Plugging a PC into a monitor that is set at too low a resolution

McGraw · 04-02-2009, 11:44

Hello.

I work from home and use a laptop. My girlfriend's son has a 20" widescreen monitor that his PC and Xbox 360 are both plugged into.

When my girlfriend is off work I let her use the laptop and I use the desktop in her son's room. This is fine until he gets home from school and wants to play on his 360 after he's finished his homework and I'm still working.

So, on these occasions, I dig out a 1280x1024 res LCD that came with the pc. Unfortunately, the other pc is set at 1680x1050 which means I have to mess around with safe mode to change the res and then reboot. Obviously it's not as much of an issue going back the other way.

Is there a more elegant solution to this? Is there any way that Windows can intelligently drop the resolution down or is there a 3rd party app that will?

Thanks very much.

Kymmy · 04-02-2009, 12:27

Nope, Linux can but not windows...

Stuart · 04-02-2009, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Nope, Linux can but not windows...

I am sure Windows does as long as the monitor is using a Plug'n'Play driver. Which, admittedly, it doesn't default to.

altis · 04-02-2009, 12:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by McGraw

Is there a more elegant solution to this?

Change the resolution BEFORE you change monitors.

04-02-2009, 12:42

I do not understand why do you not change the res before you take it off the 1680 screen?

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:42 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by altis

Change the resolution BEFORE you change monitors.

lol I had to read the op 4 or 5 times to see if there was really a problem lol

boroboi · 04-02-2009, 12:50

like these fella's said, change the res before shutting down. Take two seconds.

McGraw · 04-02-2009, 13:00

Yes, I understand about changing the res first.

He will shut the PC down at night and therefore not change the resolution. I could constantly remind him but there are times he will forget.

Anyway, I seem to have had a result. I've switched the desktop for another Vista box from work that I've meaning to switch to for ages. I tested it out with that PC (Vista, the other was XP) and it works flawlessly, whether on the fly or from a cold boot.

I didn't need to post the question. Sorry for wasting everyone's time.