Windows 10: Windows doesn't have correct resolution for External Monitor

I have an Asus Laptop running windows 10. Just purchased a used HP L2208w monitor. using HDMI to VGA adapter since monitor doesn't have HDMI. I have googled for a couple hours and can't find a solution anywhere.


Laptop monitor, everything is great.


HP monitor is blurry, most likely due to the wrong resolution set by windows, which is 1024 x 768. Monitor recommends 1680 x 1050. How do I get windows to let me change the resolution to 1680 x 1050 for the external monitor?


I've Tried:

1. "updating" graphics driver to each of the three drivers on my computer by going into device manager.
2. I went to HP website and downloaded latest driver for this exact monitor. restarted PC. no change.
3. Connecting my wife's mac, which recognized and knew it was projecting to external monitor, but the monitor itself turned off, apparently detecting no signal. Couldn't get the mac to actually display on the monitor. Interestingly, in the display settings, the mac also didn't find the correct 1680 x 1050 setting and ALSO defaulted to 1024 / 768 (with no option that I could see for the correct resolution).
4. Various restart and unplug/plug combinations.

Please help!

:)

 

Monitor is detected but display resolution is not correct


One of two possibilities:

1. Driver is still not correct, as you don't have the listed resolution to go to recommended for that monitor. If it is using a driver win 10 installed and not the manufacturer, then you need to try the manufacturer driver, list the display driver from device manager and we can go from there.

2. Card in PC (Is it a card, or integrated mainboard graphics?) doesn't support that resolution, hence driver not listing it, etc.

Other possibility - what does the system show for the monitor listed in device manager?

 

External Monitor with Quicken

Hi Mark,

It is possible that the display resolution automatically adjusts after connecting to an external monitor. For us to properly isolate this issue, we have some questions for you:

• Are you experiencing the same issue even without using the Quicken tool?
• Have you checked if the display resolution settings of the Surface device and the external monitor is the same?
• Have you tried checking for a graphics device driver update?
• What troubleshooting steps have you done to isolate the issue?
  

We're looking forward to your response.

 

Ongoing Resolution Issues With Multiple Monitors

Hello,

I am looking for help, as I have been having some resolution issues with my extended monitors for quite some time. There are a large number of problems that range from BSODing shortly after re-connecting my docked monitors on a regular basis to having constant
annoyances with sizes on screen. I have tried and searched for hours and attempted every applicable resolution, but I haven't found a correct solution.

Problems

• Refer to this gallery for images citing the specific resolution issues (apologies for the compressed/poor quality): Resolution Issues
• BSOD after re-connecting my laptop to either docks (takes about 15-20 minutes and gives multiple error messages)
• Very inconsistent font sizes and sizes associated with Windows and file explorer
• Applications, both DPI-aware and non-DPI aware, have scaling issues

Things I have tried:

• Updated drivers, BIOS, firmware, software, etc.
• Ran the various Windows commands to check for errors (sfc /scannow, dism, etc.)
• Swapped wires and re-seated connections
• Adjusted refresh rate on external monitors to 59 and 60 hz
• Adjusted resolution on primary monitor to 1920x1080 to match both external monitors (while this is an undesirable solution, it did help some problems and helped address many of the sizing problems, especially with file explorer)
• Used custom scaling instead of standard resolutions
• Installed Samsung drivers for monitors
• Reset the monitors to default settings
• As an aside, the resolution problems disappear entirely on the external monitors if I set them to mirror the primary monitor. However, as soon as I extend the display, the resolution problems appear. I do not want to mirror my monitors,
  but I don't understand why a mirror would correct the problems.

Hardware/Specs:

• Dell XPS 15 9550 Laptop
• Primary Monitor: 3840x2160 (also 1920x1080)
• Two Secondary External Monitors: Samsung S27E510 (1920x1080)
• OS: Windows 10 Version 1607 - I have had the same problems with multiple builds. I also had the same problems on Version 1511.
• Dock 1: USB-C hub to allow for a second HDMI external monitor, in addition to the other secondary HDMI external monitor, which is connected directly to the laptop
• Dock 2: Thunderbolt TB-15 (this was installed a few months after using the USB-C hub, but did not change any of the issues)
• Video Card/Drivers: Intel HD 530 (Dell Firmware - 20.19.15.4483) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M (Driver - 21.21.13.757) - the NVIDIA driver was disabled, which helped improve some of the problems, but not all of them.