Another way to change screen resolution in Windows 98?

Factual Questions
1

I’m playing around with an older computer I bought the parts for and put together myself. Everything is going fine, except for one thing. Occasionally when Windows 98 starts up, the video gets messed up. If it’s not too bad, I can right click, select properties, goto settings, and select another choice for colors, for instance, going from 32 bits to 16 bits, and the screen goes back to normal.
Now, until I have a permanent solution to this problem, I have an idea for a temporary one, and this is where I need someone’s help. I have two ideas, and if anybody can tell me how to do one of them, I’d appreciate it.

  1. Record a macro of me using the mouse to change the screen settings then run that macro every time Windows starts. This is difficult as, for the moment anyway, I don’t have the money to spend on something as frivolous as this, and I can’t find any freeware macro recorders.
  2. Create a hot key I can just press to change the screen. This one is difficult to figure out because I’m not sure if there’s an exe file I can run that can change the screen.
    If anybody can help me with this, or has another way to change the screen settings, I’d appreciate it. Thank you.
2

There’s a number of free macro and keystroke programs around.
Try http://download.com under utilities. Once you find the correct key words to ask for, restate the search and then at the bottom click the price tab for freeware.

3

An alternative, which I haven’t used in ages, is the MODE command in MSDos. If you know Dos, you can create a batch file, then create a shortcut to it by right-clicking the file name.
Then move the shortcut into your Programs/StartUp directory.

4

Thanks, I’m giving the link a try right now. Also, yes, I do know DOS, although I’m blanking on the MODE command right now. But I’ll check it out. Thanks.

5

Many video card makers provide utilities for setting the mode at a MSDOS command line. You put it in the autoexec.bat or other suitable startup file. The traditional MSDOS mode command is highly unlikely to be useful for any modern card. It is very card dependent, so check with the web site of the video card maker.

6

I think you would be better looking into updating the drivers and video BIOS. A properly operating video card should not be doing this at all. What kind of card do you have, and what slot (PCI or AGP) are you using? I have a couple of nice older PCI and AGP video cards I’d be happy to give you for the shipping cost.

7

Thanks, but I pretty much know what’s wrong, or at least I have things I can try that should work, but that that will have to most likely wait till after the holiday season.
I found a freeware macro recorder, so for now, I have a quick fix. Anyway, I hardly ever use that computer, so even if I couldn’t fix the problem, it wouldn’t be a big deal anyway. But thanks for the offer.