1600x900 resolution possible?

The boss just walked in with a new 1600x900 resolution 20" LCD monitor for my desk. Great. But I'm running XP and 1600x900 isn't an option. I tried updating my graphics card driver but there isn't one. The monitor is plug and play so it doesn't have any driver.

Is there a hack that I can use to get the right resolution?

I doubt it if your graphics card doesn't support the resolution...

You'll love it when you get it working. Monday I went from a 15" to a 23" at the office. The small screen was getting hard to read due to age. (Mine not the monitor.)

Try powerstrip
http://download.cnet.com/PowerStrip/3000-2193_4-14972.html and see if it supports your video card for custom resolutions.
There are other non pay options for custom resolutions but this is the easiest way I know to see if it supports it before trying those.

i think video cards today offer resolution based on the monitor that it thinks is connected to it. might check the monitor details via display properties -> settings -> advanced -> monitor tab, then see if it will update the monitor details

I'd echo powerstrip... Odd resolution, though.

I am rocking 1920 x 1200 and will never go back for a desktop machine. Its great.

It's not the monitor driver you need, it's the graphics card/chipset driver. Look in your control panel to identify the graphics processor, then go to ATI/Nvidia/Intel/whatever and download the latest driver package.

nderwater wrote: It's not the monitor driver you need, it's the graphics card/chipset driver. Look in your control panel to identify the graphics processor, then go to ATI/Nvidia/Intel/whatever and download the latest driver package.

Its ATI... but the problem is that they no longer support this card. They do list the driver for it, but the last update to it was 2001. I updated it, but no 16:9 ratios are there.

I'll try the powerstrip idea.

Ok... downloaded powerstrip. In the top drop-down menu it lists my ATI card as a "compatible device found" but I can't seem to get anything to work.

I tried using the console to write a custom driver, then apply that driver in device manager, but it says the file I refer to doesn't have any driver information in it and doesn't update it.

Frustrating... am I using it incorrectly?

Strizzo wrote: i think video cards today offer resolution based on the monitor that it thinks is connected to it. might check the monitor details via display properties -> settings -> advanced -> monitor tab, then see if it will update the monitor details

Saying that this video card is from "today's" era is like saying Alan Alda is a spring chicken. Think 2000-2001.

I only have two options for monitor: default and plug and play. Neither one gives me the resolution I need. When I click driver details, it says "no driver required and none installed."

Ok... interesting discovery... when I open monitor properties, the little icon beside it is an Acer/emachines icon, so it must recognize the new monitor?

curtis73 wrote:

Strizzo wrote: i think video cards today offer resolution based on the monitor that it thinks is connected to it. might check the monitor details via display properties -> settings -> advanced -> monitor tab, then see if it will update the monitor details

Saying that this video card is from "today's" era is like saying Alan Alda is a spring chicken. Think 2000-2001. I only have two options for monitor: default and plug and play. Neither one gives me the resolution I need. When I click driver details, it says "no driver required and none installed."

well then if its that old it might not support the widescreen resolutions, really depends on the quality of the 2000 vintage video card.

do you know what kind of video card is in it? if it has an agp slot, it might be worth a $35 video card to get things working in this decade.

Go to this site http://www.omegadrivers.net/ and download the driver package for your card. I use these on laptops usually but I have also used them on desktops.

They are tweeked and may get you the resolution you need as well as a performance boost.

do you know what kind of video card is in it? if it has an agp slot, it might be worth a $35 video card to get things working in this decade.

ATI Rage 128 VR. Its the bare-bones HP-installed card from years gone by. Its a PCI card.

Frustrating thing is, I just sold an ATI Radeon 256 for $20 a few months ago

Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: Go to this site http://www.omegadrivers.net/ and download the driver package for your card.

My card isn't supported. Omego only does Radeon and up, mine's a Rage.

So, am I SOL or can someone tutor me on how to properly use Powerstrip?

Do you have an AGP slot? If so let me look through the mountain of crap I have at home and if I have something that will work you ca have it for shipping.

Let me crack open the dust box and let you know

curtis73 wrote:

do you know what kind of video card is in it? if it has an agp slot, it might be worth a $35 video card to get things working in this decade.

ATI Rage 128 VR. Its the bare-bones HP-installed card from years gone by. Its a PCI card. Frustrating thing is, I just sold an ATI Radeon 256 for $20 a few months ago

Honestly, at this point, go buy a radeon 9200 for a pci slot. It'll cost you $20, and offers performance on par (or better than) modern onboard graphics.