Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Sometimes 640x480 is your only option. We'll look at ways to work with this.
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640 by 480. There was a day when we were excited to have it - and with all of 16 colors. Now, 640x480 is so "small" as to be unusable in most cases. Even the most basic new computer supports at least 800x600, if not 1024x768 or much higher.
But what if it appears that 640x480 is your only option?
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640x480 "VGA" resolution is the lowest-common-denominator - by definition all PC's, graphics adapters and monitors must support at least VGA. Because it's the one thing that can be counted on to work, and always work regardless of your hardware selection, it's often used as the fallback when troubleshooting, or the default if your computer doesn't know it can do any better.
To change your resolution, in Control Panel, Display, and then the Settings tab, you'll see something like this:
Yours may vary based on what hardware and drivers you have installed. And there's the rub - if you have the wrong drivers, or the default drivers, installed, the slider under Screen Resolution may not give you any option other than 640x480.
So what to do in that case?
99% of these problems are simply not having the correct video drivers installed for your machine. Normally, and especially in a case where your computer has come pre-configured from the manufacturer, this will already have been done. And, unfortunately, exactly where you go to make sure you have the proper drivers will vary based on where you got your computer, and whether or not you installed a new graphics card yourself.
To see what your computer "thinks" you have, right click on My Computer, click on Properties, click on the Hardware tab, and then click on Device Manager. Expand the node labeled Display adapters by clicking on the boxed plus sign in front of it:
If it says something like "default" display adapter, then Windows does not know what kind of adapter you have, and what its capabilities are - thus is must assume the lowest common denominator: 640x480.
If this was a pre-packaged machine, get in touch with the manufacturer's technical support - you'll need to locate and install the correct driver for whatever video card you have. If you installed a new video card yourself, you'll need to locate the drivers for it (they should have come with the card) and install them.
Article C2456 - November 10, 2005
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
I did everything you said but my computer doesnt have device adapters on the device manager can you help because i really need to change my screen resoultion
Posted by: Lexy at July 18, 2011 1:17 PMi do everything wat u say bt it doesn't show the option of display adapters
Posted by: ketki at August 22, 2011 2:16 AMI reinstalled new graphic driver, but problem is still here, I cant change resolution, its only on 640x480. pls help, what i should do?
Posted by: joint at September 1, 2011 9:42 AMI have the same problem with my resolution. I took it back to the store. At first they said my monitor was bad. So they replaced it. When I got it home and set it up again, I still couldn't change the resolution. It was stuck on the 640x480. I took it back again. Everything was checked and all systems and drivers were correct. They told me it has to do with my outlet and that there is nothing they can do.
02-Nov-2011
I read this post and got sorted out. I cant believe what had eaten into my whole day was sorted right here.
Posted by: Dannick at December 28, 2011 12:08 AMThanks