down… which does work around (although the monitor is not designed to be left upside down. (no stand/poorer heat ventilation)). Anyway…. it may be possible to disable “rotation” in the advanced properties of the graphics card. (Right click on desktop – properties, settings, advanced…)
It’s also been reported that there is a bug with some Intel video chipsets – in fact there is a hotfix at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;826480 for the specific issue of the screen flipping while using the accessibility wizard. Other reports seem to say that changing display resolution may trigger the flip (accessibility wizard can adjust display resolution.)
I have heard that it’s a common prank in some school computer labs….. (Got to remember that for next April Fools…)