Force DVI/HDMI resolutions and refresh rates

How to Force DVI or HDMI Resolutions and Refresh Rates in Windows 7​

   Information

There have been innumerable posts on SevenForums about things like 59Hz refresh rates and 1080p 16:9 HDTVs that display only 1024x768 when connected with DVI or HDMI. After a ton of research and development I think I've got a working solution for virtually all of these issues.

Starting with Vista, Microsoft has required graphics vendors to read and respect monitor capability information from the display itself if they wanted to pass Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certification. This display capability data is encapsulated in an EDID. Few HDTV manufacturers sought WHQL and it's unclear whether Microsoft tests display EDIDs from monitor manufacturers as a WHQL requirement. Please let me know if you have a WHQL display that seems to have a bad EDID.

As a result, many DVI/HDMI connected HDTVs and some monitors are locked into displaying only those resolutions and refresh rates that are specified in the EDID. No graphics adapter or driver is supposed to allow configurations not listed in the EDID at least as a default. Newer ATI drivers allow for a small number of HD resolutions to be forced but it's been hit or miss for the users I've surveyed and nVidia's offerings don't seem to be a 100% solution either.

The natural solution would appear to be changing the EDID information in the display. Rarely, this is possible with Powestrip if the display stores the EDID in a flash memory but more commonly the EDID is stored in an EPROM that can only be updated with specialized hardware. I've talked with several display vendors during the development of this tutorial and none of them consider a bad EDID grounds for warranty service. So if next to no displays support updating the EDID through software and the manufacturer won't fix the hardware, what are we left to do? Break out the toolkit and warm up the soldering iron?

While that's well within my capabilities it seems to put some end-users off a bit, although I really can't understand why -- I love the smell of solder in the morning! But there has to be a better way right? Again, Microsoft has a solution if you really dig for it and do your homework: How to Use an INF to Override the Monitor EDID While it's not intended for end users, what really fun stuff is? The challenge was to develop a method accessible to a greater audience -- to improve on the solution that Microsoft provides that's intended for hardware manufacturers and make it work for us.

   Warning

Prerequisites

• Read and understand both linked documents above.
• Post questions if anything is unclear before you proceed.
• Don't blame me when you ruin your $3000 HDTV. Smoke can happen.
• Read up on what your displays true capabilities are stick close to them.
• This is more of a coffee tutorial than a beer tutorial...

Procedure

1. Download View attachment Phoenix.zip and extract it to a working folder.
2. Run it and click the registry toolbar button.
3. Click the pencil toolbar button for edit mode.
4. Change the EDID settings to reflect you display's true capabilities
5. Pay special attention to the Standard Timings tab.
6. Detailed Timing blocks 2-4 provide some very interested additional options.
7. Save the EDID to a .DAT file in the working folder.
8. Download moninfo.exe and install it.
9. Open the saved .DAT with MonInfo and make sure it doesn't complain about it
10. If it does post here for help
11. If MonInfo reads in an displays the settings the way you configured them in Phoenix then...
12. Select Create INF... from the file menu and save it to the working folder.
13. Feel free to edit the strings in the INF to your liking.
14. Open Start, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
15. Select the monitor you want to change, right click and select Update Driver Software
16. Use the tried and true "Have Disk" method to select the INF and install it.
17. Reboot and enjoy your new resolution!

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Screen Refresh Rate in Windows 7
• How to Change the Screen Resolution in Windows 7
• How to Create a Custom Screen Refresh Rate with NVIDIA Control Panel in Windows

 

[Raptor007]

Thanks. After all the research I did to come up with this guide I got mostly complaints. As a result I left this site and have only recently come back. I've also seen many of my techniques used for driver issues and such so I'm happy to have helped. I think Windows 7 is off and on it's way so thanks for all the fish!

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that it got you so much grief from other users! I have nothing but gratitude, as this is exactly what I was looking for. I'm so glad you posted it!

Your fix is very clever, in my opinion. I'd considered picking a different monitor driver, but nothing in the list of Microsoft-provided drivers seemed helpful. I like how your method gets me a new driver that's specifically tailored for my display (since it is based off the display's original EDID). You managed to turn a very complicated job into a relatively simple set of instructions.


I have to give Microsoft a wag of my finger for being so strict about resolution and refresh rate selection. There's a checkbox in the control panel for hiding modes that are not supported, but it doesn't seem to allow anything more when you uncheck it! And do they really think a display that takes 75Hz won't take 60Hz? If their solution panned out perfectly, and nobody ever got out-of-scan errors, I might forgive them -- but my friend had problems with an old LCD because it was reporting 56Hz support that it didn't actually have. (Hey, your fix might help him too!)

 

[kitji]

is this applicable to laptops? just wondering

 

[baarod]

is this applicable to laptops? just wondering

Typically, no. Laptops displays are usually hard wired to the video subsystem and as such the EDID interaction is bypassed. Some "kit" machines expose an EDID but that's a distinct minority.

 

[kitji]

thanks

 

[signaldog]

is this applicable to laptops? just wondering

Typically, no. Laptops displays are usually hard wired to the video subsystem and as such the EDID interaction is bypassed. Some "kit" machines expose an EDID but that's a distinct minority.

I would have to say "that's not always true either"...it's a hit or miss scenario, but it all depends on the problem you are having. If you upgraded software, as I did, and lost resolutions because they are not native to your new OS, this fix works fine. If you are trying to get a resolution that your physical display cannot support, it won't work...

My advice is to give it a try (if it's something you used to have available) and let other people know if it worked.

Feel free to check my other posts to see what problem I had. This solution worked just fine for me.

Sig

 

[baarod]

is this applicable to laptops? just wondering

Typically, no. Laptops displays are usually hard wired to the video subsystem and as such the EDID interaction is bypassed. Some "kit" machines expose an EDID but that's a distinct minority.

I would have to say "that's not always true either"...it's a hit or miss scenario, but it all depends on the problem you are having. If you upgraded software, as I did, and lost resolutions because they are not native to your new OS, this fix works fine. If you are trying to get a resolution that your physical display cannot support, it won't work...

My advice is to give it a try (if it's something you used to have available) and let other people know if it worked.

Feel free to check my other posts to see what problem I had. This solution worked just fine for me.

Sig

If more folks had chimed in that this thing I posted worked for them I might have returned sooner. Thanks for the support!

 

[jukkis83]

Thanks for the tweak, I got my desktop resolution again back to 1600x1200@100 after getting Radeon 5770 (the old cards worked just fine which is odd).

I have a problem thou, my monitor supports 1024x768@160Hz, but I can't change it above 123Hz from Phoenix for some reason. Is there any way to go around this, I tried refresh lock with Ati Tray Tools, but even with that it just reverts back to 60Hz.

I don't understand how the detailed timings work in Phoenix, they too tell that 123Hz is the maximum.

My setup:
Win 7
Radeon 5770 @ Sony F520
Catalyst 9.12/10.2 (Tried with both)

 

[haytrop]

Hi !

Thanks ! Baarod , thanks thanks thanks thanks so much for this help/fix

I am running a 19" Gigabyte CRT and i followed your instructions on page 1 point for point - it worked perfectly and allowed me to go back to my WinXP Settings 100Hz/110Hz or 120Hz as i wish. ( I am running the 196.21 NVIDIA Drivers 8800GTX)

I ran those drivers on WinXP Pro and now on Win 7 !

1 PROBLEM tho ?

It only allows me to runn them in 16 bit - whenever i try 32 bit it goes directly to 256 colors ?

Anyone know what the problem or solution is ?

 

[sfshopper]

This may be simpler or not...

Hi there,
First of all, and upfront, thanks for all your help - I have read quite a bit of the thread and you clearly show that you care!

Second, sorry for a rather large post. I have a situation with a KVM that is connected to 2 computers. One of them, a laptop, has Win 7 installed, the other one is a home built system and has Server 2008 and XP on dual boot. My monitor (that acts as a second monitor for my laptop) is an HP 2335, with 1920x1200 native res.

Now this is the fun stuff: when I connect the monitor to XP, 7 or 2008 directly I can get the 1920x1200 resolution. But when I connect it through the KVM switch, I can get 1920x1200 only with XP; both Win 7 and Server 2008 do not detect the right resolutions for the monitor, and give me modes, including 1920x1440 that are not supported. I have to resort to 1600x1200, which is really bad because the screen looks all fuzzy.

After reading your post I thought I had the solution. I have not tried it yet in the server, but with laptop on Win 7, when I use Phoenix, I get 2 results for the EDID, one of them for the HP monitor and the other something called BOE089B that seems to have nothing relevant on it (standard timings are all disabled and block content for detailed timings are all ASCII string type.)

I have assumed that the HP EDID is the one from the monitor when it is connected directly, and the BOE089B is the one from the KVM that seems like garbage - I bet the KVM does not transfer properly the EDID info.

I thought then that by using the HP monitor.inf file to replace the BOE089B EDID (that reads as VGA in screen resolution window) I would be able to set the proper resolutions. When I "update software" in device manager and choose the monitor.inf that I have created by exporting the HP EDID with Phoenix, the video system resets and I get back to the same place. Restarting does not change anything. The Device Manager now shows a EDID Override monitor, but Phoenix reading the registry keeps getting the same garbage info, although the name of the .inf file now reads EDID Override.

Do you knof if am I doing something wrong, or the laptop video card is not letting the EDID override work? When the video system resets, the laptop returns to a clone desktop approach instead of extended desktop configuration.

Anyway, any help appreciated. I will try next with the server OS and see if the above process works better at all.

 

[k10ck3r]

Worked for me!

Thank you for this tutorial! I have been fighting Windows 7 to get my KVM switch to work properly (using two monitors on a second computer and if the main monitor wasn't connected at boot time, I got a lame low-res default size, which Win 7 would not let me change). This worked great for me and I was able to avoid buying an EDID Ghost Emulator.

 

[sfshopper]

Fixed it - bought a new KVM

Got a new, better KVM and the monitor were identified by all the OSs. Thre TRENDNET USB KVM, bought from TigerDirect through Amazon (shipping costs were lower that way) works perfectly and supports up to 4 PCs.

Thanks!

 

[cucnor]

hi. could some one show me how detailed timings tab should look like for res 1920x1080 100Hz, please.

 

[cucnor]

i would love to run my Panasonic TH-42PX80EA advertise as 100Hz TV!? on 16:9 1920x1080 100Hz or 85Hz flicker free, is it possible? i've dumped my edid from registry, tried to edit but no luck so far. Is there enybody who could help me with that??

 

[helpmesadface]

Please will someone help me force 1024x768 @144hz on my Dell P1130? The guide is way beyond my capabilities. Im happy for someone to remote desktop if necessary...

 

[jaggerwild]

new member chimming in

Hello all!
I joined this forum a few days ago, never really been active in a windows forum but see now where it is very important for me.
When I joined I had been pulling my hair out for days trying to get my 42"LCD to work with Windows 7. But my thinking was I had a software or ATI issue, the more hair I lost the more it looked like a Windows issue. So I finally, after hooking up my old 19" LCD (windows Vista certified too) came here to look and see if somebody else has this issue as I didn't see a proper place or thread for mine. I then saw gadgets found this thread, and realized why my Insignia 42" LCD monitor wasn't working(I assume cause of the EDID thing). Just by reading the first few postings made me use the windows adjustment to the display and BOOM finally!!!
Thank you for the help!!!
Me so happy!
Also Thank you for a great forum!I tried to add rep to the OP but it won't let me?

 

[Badelhas]

Locked Refresh Rate: Ati 5850 + CRT Syncmaster 1100MB ?

Hello all. I have the same problem... It´s the complete panic!
I bought new hardware (mobo,cpu,ram,Ssd,Case) and instaled windows 7 64 bits, because now I have 4gb of Ram. I also have an ATI 5850, a big Samsung Syncmaster 1100MB CRT, connected trough a DVI - VGA Adapter. When I was with Windows 7 32bits the 10.2 Catalyst worked fine, although when I tried to install 10.3 Driver the resolution locked at 1024x800. So I rolled back to 10.2 and everything was fine, I decided to wait for a new driver to update.
But now I have windows 7 64 bits and tried with 10.3 and there are some resolutions available, but with a maximum refresh rate of 60hz! I used Drive Sweeper and tried the 10.2, the 10.4 Preview, tried changing windows Registry, tried ATI Tray Tools, and NOTHING WORKS! My eyes are hurting and so is my head with all this. Are CRT banned from ATI Drivers from now on? Should I install 32bits (and lose the 4gb Ram possibility)? Can someone please help me?
Many thanks in advance.
Andre

 

[jaggerwild]

Hello all. I have the same problem... It´s the complete panic!
I bought new hardware (mobo,cpu,ram,Ssd,Case) and instaled windows 7 64 bits, because now I have 4gb of Ram. I also have an ATI 5850, a big Samsung Syncmaster 1100MB CRT, connected trough a DVI - VGA Adapter. When I was with Windows 7 32bits the 10.2 Catalyst worked fine, although when I tried to install 10.3 Driver the resolution locked at 1024x800. So I rolled back to 10.2 and everything was fine, I decided to wait for a new driver to update.
But now I have windows 7 64 bits and tried with 10.3 and there are some resolutions available, but with a maximum refresh rate of 60hz! I used Drive Sweeper and tried the 10.2, the 10.4 Preview, tried changing windows Registry, tried ATI Tray Tools, and NOTHING WORKS! My eyes are hurting and so is my head with all this. Are CRT banned from ATI Drivers from now on? Should I install 32bits (and lose the 4gb Ram possibility)? Can someone please help me?
Many thanks in advance.
Andre

Have you tried hooking a small monitor(at the same time) to the computer, to adjust it? This helped me, I then went in to CCC adjusted the big screen resolution by right clicking on it in "desktops and displays" then hitting "config" it offers me what I needed. I can run over 60Hrz now, it has nothing to do with 64 bits or four gigs of mem. After right clicking on the monitor it allows me to adjust or force any resolution I need, I then chose the large LCD as my primary(desktop).
Just using driver sweeper will not be enough you will still have to go into the windows folders on the"C" drive, then find the "system32" folder and remove any ATI files that are still there. I also go on the "C" remove any ATI folder let over from using the ATI install/remove method before using the sweeper.
Hope this helps you out!

 

[Badelhas]

Problem Solve. Thanks anyway

My problem is solved, finally. I just followed this tutorial:

1. Download Phoenix.zip and extract it to a working folder.
2. Run it and click the registry toolbar button.
3. Click the pencil toolbar button for edit mode.
4. Change the EDID settings to reflect you display's true capabilities
5. Pay special attention to the Standard Timings tab.
6. Detailed Timing blocks 2-4 provide some very interested additional options.
7. Save the EDID to a .DAT file in the working folder.
8. Download moninfo.exe and install it.
9. Open the saved .DAT with MonInfo and make sure it doesn't complain about it
10. If it does post here for help
11. If MonInfo reads in an displays the settings the way you configured them in Phoenix then...
12. Select Create INF... from the file menu and save it to the working folder.
13. Feel free to edit the strings in the INF to your liking.
14. Open Start, type devmgmt.msc and press Enter.
15. Select the monitor you want to change, right click and select Update Driver Software
16. Use the tried and true "Have Disk" method to select the INF and install it.
17. Reboot and enjoy your new resolution!

Andre

 

[irumy3]

Anyone with a Samsung 226BW try this yet? i am trying to get mine to force 75hz i used powerstrip to force it but i rather not have to use the program. If someone can try it for me that would be awesome i tried for about 4 hours now, everytime i do it it sets the 75hz but its not 1680 x 1050 it comes up as 840x1050 or something like that.

Thanks,
iRumy3

 

[Badelhas]

Tutorial?

You tried the tutorial? What happened?