Display Resolution Problems

[FreeMorpheme]

Hello,

When I change the native resolution of my PC monitor to anything other than 1280x1024 I get giant white borders around everything - its an 18" iiyama TSA4634JT from an ATI X1600.

The resolution is perfectly good, except when I want to boot up an older game that doesnt support 1280 - normally they want to be in 1024x768, so they are in a little window in the centre surrounded by white.

Is this right? Surely the new resolution should take up the whole screen; just have different pixel configurations? What's with this huge border? Are my 2003 games useless now?

Thanks for any advice

Free

 

[RicoDirenzo]

So run your system 1024x768.

 

[FreeMorpheme]

I can't run my system 1024, when I try I get white borders, like I said.

 

[RicoDirenzo]

hmmmmmmmmm........1024X768? That doesn't make any sense. You stated above that you couldn't run at 1280x1024. I'm confused. Unless your video card is going down the tubes, that resolution is the most common next to 800x600. Check your monitors refresh rate and set it to the highest (85+) and also use 32 bit true color. Otherwise I would use driver cleaner (free download) and remove your current ATI drivers and reinstall the latest ones for your card.

 

[FreeMorpheme]

No, when I run anything *other* than 1280x1024 I get problems. 1280x1024 works fine, and for new games that support that resolution, it's a party for everyone. The problem occurs with slightly older games that want 1024x768 only. When I migrate to that resolution, the screen is half the size surrounded by white.

 

[RicoDirenzo]

It will do that by default becasue the you are running two different resolutions. The older game has to be fit into the 1280x1024 system default and then fits into a window that uses that lower resolution form the game. I find it hard to believe that you cannot set your default resolution to 1024/768. Sorry I can't be more help.

 

[FreeMorpheme]

Well, thanks for trying anyway.

If anyone else has any ideas, I can guarantee that I can't set my resolution to 1024x768 and have it full screen, either through the usual desktop route or through the Catalyst software that controls the card - it shrinks the screen to about 9"x7" in the middle of the available space.

Have I missed something basic?