Use 1440 x 900 resolution on an old HP w1907

[loninappleton]

This is just a pesky old problem. I've seen a post elsewhere with the same problem: everything done to change the resolution to the full 1440 x 900 width of my old HPw1907 (relatively recently bought on local Craig's List) fails but it shows up as an option. I don't see anything below on old questions but it is a problem, perhaps unsolvable. The BIOS info in b/w at power on displays at the screen edge. Everything else is 4x5 aspect ratio.

The motherboard is MSI 760gm has onboard Radeon video but anytime I come back to try to fix this nothing happens-- including the auto button on the monitor front. Windows 10 does _not_ show 1440 x900 as an option. That is also odd.

A recommended little program called Speccy also does not see a 1440 x 900 option in that utility either:

https://speccy.en.softonic.com/

[jagabo]

The manual I saw showed the highest resolution as 1280x1024 at 75 Hz.

[loninappleton]

Hi again jagabo,

Ok that confirms what the utility program said. Why these other incongruities turn up remains a mystery. After all the physical screen _is_ 4400 x 900 capable just from those brief black and white power on messages near the edge in the black border area. Anyway thanks for doing that additional check.

[davexnet]

This spec sheet lists 1440x900 as the native resolution. 16x10
I used to have a 16:10 monitor myself, mine was 1680:1050
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16:10_aspect_ratio

[The_Doman]

This is just a pesky old problem. I've seen a post elsewhere with the same problem: everything done to change the resolution to the full 1440 x 900 width of my old HPw1907 (relatively recently bought on local Craig's List) fails but it shows up as an option.
The motherboard is MSI 760gm has onboard Radeon video but anytime I come back to try to fix this nothing happens-- including the auto button on the monitor front. Windows 10 does _not_ show 1440 x900 as an option.[/url]

I see you had another topic about that monitor?
Hewlett Packard w1907 LCD monitor needs picture correction
It indeed is a 16:10 1440 × 900 screen as listed in the manual.

How do you have it connected to you motherboard?
Using VGA or DVI?
That motherboard has on board ATI Radeon 3000 GPU
When you go to Advanced display settings, does it show/identify your monitor name?
And when opening Display adapter properties, what does it show for graphics modes options and/or is the driver properly loaded/configured?
There should be no need for a special monitor driver, is should show as generic PnP monitor.
You could try removing it from Device Manager and letting it re-detect?

It should be like this as shown (in Dutch) on a Asus M5A78L-M motherboard with similar GPU board i have here connected to a LG L204WT (1680x1050) monitor:


[Attachment 94224 - Click to enlarge]

[loninappleton]

It's connected VGA.

Thanks for reply. Perhaps all this is the reason why the original owner dumped it. But for an old monitor the picture is fine.

I'll check it but I'm pretty sure everything says generic PNP etc and that it's "working properly" but I'll look at advanced etc

[The_Doman]

If I search for:
Google: HPw1907 1440x900 not selectable
Often, a common solution is to try a different DVI and/or VGA cable.
HP Community: HP W1907 - 1440x900 not available (Solved)

Problems solved. Just change another VGA cable.

I tried different drivers. It turn out there is nothing to do with them.
If the VGA cable has defects, the monitor can not be correctly recognized.

At the very least, also try a DVI cable instead of VGA.
Local thrift or second-hand stores are good to find some extra/spare cables.

[loninappleton]

Thanks for this tip.

VGA cable is new one on me. I think I have an extra.

My newer Acer flat screen used the other input port. I tried using the DV ports on various earlier motherboards: too many plug problems to sort even when I bought some adapters-- a total confusing waste.

[loninappleton]

Since the BIOS screen fills the width, the panel and cable can handle 1440x900, so the issue is likely the OS/GPU output timing rather than the monitor. Try a custom 1440x900 mode at 60 Hz with reduced blanking, and check that any VGA adapter isnt scaling or reporting a generic EDID.

I don't know where custom mode is located. At least I'm relieved to know that I don't have to hunt for drivers after all these years (from what Dave said.) In fact I may have tried that when I first got this-- just can't remember. But any driver install better be auto.

[loninappleton]

I found what I could in Device Manager which looks different from the screen shot above but
here is the attachment:

It says no device driver installed. I certainly have run the setup disk for this old MSI board before and before I had this screen. But the old monitors were 4x5 so nothing to notice being off. So ATI Radeon 3000 driver download is worth a try. Any links to that from your archives that will auto install ?

Those DVI ports-- well trying to find a cast- off cable with all the pins _going the right way_ is a nightmare I went through with trying to get a VGA adapter in the past. It's just not worth spending any dough on for this backup setup

[loninappleton]

No success. I swapped out a VGA cable for another and got the same 4x5 image. But possibly installing the ATI 3000 driver where there is none in another lead.

[jagabo]

Sorry, I was wrong earlier. When I searched for HPw1907 I found this page:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/418165/Hp-W1907-19-Lcd-Monitor.html

The titles on the page show it's a manual for "HP W1907 - 19" LCD Monitor". I didn't notice that the manual they actually show (e.g. see the 'Product Features' page) is for the f1903, not the W1907.

Looking here:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/721476/Hp-Vp15.html?page=7#manual

You can see that the W1907 is indeed a 1440x900 display.

[loninappleton]

Is there a auto install Drivers R Us place or Realtek or whatever to download an executable for the ATI 3000 whatevs driver? Has to be an executable. I have my original installer disks for the MSI 760gm. I don't know what good it will do to go back to that. But there may have been upgrades to get.

After that I bail. I just don't think it's worth going on and on even though many have tried to help.

[davexnet]

Is there a auto install Drivers R Us place or Realtek or whatever to download an executable for the ATI 3000 whatevs driver? Has to be an executable. I have my original installer disks for the MSI 760gm. I don't know what good it will do to go back to that. But there may have been upgrades to get.

After that I bail. I just don't think it's worth going on and on even though many have tried to help.

It looks like the driver for the Radeon 3000 graphics is not installed properly, in Device Manager there should be an actual driver listed,
this is probably why none of the things are working right. The driver is still available at the AMD site:
https://www.amd.com/en/support/downloads/drivers.html/graphics/integrated-motherboard-...deon-3000.html

[loninappleton]

Thanks dave. I'll see what's there. I know I've taken off those "packages" of stuff that looks like bloat or HD installs that are unneeded. Right now everything works-- just not the screen size.

[The_Doman]

I found what I could in Device Manager which looks different from the screen shot above but
here is the attachment:

It says no device driver installed. I certainly have run the setup disk for this old MSI board before and before I had this screen. But the old monitors were 4x5 so nothing to notice being off. So ATI Radeon 3000 driver download is worth a try. Any links to that from your archives that will auto install ?

Yes, the driver is not installed and/or is incorrectly configured, and because of that, it shows only the basic resolutions.
Possibly, it is caused by manually installing drivers that are too old or incorrect.
Windows 10/11 should detect and install it automatically from Windows Update, without needing to install any driver manually.

Best way to solve this is to remove all of the old/wrong drivers with the Display Driver Uninstaller tool.
Do this in Windows safe mode!
Google: Windows Safe Mode

Removing all the ATI Radeon 3000 GPU drivers:

[Attachment 94238 - Click to enlarge]

After rebooting Windows 10 should automatically update/install the ATI Radeon 3000 GPU:

[Attachment 94239 - Click to enlarge]

Those DVI ports-- well trying to find a cast- off cable with all the pins _going the right way_ is a nightmare I went through with trying to get a VGA adapter in the past. It's just not worth spending any dough on for this backup setup

I don't know what the problem is with basic DVI or VGA cables?
You should find them in bucket loads in thrift/recycle shops.
VGA/DVI are the most robust connectors unless you really abuse them.

But the cable is not the issue right now.

[davexnet]

I also have a PC with the same onboard graphics. That particular driver, version 8.970.100.9001, is the ONLY driver available for this GPU
on Windows 10. However, AMD do have all the drivers posted for Windows 8.1and older...

For Windows 10, driver only available from Windows update

[loninappleton]

I have cooperated with these suggestions. Switch cable. Then most recently went to the AMD site for the Windows 8 driver. It ran Catalyst which in the past I had installed many times. This time through on the HP no change. I'll try the AMD cleaner but I'm not hopeful. Then I'll let it go. Like Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry says, "A man has to know his limitations." Any time something like this comes up there doesn't seem to any history of the problem from another user where the problem is solved ending the guesswork.

[GAhere]

I also have a PC with the same onboard graphics. That particular driver, version 8.970.100.9001, is the ONLY driver available for this GPU
on Windows 10. However, AMD do have all the drivers posted for Windows 8.1and older...

For Windows 10, driver only available from Windows update

Older OS drivers can often be used in Win 10, provided the driver package is an executable (exe) file. I have been there and done that and often have gotten Win7 drivers to install and work with Win10.

Can not use normal Windows "plug and play" method, Win10 is designed to strictly detect and install drivers that are Win10 approved, if nothing suitable is found, then Win10 will always automatically default to the "basic" Win10 driver provided by MS, not the vendor of the hardware. This results in very limited screen resolutions for the video card to offer.

In the past, one could "hack" the inf file provided by the hardware manufacturer and changing the line that was OS specific to the new OS. Don't think that hack works any more.. But as long as the driver package is in a exe format and not cat or inf format the exe often bypasses Win10 strict driver control.

[loninappleton]

This screen shot is after I ran the AMD Catalyst routine from above and before I run the AMD driver clean.

The Advanced Display driver properties show only the generic Microsoft Driver installed.

[loninappleton]

I forgot this or didn't complete the reply showing the German advanced display. See it's clearly different and only shows the 1280 x 1024 again, not all the options up to 1600 in the other screen shot one.

All this shows that 1280 is the limit.

Will do the AMD clean, then reinstall driver routine.

[The_Doman]

This screen shot is after I ran the AMD Catalyst routine from above and before I run the AMD driver clean.

The Advanced Display driver properties show only the generic Microsoft Driver installed.

The Microsoft Basic Display adapter is the default/fallback driver when there is no display driver installed/available.
It shows the same on the shown example PC configuration (AMD 780G chipset) after running the driver uninstaller.
When online, Windows updates or installs the driver automatically within a few minutes.
If not, I can provide the drivers from my own Windows system as a last resort.

I assume you are running a 64-bit system and Windows update functioning normally.

[davexnet]

I remember a few years back, in Windows 10, installing the Windows 8 driver in compatibility mode; it seemed to work - but for some reason I don't remember,
I ended up uninstalling it, reverting to the "Microsoft Basic display adapter", restarted the PC and allowed Windows update to install its own driver

Lon, after the install of the AMD driver you should check the device manager, "general" and "driver" tabs to confirm all is well

[loninappleton]

SUCCESS

I'm shocked but relieved.

That AMD driver cleaner routine used from:

https://www.guru3d.com/download/display-driver-uninstaller-download/


has made the difference when run in safe mode. And SAFE mode I had not looked for previously ever on Win10. It's pretty well buried.
I may have been remiss somewhere in that previous thread on this and not seen this option. Regardless Thanks to all who answered.
For other disks I'll try to save the info somewhere safe.

[GAhere]

Glad you got it to work!

Forgot about the Catalyst program, been a while since I dealt with that program, when it goes sideways during installation, it does it in a spectacular way..

Technically it isn't needed if one could simply divorce the drivers from that program then you could just use the built in Windows control panel to adjust resolutions.. Just another layer that uses up computer resources.

[The_Doman]

SUCCESS

I'm shocked but relieved.

Ha, good to read it is working now.
The driver uninstaller often solves stubborn video driver problems.

[loninappleton]

I get short tempered during one of these long exchanges. No offense to anyone.

Yes, this is a cure that was needed for a long time.

I should run it on a backup SSD while it's fresh in mind yet. I saved a screen shot of the procedure at Google (should be in SAFE mode _and_ unplugged from internet/ ethernet) to my cloud account and should get it on paper with other things I have needed again and again.

[loninappleton]

I found what I could in Device Manager which looks different from the screen shot above but
here is the attachment:

It says no device driver installed. I certainly have run the setup disk for this old MSI board before and before I had this screen. But the old monitors were 4x5 so nothing to notice being off. So ATI Radeon 3000 driver download is worth a try. Any links to that from your archives that will auto install ?

Yes, the driver is not installed and/or is incorrectly configured, and because of that, it shows only the basic resolutions.
Possibly, it is caused by manually installing drivers that are too old or incorrect.
Windows 10/11 should detect and install it automatically from Windows Update, without needing to install any driver manually.

Best way to solve this is to remove all of the old/wrong drivers with the Display Driver Uninstaller tool.
Do this in Windows safe mode!
Google: Windows Safe Mode

Removing all the ATI Radeon 3000 GPU drivers:

[Attachment 94238 - Click to enlarge]

After rebooting Windows 10 should automatically update/install the ATI Radeon 3000 GPU:

[Attachment 94239 - Click to enlarge]

Those DVI ports-- well trying to find a cast- off cable with all the pins _going the right way_ is a nightmare I went through with trying to get a VGA adapter in the past. It's just not worth spending any dough on for this backup setup

I don't know what the problem is with basic DVI or VGA cables?
You should find them in bucket loads in thrift/recycle shops.
VGA/DVI are the most robust connectors unless you really abuse them.

But the cable is not the issue right now.

Yes this was the problem. Thanks for the insight on it.

[loninappleton]

I also looked in advanced display settings (right click on desktop > select Display Settings) and Win 10 also updated the change.

[The_Doman]

I get short tempered during one of these long exchanges. No offense to anyone.

Ha, that's relatable and perfectly understandable.

While we on it here some more useful tips/advice.

has made the difference when run in safe mode. And SAFE mode I had not looked for previously ever on Win10. It's pretty well buried.
I may have been remiss somewhere in that previous thread on this and not seen this option.

Getting into safe mode has certainly become less intuitive in recent Windows versions.
But you can make it much easier using dedicated shortcuts.
I often use the options from the handy Winaero Tweaker tool for those kinds of situations.


[Attachment 94259 - Click to enlarge]

It is advisable to make a backup of the important and/or sometimes difficult to find drivers.
There are many tools and methods for that of course, but is still often use the old but good Double Driver for that.
It still works fine, except for creating a standalone executable installer.


[Attachment 94260 - Click to enlarge]

When using Windows 10 or 11 on an old or new system, I always let Windows Update find as many drivers on its own as possible. This avoids most potential problems.
Often there are extra/newer drivers available from the Windows Update Advanced options / extra drivers.
Even the latest Windows 11 26H2 detects/installs the Intel HD GPU from a Core i3-520 (2010) correctly here.

I should run it on a backup SSD while it's fresh in mind yet. I saved a screen shot of the procedure at Google (should be in SAFE mode _and_ unplugged from internet/ ethernet) to my cloud account and should get it on paper with other things I have needed again and again.

Yes documenting all the various fixes/solutions and procedures is important.
Specially if you want/need to move to a new PC system.
I have built up a large folder by now, containing all sorts of URLs, registry fixes, documents, and webpages saved as PDFs for searching and reference.