Windows 95 Does Not Prevent Choosing Unsupported Resolution

ID: Q132729

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

Windows 95 may not prevent you from choosing display resolutions or color depths that are not supported by your display adapter. Choosing an unsupported resolution or color depth may cause your computer to stop responding (hang), or may cause the display to become garbled.

This problem is known to occur with the following display adapters:

ATI VGA Wonder

CAUSE

This problem typically occurs with display adapters that are available with varying amounts of installed memory. Because there is only one driver for all variations of a display adapter model, the driver must support the resolution and color depth that the adapter is capable of supporting with the greatest amount of installed memory. Windows 95 cannot detect when you are using a display adapter with less than the greatest amount of installed memory. Therefore, Windows 95 may allow you to choose a resolution or color depth that is not currently supported by the display adapter.

RESOLUTION

Choose a lower resolution or color depth that is supported by the display adapter. You may need to restart your computer in Safe mode to do so. To start your computer in Safe mode, restart your computer, press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, and then choose Safe Mode.

To use the higher resolution or color depth, you must increase the amount of memory installed on the display adapter. You may be able to add more memory to the adapter you are currently using, or you may need to obtain an adapter that has more memory installed. For information about increasing the amount of memory on the display adapter, please contact the adapter's manufacturer.

MORE INFORMATION

ATI VGA Wonder

Some ATI VGA Wonder display adapters have 256K of installed memory. These adapters are not capable of displaying 256 colors, although you can select the 256-color palette in the Display Properties dialog box.

When you are using the ATI VGA Wonder XL24 display adapter, you can choose the High Color (16 Bit) and True Color (24 Bit) color palettes, but these palettes are not supported by the display adapter.

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