Hi, I have a Dell Dimension 3000 I recently had to bring out of retirement I've done a few upgrades as listed: memory 512 meg(2x 256 meg)(I have 2x 1gigs on the way), Graphics Card GeForce FX 5200(latest drivers nvidia.com recomended), sound card sound blaster 24-bit(I don't remember the specifics at all, I just typed what's on the sticker I got with the card), Windows XP Pro, and some little dial up modem I had to put on because I forgot to get the drivers for the on-board stuff before I wiped the 70 gig hard drive to put XP pro on it, also a 300 gig hard drive partitioned into 3 100 gig segments, and a memorex DVD-ROM Drive. I know most of that is just over information but you never know with computers. So to reiterate what I know is important to my question: Dell Dimension 3000, GeForce FX 5200(latest drivers from nvidia.com), Windows XP Pro. my problem is the keep aspect ratio option is not available in the nvidia control panel. I have looked all over the control panel and even tried reinstalling it. I know where it should be I've done this with other systems. this is the first time I've had this old girl hooked up to a flatscreen, and thus the first time I've had to worry about it with her. As is, if something is in Ratio 4:3 it is stretched into Ratio 16:10 and thus looks horrid. If someone can give me a solution that doesn't involve purchasing a new card that would be great but I'm half thinking of getting a cheep new card for her anyway so a brand recommendation and things I might have to watch out for when buying a new graphics card for this old girl would be nice too.
I know how to go about changing the resolution of the screen itself. The problem is when I try to run a program (mostly older games) that weren't designed with a widescreen in mind. I'll use Diablo 2 as an example: It was designed before widescreen monitors where even in use, so it uses 800x600 resolution, a 4:3 Aspect Ratio. When I try to play it on this monitor it is automatically stretched to fit a 16:10 Aspect Ratio but it's still in 800x600 resolution so everything looks shorter and wider. the monitor itself has no option to change the V-size or H-size of the screen or I could rig something up to work. what I need(and had on the other computer's Nvida Control Panel) is the option to set the graphics card to Keep the Aspect Ratio of programs run intact. this would make wide black bars appear on both sides on the screen when I play something like Diablo 2 But they don't effect anything and I can happily ignore them.
I know how to go about changing the resolution of the screen itself. The problem is when I try to run a program (mostly older games) that weren't designed with a widescreen in mind. I'll use Diablo 2 as an example: It was designed before widescreen monitors where even in use, so it uses 800x600 resolution, a 4:3 Aspect Ratio. When I try to play it on this monitor it is automatically stretched to fit a 16:10 Aspect Ratio but it's still in 800x600 resolution so everything looks shorter and wider. the monitor itself has no option to change the V-size or H-size of the screen or I could rig something up to work. what I need(and had on the other computer's Nvida Control Panel) is the option to set the graphics card to Keep the Aspect Ratio of programs run intact. this would make wide black bars appear on both sides on the screen when I play something like Diablo 2 But they don't effect anything and I can happily ignore them.
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