Resolution on Laptop monitor

My dad has an abacus that is strangely enough working quite well even today.

The company sold it went bankrupt 2 months after he bought it, and it has been a little difficult for me (with my not so extensive knowledge) to verify what drivers I should download and install for it, so for now, I have not installed any drivers (except for modem) for the original hardware.

The problem I'm having with it is that I can't set screen resolution higher than 800x600. Windows will allow 768x1024, but then all of Desktop won't "fit" on the screen, and you have to move the Desktop around with the mouse, to access all of it.

So my question is, is there anything I can do to make it allow a higher resolution without the "moving around" problem?

The information I have on this old baby:

Chicony MP995
Intel Celeron MMX 300MHz
Bios: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PGM
Running XP pro, SP2

I have found this place for driver downloads. I haven't installed any of those drivers, so I wonder, do I need the VGA-driver? The computer has functioned very well without it for many years, and apart from it being old and slow, the only problem with it really is the resolution.

And... We also have not been able to get the laptop to recognise a larger hdd. Apparently it is a problem with the bios drivers that causes this problem, so I have been tempted to update bios. I have never done that before on a computer, and I'm a little hesitant, as I have heard things can go irrevocably wrong.

So basically, 2 questions. Can I sort the resolution problem somehow?
And would it be advisable to update bios, or should I tell my dad to be happy with it as it is?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you, I will give it a try!

Will install Everest to find out a little more about it tonight. Definite confirm on the CPU being the Intel Celeron, but haven't got a clue about the video. Will find out.

So you recommend those drivers rather than the VGA drivers? Or both? I'm sorry to be such a pain, but I haven't really learned what the VGA drivers do, and what they are needed for, so that is why I'm asking!

 

Right...

CPU: Mobile Intel Celeron-A,399 MHz (4.5x67)
Mobo name: Unknown...
Mobo Chipset:Intel Banister 82440MX
BIOS Type: Award Modular (09/16/99)

Video Adapter: Silicon Motion LynxEM (4MB)
PCI/AGP Video: Silicon Motion SM710 LynxEM
Chip Type: LynxEM
DAC Type: Integrated DAMDAC
Installed Drivers: smidispb (5.01.2401.0143e)
Monitor: Digital Flat Panel (800x600)

So the monitor is set to operate on 800x600. Question is if it will run on higher res anyway!

Mobo drivers are installed successfully, but no change in the monitor settings.

 

So far, I have had no luck with settings after updating drivers. Perhaps it isn't possible.

Is there no application that will allow me to run other resolutions, and "force" that little sorry excuse for graphics to give me higher resolutions?

I suppose it is also a good paper weight...
Reason why I want to improve this old thing is because I don't think I have ever laid my hands on a more stable machine, and my dad loves it for simple typing jobs etc. I suppose normally an old thing like this should be retired, but as long as it does what it is told...