Resolution stuck 640x480, 16-bit color

How did you reinstall windows ?  By using the Symantec restore program or did you do a clean reformat, and reinstallation ?  If you used the Symantec Restore function, than right click an empty space on your desktop, click on Properties in the next box you see, than click on Settings ontop.  Now slide the resolution bar you see on the lower left side to what ever your monitor native resolution should be.  Click on Apply, than OK afterwards, than the monitor should go blank for a few seconds.  Another box will appear in the upper left side asking you if you wish to keep the new settings.  Click OK.  You only have a few seconds to do this or back to the old setting it will be, so act fast.   If that does not work and you reformatted the hard drive, than follow the below suggestions

 

http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/devices.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=DIM_CEL_3000&os=WW1&osl=EN  #  This is the download site for your Dim 3000 system.  Find the video driver that you probably failed to install after the reinstallation on windows, and install it.  After which, go back into display properties and reset the resolution to what ever monitor you have.

 

Gen 5
3.2 Ghz Dual Core
2 Gb Dual Channel DDR-2 667 Mhz
nVidia 6800 256 Mb PCI-Express
74 Gb ( 10,000 RPM ) Drive
Floppy drive
Dual Drive 16XDVD & DVD+/-RW
IEEE 1394
17 inch (1703 FP) LCD
460 watt power supply

We have this problem here as well. We did a clean reformat and reinstalled Windows XP. However, when I go to the Dell site to download the driver for the Dimension 3000, the drivers for the monitor that came with the machine aren't listed. I did eventually find a zip file for them, downloaded it onto the computer but when I go to the settings to update the driver, the properties box is grayed out and won't let me open it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.