i have a high resolution CRT monitor, and am wondering how to achieve the
highest resolution upon the first time windows runs after installing, and
before using control panel.

when installing windows xp service pack 1 on a new machine and hard drive,
at the point that the windows desktop first displays, and after chipset and
graphics card drivers installation, how do i first utilize resolutions of
1280x1024 and higher, so that when i work with application windows, they are
not all scrunched up small, as if i had first opened them in a very low
resolution, like 800x600 or 640x480? i have noticed quite often, that after
reinstalling windows and drivers, and i change the resolution to something
high, that my application windows are already a shrunken smaller size. that
usually only happens if the application is run while at a low resolution.
but, post-setup, ive run no application windows. how do i set up the system,
so that main windows, such as for wordpad, explorer, IE, and notepad, take up
more than a quarter of the screen, without any messing with window sizing or
control panel?

i have easily acquired this feat, in earlier versions of windows, such as
windows 98, but i seem to find it tougher with windows xp. please help.

thanks
john

John wrote:
> i have a high resolution CRT monitor, and am wondering how to achieve the
> highest resolution upon the first time windows runs after installing, and
> before using control panel.
>
> when installing windows xp service pack 1 on a new machine and hard drive,
> at the point that the windows desktop first displays, and after chipset and
> graphics card drivers installation, how do i first utilize resolutions of
> 1280x1024 and higher, so that when i work with application windows, they are
> not all scrunched up small, as if i had first opened them in a very low
> resolution, like 800x600 or 640x480? i have noticed quite often, that after
> reinstalling windows and drivers, and i change the resolution to something
> high, that my application windows are already a shrunken smaller size. that
> usually only happens if the application is run while at a low resolution.
> but, post-setup, ive run no application windows. how do i set up the system,
> so that main windows, such as for wordpad, explorer, IE, and notepad, take up
> more than a quarter of the screen, without any messing with window sizing or
> control panel?
>
> i have easily acquired this feat, in earlier versions of windows, such as
> windows 98, but i seem to find it tougher with windows xp. please help.
>
> thanks
> john

You could use something like N-lite to slipstream your graphics driver
into the Windows CD so it loads by default. I think Nlite also even
has default screen size settings you can specify. I've never used
these features, but have use N-lite for Service Packs and Drivers.

However, I've never had problems setting applications after setup. I
have a widescreen laptop at 1280x800 which is a odd size, and have
loaded XP several times and not had the driver loading or control panel
issues you seem to refer to. However I'm not sure my demands on XP are
critical either.

hey al. in the past, i have not used or created a slipstream disc. i simply
boot of the official setup disc. when the desktop loads, i install drivers
for the agp port, graphics card and monitor, in that order. i do all this by
using the run/browse commands from the start menu. i do not open any explorer
window. once these are installed and ive restarted the system, i change
resolutions to a higher one, yet still, it seems, my window sizes are
smaller, like they were already opened while the desktop was at a lower
resolution.

during the automated setup, does windows utilize explorer windows in some
hidden mode, in the default low-resolution, that would modify their
post-setup sizes?

"Big_Al" wrote:

You could use something like N-lite to slipstream your graphics driver
into the Windows CD so it loads by default. I think Nlite also even
has default screen size settings you can specify. I've never used
these features, but have use N-lite for Service Packs and Drivers.

However, I've never had problems setting applications after setup. I
have a widescreen laptop at 1280x800 which is a odd size, and have
loaded XP several times and not had the driver loading or control panel
issues you seem to refer to. However I'm not sure my demands on XP are
critical either.

John wrote:
> hey al. in the past, i have not used or created a slipstream disc. i simply
> boot of the official setup disc. when the desktop loads, i install drivers
> for the agp port, graphics card and monitor, in that order. i do all this by
> using the run/browse commands from the start menu. i do not open any explorer
> window. once these are installed and ive restarted the system, i change
> resolutions to a higher one, yet still, it seems, my window sizes are
> smaller, like they were already opened while the desktop was at a lower
> resolution.
>
> during the automated setup, does windows utilize explorer windows in some
> hidden mode, in the default low-resolution, that would modify their
> post-setup sizes?
>
> "Big_Al" wrote:
>
> You could use something like N-lite to slipstream your graphics driver
> into the Windows CD so it loads by default. I think Nlite also even
> has default screen size settings you can specify. I've never used
> these features, but have use N-lite for Service Packs and Drivers.
>
> However, I've never had problems setting applications after setup. I
> have a widescreen laptop at 1280x800 which is a odd size, and have
> loaded XP several times and not had the driver loading or control panel
> issues you seem to refer to. However I'm not sure my demands on XP are
> critical either.

Can't tell you about explorer question. I know what you are referring
to, but I normally get a prompt that the desktop is being adjusted to
maximize the display. Or some comment like that. It happens almost
immediately during the first boot with the full OS. It sets the screen
a bit off but much closer than 600x480. So maybe that's my saving grace.

well al, i know what you are referring to, at the end of setup, when windows
wants to maximize resolution. i have reinstalled xp several times over the
past few years, so, i generally know what to expect. i dont recall right now,
if i have chosen to let windows maximize it, or if i just cancel and do it
myself later. nonetheless though, i dont think that really helps my
situation. but if you really dont know what exactly to do, so that app
windows are not changed, thats okay. thanks for your input though.

"Big_Al" wrote:


Can't tell you about explorer question. I know what you are referring
to, but I normally get a prompt that the desktop is being adjusted to
maximize the display. Or some comment like that. It happens almost
immediately during the first boot with the full OS. It sets the screen
a bit off but much closer than 600x480. So maybe that's my saving grace.