Ok here is the problem... On my old Xp with the same graphic Ati sapphire 4850 512mb ddr3 that i have now and monitor viewsonic 2218w i could chose any resolution for windows or when im playing game and also 1400*900 wich i use all the time when playing games... bur now on any windows 7 i can only chose 1680*1050 wich is my default resolution and belove that it is only 1360x1024... well where is 1400*900, i need it for games??? ... i usually have those not standard resolutions to chose.. what is the catch? ?? ?
First 1680*1050 then 1360*1024 or 1360*768 and lower... ....even dont have proper lower widescreen resolutions there is only 1024*768 witch is 4:3 or 800*600... and on my old windows Xp i did have all posibles resolutions to chose even get resolutions like 640*360 etc...
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
+1. In a lot of cases you won't get the extra resolutions without the monitor driver (just an INF file really). If Viewsonic doesn't have anything check Windows Update (one of the few things I will recommend getting a driver from WU for).
My Computer
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Win 7 Ultimate x64FX-8350 @ 4.6 GHz so farADATA XPG V1 Series Black 8GB DDR3 1600Sapphire R9 270x Dual-X
Yes i have newet drivers for my ati card but well ill be searching for monitor drivers... Monitor is maybe 3-4 mounths old i but it few mounts back... Maybe it is the monitor fault but on xo i didnt have monitor drivers still it worked on every resoultion... :shock:
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
You can also check windows update for the driver I have a viewsonic vx1962wm monitor and the w7 driver can be found under optional hardware updates, so they might have one for yours also.
Mine works on the standard plug and play driver the same - maybe your using riva tuner or some other third party ATI tweaker application thats causing the problem, if so remove - you can overclock in the control panel. May even need to reinstall the drivers.
This is if the drivers dont make any difference - just thought i should mention this.
My Computer
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XP, Vista, W7 64bit Home PremiumIntel Core Duo 6850 3.0 ghz @ 3.7 ghz4GB Corsair DDR 2 PC-6400Ati 4870 1ghz
No my ati is not overclocked i didnt even install ati control panel(i never do maybe that is a mistake ) ... But tnx im downloading now drivers for vista (my win is x86) and ill be trying them ...ill keep you informed...
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
Ok i try the signed drivers from viewsonic site but it say that my monitor is not found and that i install standard_monitor_unsigned_drvers ... ok then i found on internet unsigned viewsonic drivers and install it ... now on end of instalation didnt display any massage but nothing change and in device manager in monitor section it says Generic PnP monitor still .. i really dont know what is the problem here... I try to update there too with device manager right click on monitor and update drivers but it says that the best drivers for the device is already installed...
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
Forget the monitor driver - the generic non pnp probably means you have the standard driver they are less likely to cause a problem - its wont effect anything. Now download the complete ati drivers version 9.8 with the control panel, as you were planning, and see if your resolutions problems is fixed. Just try this Im pretty sure it will be ok. Then if it isnt we will worry about it then.
When I install the ati drivers I dont install the folding homes, and i select install rather than uninstall, as it will uninstall the previous driver automatically, you can check the log at the end, and if it has no errors your ok to go.
I install the monitor drivers succesfully from my cd that is going with the monitor( it work now, the last time i try it didnt want to install) ... But all is the same only in device manager it say it is my viewsonic and nothing else change... Ok next step is full drivers with catalyst suit... ill be doing this and then ill keep you inforemed...
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
OK Solved problem.. It was the monitor drivers fault... I did install drivers for monitor but i didnt restart bc windows didnt ask and i dont restart my computer so often ... but after the restart i get to chose all possibles resoulutions ... Also my frend have same problem with LG monitor and when installed drivers (any eaven drivers for xp work on the cd you get with the monitor) his resoultions are back to normal... ) ...
So if anybody ahve similar problems it is 99% a monitors fault... and yes restart your computer after installing the drivers for monitor :sarc:...
Cheers!
My Computer
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Windows 7 RTMAMD Athlon X2 4000+2gb ddr2 800mhzSapphire Ati Radeon 4850
And to all those that said forget monitor drivers, you don't need them : this is proof that monitor drivers are in fact very important because they contain information that tells the OS which resolutions the monitor supports.
My Computer
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Windows 7 Home Basic 64bitIntel Core 2 Duo 6420 (2.13 Ghz)2x1 GB Kingston KVR DDR2 800MhzSaphire ATI HD4870 512MB
Not so sure it wasnt just the reboot because your default resolutions are shown - only the non recommended resolutions dont get shown with the default driver - if you want to see you could roll back the driver, but it doesnt matter only if your curious.
My Computer
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XP, Vista, W7 64bit Home PremiumIntel Core Duo 6850 3.0 ghz @ 3.7 ghz4GB Corsair DDR 2 PC-6400Ati 4870 1ghz
... but after the restart i get to chose all possibles resoulutions 
... Also my frend have same problem with LG monitor and when installed drivers (any eaven drivers for xp work on the cd you get with the monitor) his resoultions are back to normal... ) ...