screen resolution problem after using external display

[ashjamben]

ok, this is a question for a friend whos using a macbook. i havn't had chance to look at it yet, so havn't had chance to do any trial and error troubleshooting, but was wondering if someone could give me a heads up.

she said she hooked it up to a display for uni as a one off, and then now everytime she turns it on normally it uses a really big screen resolution, i assume the resolution of the display. then when she closes it and re opens it (ie turning on to stand by and back on) it goes back to normal.

i've had a look around my own system preferences around displays and screen resolution, so i presume the solution will be some around there but if any could give me some help that would be awesome.

thanks for reading

 

[spinnerlys]

What about setting it to the standard resolution with the Display System Preferences?

She also may have turned on mirroring (Mirror Displays), which could lead to a lower resolution, as the external display might have had a lower resolution.

But an external display with a higher resolution shouldn't be able to make the Mac's resolution higher, as with LCDs the highest resolution is always on and a can't be heightened - except the resolution was at its highest when connected to the display, but your friend prefers a lower resolution.

 

[i.shaun]

I think it's due to the display, if I hook my iMac to an old Tube TV, It jumps down to 800x600 (or close to it), everything is huge, and blurred to hell. I can't help it, it has to be at that resolution in order to display on that monitor.


Fortunately, It's easy enough to go to system preferences, and revert it back to a proper resolution.

 

[ashjamben]

thanks for the replies, i'll check them out. i just want to straighten out, when i said 'bigger' resolution i actually meant everything on the screen was 'bigger', which is actually a lower screen resolution 😛

also, not sure if 'mirror' will be on as it's not on my system preferences under display (i'm running leopard, you look like you're running tiger?) so don't think it'll be on hers.

 

[spinnerlys]

thanks for the replies, i'll check them out. i just want to straighten out, when i said 'bigger' resolution i actually meant everything on the screen was 'bigger', which is actually a lower screen resolution 😛

also, not sure if 'mirror' will be on as it's not on my system preferences under display (i'm running leopard, you look like you're running tiger?) so don't think it'll be on hers.

They are screen shots I found on the internet (running Tiger), I run Leopard, and the Arrangement tab can only be seen, when another display is connected, so your friend will only be able to see it, when s/he connects the display.

Also the tab for the resolution of the external display will be only visible on the external screen, the tab with the resolutions on the internal screen are the resolutions available for the internal screen.

 

[ashjamben]

They are screen shots I found on the internet (running Tiger), I run Leopard, and the Arrangement tab can only be seen, when another display is connected, so your friend will only be able to see it, when s/he connects the display.

Also the tab for the resolution of the external display will be only visible on the external screen, the tab with the resolutions on the internal screen are the resolutions available for the internal screen.

this is strange then, as like i said it starts out with the low resolution, and then when put to sleep and back on again it goes back to 'normal' 😕

 

[spinnerlys]

Repaired Permissions via Disk Utility yet?