I run Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) on a Toshiba Tecra laptop. I've been setting my screen refresh rate to 85Hz, but the rate drops back to 60Hz each time I reboot. Why?
LCD flat-panel displays have one resolution at which they look best; a vertical refresh rate of 60Hz is optimal for most systems with LCD flat-panel displays, including laptops. Most video display adapters, however, permit inappropriate choices (e.g., 85Hz), and if you're used to CRT monitors, you probably automatically assume that more is better when it comes to vertical refresh rates. Your system's driver knows that 85Hz isn't optimal for the system's display type and therefore is resetting the rate. You can force the display to a lower resolution by expanding the image, but doing so results in a fuzzy, distorted image. Running the display at its predefined maximum or optimal resolution is always best.