chrissybabe Loc: New Zealand

Recent monitors and graphics cards should set themselves. Graphics cards query the monitor and the monitor will send back what it's native, or recommended resolution is.
I hope we don't see anybody with this problem for a long time. It should really be quite obvious how to fix this.
The first thing you do is find your monitor part number and feed it into google to find its resolution. Then make sure Windows is set to this. This is not computer 101 but even lower than that. Takes about 15 seconds all up.
Then you make a label and stick it in the top left corner of your monitor on the bezel - then you won't ever have this problem again.

BebuLamar is correct that a lot of monitors before 16:9 were 4:3. I got lazy and just selected 5:4 because they came a bit later than the 4:3 and a lot of them were sold in NZ.

However I repeat that you should never have to call any support group or ask on here for something so basic - it takes 15 seconds to fix it yourself. Whoever gets this far and reads all this please don't assume that ALL monitors/TVs have the same resolution OR assume that just because your previous monitor worked that your new one will also (have the same resolution).

Siena Loc: Rocky Hill, CT

"you should never have to call any support group or ask on here for something so basic - it takes 15 seconds to fix it yourself."

I received many good replies from kind folks who were not cavalier, rebuking the OP for not resolving the issue on her own. I am grateful to them.
Cheers.

Opsafari Loc: Roodepoort South Africa

Been in the broadcast industry for many moons and back when TV started in South Africa the only screen size was 4:3 from small to huge monitors! As they were professional monitors there were never an issue with "resolution". But when computers entered the world they brought with them there own monitor systems. First all screens where 4:3 but the pc world is driven by the computer games industry and the gamers wanted a bigger screen not so much by height but in width and the film industry followed them and later we started to see 16:9 screens. Resolution is the clarity of the screen not the size. When it comes to photography you can control the resolution via the video card's software. The problem with web sites today is that you need to cater for all screen sizes eg 15in, 17, 20 and bigger or even the various cellphone and tablet sizes! But to control the output to your screen is via settings of the display or also called video card of your computer. Many video cards can display more than one even up to four screens and you can adjust the size of every screen via card software. Crazy world!

Siena Loc: Rocky Hill, CT

Opsafari - thank you for the insight. I have learned a lot but most important, solved my problem!

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Change your resolution in Windows until your pictures look normal. Oops. I see you did this to solve your problem.

Siena Loc: Rocky Hill, CT

Thank you Bob.