Microsoft KB Archive/83297

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Using a CGA Display Adapter with Windows

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Q83297

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11

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SUMMARY
If you have a CGA or MCGA graphics card, Microsoft Windows appears in black and white.

To have Windows display in color, an EGA card (with 64K or 256K memory), VGA, Super VGA, or XGA is required.

Under Microsoft Windows version 3.1, CGA monitors cannot accommodate the size of specific dialog boxes. Two examples are the About dialog box from the Help menu, and the Desktop dialog box from Control Panel. There is no workaround for this problem. Full CGA support has not been included in Windows 3.1.

MORE INFORMATION
Windows requires a minimum screen resolution of 640 x 200 (640 pixels wide by 200 pixels high). In that resolution, the CGA card provides only one color on a black background (which in Windows is white on black).

The MCGA card can provide a resolution of 640 x 480 but still provides only white on black. The original Logitech Windows 3.1 (OEM version) box states that CGA is a supported video mode. This is incorrect. Logitech is changing the wording on the box to state more accurately the limited support for CGA.

KBCategory: kbenv kbdisplay

KBSubcategory: win30 win31 windrvr

Additional query words: 3.1 3.10 3.11 CGA.EXE board adapter

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Issue type :

Technology : kbWin3xSearch kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311