After a fresh installation of Windows XP Home SP3 I set programs up mostly as they were before (just fewer programs) but didn’t address the display resolution until last (thought it was the tiny monitor I was working on). On the other monitor (a 15″ CRT), I wasn’t able to change the resolution either. The hardware is the same as the last XP install and the video card functioned fine on the last installation.
When I install a new video card the display resolution comes up 800×600, 32b. If I go in to Display Settings and change the resolution or color depth (to anything), it drops down to 640×480, 32b color and I can’t change it back. If I leave it at 800×600, it will stay that way until I reboot or the screensaver comes on. Then it’s back to gigantoIcons.
I’ve tried creating a new Windows user account, no effect. The video card was an nVidia GeForceMX 4. I tried installing the default Windows driver, nVidia’s latest, and an nVidia beta driver. Similar steps with a different nVidia, ATI, or generic card nets the same result.
Both cards will display in 1024×768 from a Knoppix boot CD. The monitor is a Samsung SyncMast930b, analog connection. I’ve tried Window’s monitor driver, the one from the install CD, and changing it to a generic plug n play monitor. LCD is set at 60Hz
It was suggested that this could be a SP3 issue so I did a repair install of XP using a SP2 CD, reverting it back to Service Pack 2. No luck
Here’s where I have hope: When I run Print Shop Pro Publisher Deluxe 20 , it says that it runs best at 800×600 and offers to set it. When I do that, it runs at 800×600 until restart or screensaver. AND when the screensaver runs, it’s at a high resolution (unsure how high, 1024×768 at least) and when I come out of screensaver, the desktop flashes for a half-sec at a high resolution before reverting to 640×480.
I just don’t know what to do next. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.