[Walker]

I'm trying to set up a G4 for a server, and temporarily plugged in a spare old monitor that only has 640 X 480 resolution. Works fine in OS 9, but OS 10 it will start up with the big apple, and then turn into garbly gook when the desktop comes up. I'm guessing OS X is switching resolutions, but I want to keep it at 640 X 480.

Can I do this?

thanks,

lw

[Disgruntled Head of C-3PO]

Last I heard the min is 800 x 600

[Walker]

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Last I heard the min is 800 x 600

I heard that too, but I've seen games run in 640 X 480 res, so can I "make" my computer use that resolution?

[+ spiral +]

I know both of my machines are able to do 640 X 480 (TiBook + tower with CRT).

What you could do is use that machine with a bigger monitor, and put the system prefs app in the startup items and set the resolution to 640x480 and shut down. Switch monitors and reboot with the small monitor. This way the machine should boot in 640x480 and if it doesn't the system prefs should be open so you can change it.

It's something to try and it's free!

[barbarian]

I might be wrong, but I seem to remember that the minimum resolution is a function of the video card, not the OS.

[:XI:]

I can set my cinema hd to 640*480.

[Detrius]

Technically, you can use 640x480. However, everything is so big that it can be rather difficult to navigate. There may not be enough room for the entire menu bar in some applications.

I would highly advise against it.

Note: the minimum recommended resolution for Panther is 1024 x 768.

And, to post your message here in macnn w/safari and tabs, you have to do two page downs to get to the post button.

[Walker]

Originally posted by + spiral +:
I know both of my machines are able to do 640 X 480 (TiBook + tower with CRT).

What you could do is use that machine with a bigger monitor, and put the system prefs app in the startup items and set the resolution to 640x480 and shut down. Switch monitors and reboot with the small monitor. This way the machine should boot in 640x480 and if it doesn't the system prefs should be open so you can change it.

It's something to try and it's free!

Well, I followed your advice, but was unable to put the system prefs app in the startup items folder (I'm not sure why). So anyway, I checked the "show display in menu bar" box, and even with the screen messed up with the bad resolution, I was able to configure the display via the menu item. Unfortunately, everytime OS X restarts, it resets the default display to something different than the 640 X 480. Wish it didn't do this, but since the computer will soon be a headless server, I guess it doesn't matter much.

Thanks for the help!

Lanny

[+ spiral +]

Originally posted by Walker:
Well, I followed your advice, but was unable to put the system prefs app in the startup items folder (I'm not sure why).

I meant through the system preference: "Login items" ... then just drag the application icon to that list.

Sorry it didn't work. Too bad you couldn't lock that resolution preference.

[tooki]

Actually, a bigger problem is that OS X is designed for 800x600 and up -- many system preference panes are bigger than 640x480!

tooki

[beb]

Man!!!! Those are some big icons in 640 x 480!

[gthyb]

wow, just switched my imac to 640...yikes.