New Dell desktop won't display 1680*1050

[sjetexas]

I just got a new PC for my wife. It's a Dell Inspiron 518 series PC. She is not a gamer. The PC is an Intel C2Q 6600 with 2GB of RAM, an integrated Intel G31/G33 video (VGA, no DVI) and Vista64.

For whatever reason, I cannot get 1680*1050 to display, it keeps giving an out of range type error on the monitors (tried both our Dell 2007wfp and our Samsung 215tw, which 1680*1050 is the native res). It would not even display that res as an option until I installed all the Vista patches, now it will display but the monitor will blank out if I select it (I can still dial into the PC via logmein, which stays at that res). What's the deal? Does this chipset not work at that resolution? Any potential workaround? Windows Update says everything is up to date and will not automatically find a newer driver. Other resolutions (including ones like 1600*900) seem to work OK.

If I need to get a new video card, what's the cheapest card I can get that will do what I need to do? I have an old ATI x800 pro, but it doesn't fit in the slot. I have an 8800gts as well, but the Dell PC doesn't have the required power supply cables and such to make that work. Don't care about gaming, I just want the video to work at the required resolution. Thanks!

 

[tcsenter]

Probably an older Intel graphics driver. Try installing the latest driver from Intel:

Intel GMA Drivers for Vista 64

If that doesn't solve it, Intel maintains a service driver for this problem, but you should try the latest production drivers first:

http://downloadcenter.intel.co...ate=LIVE&DwnldID=17225

 

[sjetexas]

Thanks for the advice, I tried both links (driver ver was the same actually on both)...but no dice...same issue. Changing to 1680*1050 just kills the monitor with an out of range error.

 

[tcsenter]

The service drivers are based on the latest production build and therefore will have the same version. The service driver package contains some modifications, however.

Did you uninstall the current drivers and restart prior to running setup on the new drivers? Does the Inspiron have VGA or DVI output? Are you using any VGA to DVI adapters?

It could also be an older or buggy Intel VGA ROM in Dell's BIOS. In any event, this is a recurring issue with Intel graphics, as evidenced by the fact that Intel maintains a work-around service driver for this very problem.

There is even a modding community and tutorials springing up around Intel's pervasive mode-setting issues:

http://software.intel.com/en-u...ons-on-intel-graphics/

http://software.intel.com/en-u...computing/topic/56423/

 

[sjetexas]

Thank you for your help. Tried the latest again after a full uninstall, same issue. I will give those links a read. Thinking I may just go buy a cheap video card later.

Inspiron only has a VGA output. I initially tried an adapter since we were using DVI before, but it didn't work at all so I just went and bought a VGA cable.

 

[BernardP]

A discrete videocard will solve this problem for good, use updatable standard ATI or NVidia drivers and let you use the DVI output. Even if you manage to get the 1680x1050 resolution to work through the VGA output, the display quality will not be as good as with a DVI output. I have seen the difference myself.

 

[sjetexas]

Yeah, I just bought an nvidia 7300 (not like she is gonna game). While she doesn't need speed performance, she does a lot of photoshop, so the DVI is probably a worthwhile upgrade. Should be good to go. It was only like $30AR, which isn't much more than what I spent on the soon-to-be-returned VGA cable yesterday.

Thanks everyone.

 

[BassBomb]

Pretty sure 1680x1050 isn't on the VGA spec which is why it won't show up