Completely clueless regarding resolution

[JBot]

I have a dual G5 Powermac with a Radeon 9600 graphics card. I plugged in my Dell 19' lcd monitor via a vga cable (vga to dvi converter into the box).
I am for some reason unable to change the resolution to anything other then 640x480, (in the system preferences > display box it doesnt show anything other then that setting).
I have alread:
-Reset the PRAM, and that did nothing.
-Swapped out cards from another machine (same card) and that did nothing.
-Tried different dvi-vga converters as well as vga cables, did nothing.
-Tried different type of monitor, did nothing.

The only thing i havent done is tried a dvi cable, since i do not have one.

I cannot install the system updates since the license agreement box is too big for the screen so i cant click ok (nor can i tab and push enter for some reason). Also i cannot re install the OS since again, the dialogue box is too big and i cannot click the next button.

Please help! Is there any solutions you guys might have? anything at all i am willing to try.

 

[flyingscott]

what version of the OS are you running?

 

[JBot]

Mac OS X 10.5

Im about to throw this thing out of my office window im so annoyed with it.

 

[flyingscott]

I feel your pain 🙄

I would try a DVI-D cable, I know you said you don't have one... buy one off monoprice for CHEAP... Or PM me your address and I'll mail you one, I have a few laying around.

Oh... you could also try launching the terminal and do the system update that way: sudo softwareupdate -i -a (FYI, that will install all updates, if you just type softwareupdate you will see a list of arguments).

 

[sash]

Hi JBot,

You've probably done that, but just in case: have you tried to start up in Safe Mode and change resolution while in Safe Mode?

sash

 

[JBot]

Yea i logged in through safe mode and still couldnt change the resolution.
Thanks flyingscott for the command line update. although it worked, it did not solve my problem.

Does anybody know if it is at all possible to install the OS via terminal? I cant seem to find out how online or through the forum, but if i could do that then i could eliminate that as a possibility.

I have a DVI cable at home ill bring in and test, but i dont think that would be the problem. Or if it was then thats terrible that the machine cant give a better resolution then 640x480 through vga...