confused about video card specs (82845G/GL)

[craigr]

I have a newbie question, so thanks for your patience with my lack of knowledge:

The Problem (mismatch of monitor & video card)
I'm on Winter Break visiting my father, and his computer (eMachines T1840, it's 5 years old) runs XP-Home, and its original graphics controller (82845G/GL) has 7 settings -- 5 have a width/height ratio of 1.33 (ranging from 1400x1050 to 800x600) plus a 1.25 (1280x1024) and 1.78 (1280/720) -- but none of these matches the native resolution of the LCD monitor (Acer X191W, with 1440x900 for a 1.60 ratio) he bought a few weeks ago, so the monitor doesn't have the crisp text, etc, that is a main benefit of LCD. He is thinking about getting a new PCI video card, but now I'm wondiring...

Is there a software solution?
In a thread from November -- Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV, http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread96430.html -- disophisis suggested a software solution by downloading a newer video driver at http://www.soft32.com/download_173342.html
I followed the link and eventually found a download page for version 14.10.3 from 2005 (newer than the original 2002 version) -- would it have the wide-screen 1440x900 resolution? They also mentioned a "6.14.10.4020" and I've also heard about "6.14.10.4342" (??). I'm confused and uncertain because...

My Confusion (what settings will we see?)
The specs of the original video card say "2048x1536" which is "enough resolution" for the new 1440x900 monitor, but the card has the wrong ratios, because most are 1.33 and none are 1.60. For new video cards I've tried to get specs (in NewEgg and thru Google) but they just say "2048x1536" and don't say what settings will appear in the Control Panel (Appearance --> Display --> Settings) as options for the resolution. What does "2048x1536" mean? The old card has this spec but doesn't have 1440x900, so how do I know what the Control Panel settings will be for the new card, and whether it will include 1440x900?

Craig

[craigr]

Is there a software solution?

Yes, the software update is a solution. (but initially the whole screen was off-center, with about 1.5" of black space on the left side of the screen, until I pushed the "AUTO" button at the bottom of the monitor and this centered the display)

Also, I couldn't download it at the URL above, but versiontracker had it, http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/win/87434

How do I know what the Control Panel settings will be for the new card?

Unless there is a spec-listing I haven't found, maybe there is no way to know except by installing the new driver and seeing what happens. When the computer is hooked up to an ACER-X191W the listed resolutions are:
800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864,
1280x600, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x960, 1280x1024,
1360x764, 1400x1050, 1440x900

I assume the set is different for LCD monitors with different native resolutions -- 1280x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, etc -- with the highest resolution available matching the native resolution.

[sourcez]

Yup thats right. It should only display the resolutions up to the native. If it allowed you to choose higher then there would be a risk of someone selecting it and making the mistake of turning the graphics output into high resolution garbage that the screen can't display.

My GPU will only show a resolution of up to 1920x1200 (my screen's native res) unless I go to display properties, settings, advanced, Monitor and untick the "hide modes this monitor cannot display". If you were then to go back to the display properties page you should have a wider choice of resolutions.

Careful though, as selecting an incorrect resolution will result in no picture being displayed - if this happens don't press anything and just wait for XP to change the resolution back.

Good luck!