Using a lcd monitor with your laptop, resolution probs

[kenshindono]

well when updating my laptops drivers i was hoping i could have fixed a problem i had been having but it seems the new ones still dont fix it. Maybe someone here can give me a sugestion

i have a dell XPS m1710 (has a geforce go 7950 gtx gfx card) that i use as a stand in desktop. i've had a samsung 245bw hooked up to it for a while now as the main display device and just leave the laptop monitor off. They both have a native resolution of 1920X1200, which is great, except when i go to play some games. Obviously its not powerfull enough to run much other than warcraft at that resolution. The thing is it wont let me adjust the resolution when i have it displaying through the samsung. Well, it does but not the right resolutions. I can only do stupid standard 4:3 aspect stuff like 1600X1200, 1024X768, ect. It does this both if i put it in clone and in display single.

if i have it just as the laptop display i can adjust it. I know the monitor itself isn't messed up because ive plugged it into other computers and it works fine

i tried messing with the options in custom resolution to allow modes not exposed to the display but still no luck. I might be able to manually make one in there but those are always screwy

any idea why its doing this or how i can get it to work right? I never thought monitor drivers mattered much but even so, Ii tried double checking the drivers on samsungs page vs the ones i have showing up under monitors in device manager and mine actually seem newer, besides the ones on sammys page seem to be for the 245b not the 245bw

http/www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/support.do?group=computersperipherals&type=monitors&subtype=lcd&model_nm=245BW&language=&cate_type=all&dType=D&mType=DR&vType=&prd_ia_cd=05020100&disp_nm=245BW&model_cd=LS24HUBCFV/XAA&menu=download

so, any ideas? Installing the witcher EE right now and im sure that wont run at 1920 rez =P

 

[kenshindono]

ungh, just tried both the ones on sammys site and the original ones i had on the cd, and nothing, none of them seem to let me adjust the resolution, even went into bios and switched the primary video form docking option to onboard, and back with no results (figured it wouldn't the docking option just goes to that if its actually docked). right now its showing 'default monitor' plug and play, plug and play, and syncmaster after my latest driver roulete. And whats hooked up is the lcd, and my HD tv (never had a problem getting that one to work)

got a headache i'll see if anyone has any sugestions before i keep pounding my head against this

 

[kenshindono]

*sigh* no one? been trying different monitor driver versions and nothings working, none of it seems to make any difference

 

[r_manic]

Hi kenshin, what's forcing you to use sucky resolutions? Windows itself or only within the game you want to play?

 

[kenshindono]

just a game im trying to play, it doesn't run that smoothly at 1920 res so i wanted to knock it down to 1680, but like it said, i cant with the monitor attatched, even with it set as the main. It only lets me with the laptop built in monitor

 

[kenshindono]

ah well guess no one knows . I cant figure it out either, i guess im stuck with the default high rez, or trying to make some custom forced rez with the nvidia control panel that looks all fuzzy