Monitor Resolution Windows XP problems

[hobosexual]

Hello there!

I've had my MAME cabinet for nearly 3 years and recently had to replace my Wells Garner Monitor that burned out.

So I went with the 27"/29" MAKVISION TRI-MODE MONITOR http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/49271500.htm.

Installation was a breeze, and I had to boot on an alternate monitor and change the res down, so the new monitor wouldn't freak out!

Sadly, this new monitor is only capable of displaying a max res of 640 X 480, and thats just fine with most emulators I run.

But it seems that WinXP has a problem with this and constantly switches to 800 X 600 after reboot(it also shows those annoying tip balloons that suggest you change the res!),
and I must go through the tedious process of plugging in a little monitor in to change the res back!

Now my previous monitor had a max res of 800 X 600, so maybe it is still assuming I have the old monitor?

Regardless, is there a way that I can FORCE XP to only display in 640 X 480? Is there like a registry setting or something that I can
try?

I've tried programs that set individual res for each user account, but that didn't work!

Here are my MAME cabinet specs:

Win Xp Media Edition SP2
AMD 1.7 ghz
Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT 256 MEG
1 Gb Ram
Sound Blaster 24-bit Live
27 " Makvision Tri-mode monitor WEBSITE: http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/49271500.htm

Thanks a bunch, happy retro gaming!

Mark "Hobosexual" Wentland

[northerngames]

a quik res tool should lock it in at whatever you set it as.

[ahofle]

Is that monitor digital?  Are you using any CGA or EGA resolutions?  I'd be interested in hearing more about that thing. 

[hobosexual]

It's an D-sub connection analog monitor, and I've plugged it directly into my video card's VGA port.

also in reply to northerngames: Is there any tool you'd recommend? I've tried Display Resolution Manager and locked in all my user accounts to 640 X 480, but still in no time one of my siblings some how changed the resolution even though I have Display settings access(among other things) disabled! (thanks to 1st Security Agent!)

[northerngames]

try google'ing quik res tool or ultimarc.com has one that may have more resolutions to pick from.

I am not 100% sure it would work for your trouble's but it should.