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Why is 640x480 my only resolution option?

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Summary: Sometimes 640x480 is your only option. We'll look at ways to work with this.

I got a new Dell PC with 19 inch screen. I cannot change the resolution to be greater than 640 by 480. What can I do to change it? In this mode the Start menu itself goes off the top of the screen.

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?

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.

"... it's often used as the fallback ... 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:

Display Settings Dialog

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:

Device Manager

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.

Related:

Article C2456 - November 10, 2005

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Recent Comments
38 Comments

i'm having the same problem with not bieng able to increase the screen resolutionmore than 640x820 what driver can i install on my Dell branded system with no manufacturers cd. I formated it with Windows XP 2005 version.

Posted by: Sam at April 30, 2008 6:27 AM

I got a new grafics card and i installed in my tower. but when i start it up the picture is clearer than before and when i intall the drivers and it restarts the screen resolution goes down and i cant change it what can i do please

Posted by: Nehemiah Tsosie at October 22, 2008 10:47 AM

I've recently upgrade my version of windows 98 to windows 2000. When I start the computer with windows 2000 the colours all look like shadows. When I tried to change the colour resolution it won't let me. The only option available is 16 colours. What can I do to fix it?

Posted by: Nelson at November 5, 2008 11:09 AM

Seeing as the Dell name pops up a bit in hardware descriptions, I'd like to point out a great service Dell offers in the area of drivers - a "Service Tag". This 'Service Tag' is a sticker on the box of the computer, usuall on the top or back and is a unique number to identify that computer with Dell. If you go to Dell's support site and enter that number, you will be shown the computers purchase and warranty history and all the relevant drivers to 'that' computer as it left the factory - That is why I like to work on Dell computers (albeit they are super basic, too).

Posted by: Craig at November 11, 2008 2:05 PM

i am use a dvi - hdmi cable to run my dell pc im getiing the same proble i cant change my resoultion i can move the bar back and for and and press change but the screen goes blank for 15 secounds comes back on and it hasnt changed i thought it could by the dvi cable im using dvi on my other pc tha isnt dell ive conected it up the same way and that works

Posted by: gareth dickens at January 21, 2009 11:39 AM

I have an hp media center that came with a 1680X1050 monitor, but Windows media palyer only lets me get 680, I want to know how to changet because when I go to properties it says compatability modes cannot be set in this version of windows, I HAVE VISTA but it says windows 95 An its all in grey so I cant change anything,PLEASE HELP!!!!!!! THANK YOU

Posted by: Luke Holloway at February 11, 2009 3:12 PM

Acer Aspire 5920G cant change resolution or colour? Stuck on lowest res and 4 bit colour? could it be my graphics card thats cooked??? didn't install any new drivers? Please Help...

Posted by: Steyn at July 14, 2009 1:22 PM

My screen is huge, I'm not able to change the resolution from the Display option which is set to 640x480 and 16 colors. Also the Hardware wizard keep appearing pertaining to the video adapter, please help? Dell PC, XP Home Edition.

Posted by: Nica Williams at August 12, 2009 5:54 PM

hey my computers resolution was fine while installing windows xp bu then it changed to 800x600. i only have two options and it is 800x600 and 640x480. both resolutions bring up weird colours. pls tell me how to fix this.

Posted by: Peter at October 15, 2009 3:12 AM

So we just got a new HP, the monitor is a HP2709m which is a 27". The drivers were installed properly (I think) as NCDIA GeForce 250 and the screen resolution is 1920 x 1080 but it dosen't fill the screen. There is like an inch of black all around. Is there anything i can do about this?

Posted by: Anonymous at October 23, 2009 10:23 AM

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