Member Avatar for drlewis506

Hi,

I have two identical displays (Samsung SyncMaster 205BW) but I can't get the second display, that I just bought, to a resolution higher than 1280x1024?? THe Main Display #1 is set to 1680x1050 which is ideal.

They are both plugged into an NVidia GeForce 9400 GT video card...
Specs:
-Display Support
-Multi Monitor
-Maximum Digital Resolution: 2560x1600
-Maximum VGA Resolution: 2048x1536
-Standard Display Connectors
-Dual Link DVI

I am using DVI-D video cables.

I installed the latest driver for the video card.

I have tried using the Windows 7 display adjustment and the NVIDIA Control Panel. I haven't been able to figure it out in either. Please help if you can.

Much Appreciated,
Red

Edited by drlewis506 because: typo
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Generated

As suggested and later confirmed, the swap-and-cable checks pointing to the same physical panel make a monitor-side fault the most likely cause. Physical damage (cracked bezel, open seam, dead pixel) commonly correlates with a failed EDID EEPROM or scaler/firmware fault that prevents the display from advertising its native modes, so the OS falls back to basic VESA resolutions.

Practical checks (non-destructive): inspect how Windows lists the display in Device Manager under “Monitors” — a model name vs “Generic PnP Monitor” is a good clue about EDID visibility. Use the monitor OSD to run a Factory Reset and ensure DDC/CI (if present) is enabled. Power-cycle the monitor completely (unplug power for 30s) and reconnect to force a fresh EDID read. If available, try the monitor on a different, known-good PC to confirm the fault follows the unit.

Advanced diagnostics and temporary workarounds: dump the monitor EDID and examine timings with an EDID reader utility; tools exist to export and restore EDID or create custom resolutions, but these are advanced procedures and always require an EDID backup. For a unit with physical damage, software EDID fixes are a stopgap at best — a corrupted internal scaler usually cannot be reliably repaired by end users.

Given the seller’s offer of replacement or refund, replacement is the sensible route: verify the replacement reports the correct manufacturer/model in Device Manager and accepts its native timing before closing the claim. If the replacement behaves the same, request a refund or escalation — continued use of a damaged panel risks further instability.

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Member Avatar for rubberman

Do you have the same problem with the second display if you swap them around (plug monitor 1 into monitor 2's port, and vice-versa)? If you still have the same problem with the same physical monitor, then the monitor is bad. If you have the same problem, but with the other monitor, then possibly the card is defective. Another possibility is the cable.

Edited by rubberman
Member Avatar for drlewis506

Yeah I tried that... The second display, regarless of position plugged into on the card, or cable used, will not adjust above 1280x1024. Based on your comment maybe the monitor is bad.

I have already contacted the seller (ebay) because of some physical damage (and a dead pixel) that was not disclosed. The top left corner of the bezel has a dent and the seam along the left edge of the casing is open slightly. They have offered a replacement or refund, so that's good.

I didn't know that monitors could go bad this way. I figured that if it turns on and was ajustable at all it could be adjusted to any resolution its specs say that it should support. They can lose that ability? Hmm.

Thanks for your reply rubberman

Member Avatar for rubberman

Well, chips go bad... It may be as simple as a broken circuit board trace, a bad solder point, ... Get a replacement of the monitor would be my advice, especially since you have verified that it is the monitor and not the video card.

FWIW, I have (in the deep dark past) been a fully qualified repair tech for IBM, AT&T, Zenith, and Apple... :-)

Edited by rubberman
Member Avatar for drlewis506

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it. The seller got back to me and is willing to replace (if he has another) or refund including shipping.. so thats good anyway :)

Thanks again,
David

Edited by drlewis506 because: typo
Member Avatar for rubberman

Glad to hear that at the worst you'll get your $$ back. I have a dual 24" display setup (1920x1200). Both are Dell displays, but not the same model, so getting the colors and saturation equal is not really possible - close, but not the same. However, they both look good and I can't hardly tell the difference when running videos. I've been running this setup for over 6 1/2 years on an nVidia 8800GT card. Knock on wood, but it has been totally reliable since I installed the system at the beginning of 2007. The older (left-hand) monitor is a couple of years older than the other. So, 6+ years on one, and 8+ on the other - I really can't complain! No "lost" pixels either! :-)

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