Force DVI/HDMI resolutions and refresh rates

Phoenix can't find any EDID on my machine. Nvidia GTX295/Viewsonic VX2240w LCD monitor in Windows 7 x64.

I've told baarod some time ago that I've summed up a more detailed procedure, sent him the drafts, but I guess he is again very busy. This is mostly geared towards CRT's or other displays with analog connection (VGA) as it's the most affected hardware but the guidelines can be used for digital connection too. So here it is folks:

I. Choose the monitor to hack.
Leave only the monitor that you want to hack connected to your card. Reboot.
Open an elevated command prompt. Enter there:
> set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
> devmgmt.msc
In the now opened Device Manager, View->Show Hidden Devices.
Remove all on Monitors. Reboot.

II. Dump the monitor's EDID (extended display identification data).
Get softMCCS from entech. Select your monitor's name. File -> Save EDID as... and choose Save as type Raylar EDID file (*.dat).

III. Customize the EDID with PED.
Get Phoenix EDID Designer from tucows.com:
Open your Raylar EDID file (*.dat) into it. File -> uncheck Read only.
On the Detailed Timings Tab, select the Descriptor Block featuring Monitor Range Limits.

   Warning

Monitor Range Limits

• These are the absolute maximum supported settings! Don't go beyond them, as your monitor could die in flames (less common on modern displays).

• Check your monitor's printed manual for the correct settings if you believe you have an incorrect EDID, do not modify otherwise.

Use this modeline generator (PED Helper) to create presets for your EDID that do not exceed the hardware limits. It's a simple excel file with no macros (safe). Preview here.

• Input in the colored cells from the left area, the data found in the Monitor Range Limits block.
• Input a safety margin (defaults to 2.0%) to prevent Out of Range.
• Input the horizontal resolution (the vertical one is self-generated) and choose the aspect ratio (from 5:4,4:3,16:9 and 16:10).
• The excel sheet will return a range of safe refresh rates for both the Phoenix Edid Designer and the Create Custom Resolution tool in Windows, for the selected resolution.

On the Standard Timings Tab, choose your presets starting from the lowest resolution:

• Input H. Active pixels = resolution's width. Common values are 720, 1024, 1280, 1440...
• Select Aspect Ratio, used to calculate the resolution's height, Height = H. Active pixels/Aspect Ratio. Example: 1280/4x3=960 or 1280/5x4=1024
• Input Refresh = Use the PED Helper with the selected resolution, and choose a value (integer) between the limits for the EDID.
• Repeat the above (eight user presets possible in PED).

   Information

- Because the refresh and the aspect values are stored both in a single byte, you can only input a refresh rate value (integer) up to 123.
- PED also limits the minimum refresh rate to 60.

Setup your native resolution and refresh rate:
On the Detailed Timings Tab, select the Descriptor Block featuring Timings, Stereo Display and Sync Scheme.
Use the PED Helper again, with the resolution you want to be selected by Windows as default (native). Input the generated values in the Timings Descriptor Block:

• The excel sheet will generate values for the maximum safe VESA GTF refresh rate, while retaining a round pixel clock (some sort of GTF/CVT hybrid), providing better compatibility with various graphics card's.
• You can choose your own refresh rate by typing in the colored cell from the Timings area in PED Helper, as long as it is in the recommended range (not limited up to 123 here).
• Hints are available to determine a refresh rate with a round pixel, too (recommended).

From the File menu -> Save EDID As... EDID DAT File (*.dat).

Create the new monitor INF modded driver:
Open this tool (moninfo from EnTech). File -> Open -> your EDID DAT File (*.dat). File -> Create INF...

Update the monitor's driver with your new INF, ignoring the non-whql driver prompt. Reboot and enjoy.

At least on nVidia with the latest driver, by using the Create Custom Resolution inside the driver's control panel you are now able to fix this issue. From a previous post:
- Change your desktop to the resolution you want modded. REQUIRED (or not, seems that latest cpl from nvidia is more stable)
This means that if you are on 1024x768 and want to add a custom resolution for 800x600, you first have to change your desktop resolution to 800x600.
UPDATE:
- Modify the "Refresh rate (Hz):" in the Create Custom Resolution dialog and "timings standard" (found in the same dialog, click on the drop-down button named "Timing" and then choose instead of Automatic:
* GTF for CRTs and plasmas.
* CVT for LCDs when you have selected a higher than 60Hz vertical frequency.
* CVT-reduced blanking for LCDs when you have selected 60Hz (recommended by VESA only on 60Hz) useful in higher resolutions, most of the time the only standard that works.
* Manual if you want to input the data supplied by PED Helper in the "Add Custom Resolution..." section.
- Press Test, and then repeat the procedure (change desktop res, open nvcpl, add res, close nvcpl) for all your custom resolutions.
- Some low resolutions are not available in nVidia CPL, use the Windows Screen Resolution - Advanced Settings - List All Modes to change to them (take care to choose the right bitrate - 32bit recommended).

If it's not working for you, and you cannot update the EDID using PowerStrip, the hardware pin breaking mode (to block EDID) is still a choice :) but then again, not recommended anymore.

   Information

For some users, mostly owners of a CRT or other monitors with VGA interface, this guide alone was not enough, Windows 7 was enforcing the default EDID no matter what.
No longer recommended, software workarounds are fine now!
Kept here just in case

You can use Powerstrip from EnTech (the purchased version only) to update your monitor's EDID, but chances are your's could be read-only (many manufacturers opted for a cheap memory that is not software flash-able to store the EDID).

A workaround for this would be to block your monitor from reporting the EDID profile to Windows - it will no longer be seen as a Plug and Play Monitor featuring auto-configuration. Windows would need a driver for it to describe it's capabilities, and lucky you, you have just created one using part one of this guide.

There is no generic software way of doing this under Windows, Ati had (still has it?) "ignore DDC" settings for this, nVidia had nothing, so one solution is to physically alter your hardware, which involves breaking a pin on the connector that goes from your monitor into your graphics card.

   Warning

Working with your hardware at the physical level is dangerous,
please review all the safety measures applicable,
and proceed at your own risk!

Before any hardware modification, you must create your modded INF driver using the guide above, because once done, Windows will no longer have access to the EDID reported by your monitor.

To prevent permanent damage, do not apply the mod directly to your monitor's cable, use a suitable adaptor, suggested below.

While you work on your mod, keep your monitor unplugged from the mains AC power line and from your computer graphics card, same applies for the external adaptor, it should be unplugged on both ends, too.

Common CRT monitors have their VGA cable fixed on the back, very hard to replace (only by a technician) if anything goes wrong. You must do your modification on:

• a VGA extender cable (female-male) if you use the VGA port of your graphics card.

• a DVI-VGA adaptor if you use the DVI port of your graphics card.

Some high-end CRT monitors, Plasma TVs and few LCD monitors without DVI interface have replaceable VGA(male)-VGA(male) cable. You must do your modification on:

• a extra VGA(male)-VGA(male) cable if you use the VGA port of your graphics card.

• a DVI-VGA cable for the DVI port of your graphics card.

Modding the cable for the VGA port of your graphics card.
A picture is worth a thousand words:
Full-size

Pin number 12, marked in red+white, must be removed.

Modding the cable for the DVI port of your graphics card.
Two pictures are worth a thousand words:
Full-size Full-size

Pin number 7, marked in red+white, must be removed.

   Information

To remove the pin without special tools, a small point screwdriver will suffice, apply force to bend the pin, slowly, in one direction and then in the other, until it breaks.

Now connect your monitor to the modded VGA extender/ DVI-VGA adaptor/DVI-VGA cable and further connect it to your graphics card VGA/DVI port. Power on.

Windows should detect a Generic Non-PnP Monitor if the mod succeeded. Update the driver with the one you've created. Reboot and enjoy.