resolution issue + monitor hz shenanigans

[tomster2300]

Ok, this is kind of driving my nuts now.

My monitor (Samsung 233SW)'s refresh rate is only showing as 59hz in both Windows 7 and Catalyst Control. When I boot up, I get an overlay message from my monitor saying it's not set for the optimum 60hz. When I change it in either Windows or CC, it automatically switches back to 59hz.

This wouldn't be that bad if it weren't screwing with my games too. In Supreme Commander 2, TF2 and Star Wars Empire at War (and basically everything else I've played recently), when I change my resolution in-game to either 1920x1080 59 hz or 1920x1080 60 hz, the screen gets abnormally stretched vertically, and a sliver of the bottom of the screen displays off screen. It's fuzzy looking too. When you minimize the games, my desktop is distorted like this as well (it's like it's loading a different resolution). In my display preferences, it shows 1920x1080 at 59hz. When I change it to another resolution then change it back, everything is ok, including Supreme C. 2 and TF2. Star Wars is a different story....

So, has this been happening to anyone else? I haven't updated CC in awhile - could that be the issue?

Thanks!

[pam123]

What set are you running (I've got the 10.1 set.) ?
Also, have you got the latest Samsung Drivers ?
They surprised me back in early January with a new set for my 941.

[tomster2300]

Driver Packaging Version 8.661-090923a1-083743C-ATI
Catalyst™ Version 09.10
Provider ATI Technologies Inc.
2D Driver Version 8.01.01.961
2D Driver File Path /REGISTRY/MACHINE/SYSTEM/ControlSet001/Control/CLASS/{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}/0000
Direct3D Version 8.14.10.0700
OpenGL Version 6.14.10.9026
Catalyst™ Control Center Version 2009.0925.1707.28889


I'm downloading 10.2 now. Perhaps 9.x had spotty Windows 7 support? I just downloaded the driver off of Samsung's site earlier today but it didn't do anything - do you think CC could be overriding any options selected in Windows? I'll post back with an update after this new set installs.

Thanks for the quick response pam.

[tomster2300]

Alright, here's an update:

I realized that the monitor driver didn't actually install this morning, even though it said it had. I installed it until it finally said Samsung 233sw, etc. in the monitor tab in the Windows display properties. Anyway, that didn't fix anything. It still defaults to 59hz in that menu no matter how many times you change it.

I uninstalled Catalyst, rebooted and tried running the Supreme Commander 2 demo on just the Radeon driver sans the suite. It defaulted to 59hz. Changing to 60hz in the game screws the screen up in-game and on the desktop too.

I installed Catalyst 10.2, rebooted and made sure it said 60hz in the Catalyst control panel. It did, and sticks there. It has actually always said 60hz within Catalyst, even before the install. I check the display - monitor tab in Windows and...it still will only say 59hz. My games default now to 59hz (so I guess that's ok), but I still get the "not displaying in optimum mode" from my monitor on reboot. I checked the monitor settings and it says it's set to 60hz in the actual monitor menu (when you press the menu button on the monitor).

So, I believe this could be one of two things.

1) I plug my monitor up via VGA, which runs through a kvm switch so I can use it for my Macbook (I use VGA because the switch is VGA only). Maybe the signal is becoming screwed up as it comes through that?

2) This is bug within Windows 7 (maybe even as specific as the 64 bit build) and won't be fixable on my end until Microsoft does something about it.

What do you guys think? I need to do a lot of rearranging before I can test a VGA straight into the computer, without the switch. Then I'll try a straight DVI cord to see if it solves anything. Sometimes the digital signal fixes stuff like this, although it's weird that I'm having it in the first place.

Argh.

[tomster2300]

Update:

I removed the kmv switch, dumped vga and went straight dvi into my video card. Windows is still telling me 59hz, but my monitor no longer displays an overlay on bootup, and games seem to be auto-detecting the correct resolution now. After some time on Google it seems that the 59hz issue is an issue with Windows 7 and displays 59 even if it's 60.2, etc. Not exactly sure, but I believe everything is acting as it should.

If anyone can shed more light on this, please do. I think I'm going to stick with dvi from now on though. It's less hassle and provides a crisper image.

[MaxRat]

ALL my LCDs say 59hz as well...the drop down box gives me the same 59 and 60 but I havent messed with it because I think I went trough this before and it was just a glitch or something...

does it on the Nvidia card rigs as well as the ATI...

I also have a Avocent DVI/USB KVM switch and it does it on those rigs as well...

but all games and everything play fine...only issue on the KVM rigs is only the mouse works when it comes out of the monitor off mode on both rigs running win7....XP doesnt do it..

even with ALL power saving features turned off it does it...