Some programs, particularly games, include a change of resolution in the program. The better ones will change it back when you close them; but I'm told that quite a few don't.

No games.

Something of this sort might be suspected if it happens only with one or two specific programs; but you implied it's pretty random.

The desktop currently is the right resolution until I click on SeaMonkey or FireFox; then it instantly goes to low res, even this is a Compaq EVO W4000 workstation, about 5 years old or so, which essentially runs 24/7.before the Yahoo profile choice (me/my wife) comes up. I almost never use IE, so I can't tell you about whether that triggers it.; my expectation is that the browser is not really involved. My homepage is Mudcat, and USUALLY the resolution is the Cat good even though I just came from the low res I just mentioned. But I just got off line, and it was low res; getting back on, it's low res on Mudcat too.

It happens on Mudcat, and it happens to my wife on some shopping sites. I've had the problem on my bank's web site.

The next logical suspect would be a graphics card that's intermittently crapping out. This likely would mean the graphics card is close to dying.

A failure of "on the board" graphics components usually doesn't kill the rest of the mother board so you usually can just plug a replacement into a slot.

*** The new monitor might have wiggled the card, and it may just need a few more wiggles to clean the contacts where it plugs into the card connector; but recent graphics cards (or graphics components on the MBoard) tend to run pretty hot, so they seem to age faster than other kinds of components. I've replaced about three (on two computers) in the past couple of years, with failures coming at about 6 to 10 years of 24/7 running with big CRT monitors.

If the card gets hot, and "fails hot," the computer should revert to the "no card" driver that it uses (usually) for Safe Boot, which is a low res display at least during startup. Most Windows OSs might restore the card when it cools off enough to start working again(?) since it will "retry" problem components/drivers in some cases.

This is a Compaq EVO W4000 workstation, about 5 years old or so, which essentially runs 24/7. Both cooling fans are blowing. I am going to turn off the computer, let it cool, and then go through and wiggle and press things. I know that sometimes that's enough to solve mystery diseases.

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Bernard, as I write this I can't give specific numbers, but I know from previous investigations that there is a lot of available excess memory and available HD real estate. I know that the RAM is 2GB or more, although I can't recall how much more. Without specific numbers, I remember that the large HD has about 1/3 unused, according to my last defrag check.

I thank both of you for your leads, which I hope will be of help.
At any rate, even if the press-and-wiggle doesn't solve things, I'll have more information (even if only negative) if I'm forced to go to paid support. I'll look into whether the graphics facility is built in.

Dave Oesterreich