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Change Server Core Screen Resolution

Autor brendon

This may seem like a trivial and un-important task but if the server installs with a screen resolution of 800×600 and the screen’s optimum resolution is 1024×768 or 1280×1024 how do you change it?

You can’t just open up ‘Control Panel -> Desktop’ or run ‘control desk.cpl‘ as they don’t work. Read on for the instructions.

Be warned, the following involves the use of the windows registry editor. Incorrect use can screw up your system. You make this configuration at your own risk…..

1. Open regedit.exe
2. Navigate to HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video\<GUID>\0000\
   Note: Replace the <GUID> with the appropriate string for your video card.
3. If there is more than one GUID listed, Look for a REG_SZ key named ‘Device Description’ as this may give you a clue on which entry to change.
4. Create or edit the following REG_DWORD entries
5. DefaultSettings.YResolution with the decimal data for the screen width. Eg, 768
6. DefaultSettings.XResolution with the decimal data for the screen height. Eg, 1024
7. Cross your fingers, log off and on again. Your screen resolution should have changed.

If your screen goes funny when you log on, chances are the settings you put in are not supported by the monitor. You will need to connect to your server registry remotely and change it again…