In message <87372ECCA42DD3118E3200508B2E114601A42BF3@GGEXSF>, Tracy
Pierce <[log in to unmask]> writes
>Pretty off-topic, but you guys are the best, so I'll toss this out there...
>
>A buddy just bought a Presario desktop which runs WinXP.  He runs a couple
>of very old DOS apps which are designed to fill the screen at 640x480 rez,
>using 25 lines of 80 characters.  Even though there are settings available
>for this (a checked box labelled "RUN IN 640x480"), the programs run in what
>appears to be 800x600, and the 25 lines fill only the top half of the
>screen.
>
>I went to a Compaq chatline, and got some confusing answers which sounded
>like I'd run into the typical help-desk person - "the video card in Windows
>XP wont do low-rez", but he later cleaned that up to say "it really is an XP
>limitation".
>
>Of course it's amazing that MS would go to so much trouble to support
>backward compatibility and then decide against it, even leaving the
>yes-i-can indicators in place, right there in the compatibility settings, so
>I'm having trouble swallowing.
>
>The other evidence, one way or the other: rightclick on the desktop,
>properties, settings, where I see that the minimum resolution available is
>800x600.  Sure seems like a video card limitation, but a crazy one.
>
>Any ideas?  Even a confirmation of the bad news would be welcome.  TIA

On my Sony Vaio FX-401 laptop (hence LCD screen), the 'right-click
Desktop'/Properties/Settings tab does indeed bring up a dialog whereby
the lowest res offered is 800 * 600. And the lowest Color Quality is
16-bit (Medium).

However, that's on Monitor 1.

I can also select Monitor 2, whereupon I *do* get offered 640 * 480 and
8 bit Color, if I want that.

And apparently, according to the manual, if I connect an external
monitor, or a TV set, which this machine allows, such a connection uses
the 'Monitor 2' settings.

So I guess I might be able to run your friend's DOS apps full-screen, if
I ran them on Monitor 2....

Of course, that's (still) running in a Window.....

If your friend doesn't want/need to run both DOS programs at once, or
even if he does, and he is quite happy to Alt-Tab between them, just
click the little icon in the top-left of the title bar on the DOS
window, choose Properties/Options/Full Screen, and all is copacetic,
even on one screen......

--
Roy Brown        'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be
Kelmscott Ltd     useful, or believe to be beautiful'  Wm Morris

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