Why is everything so small on my computer?

Why is everything so small on my computer? After reinstalling Windows XP everything (web pages, tabs, start button, quick launch icons, etc.) is really small. I have tried adjusting the resolution, changing fonts, and using ctrl +; but I am wondering what happened to make it like this, and how can I get it back the way it was before. I never had to make any adjustments before in order to get it just right. Now everything looks weird and is not quite right.

Thanks!

 

Hi plodr,

The resolition is set to 1280x1024 and the monitor is17in.

Thanks!

 

Thanks so much plodr, that did the trick!

 

I actually tried both and they both worked great; but the 1024 x 768 seems like what I had before, so that is the one I stuck with.

 

What i think for 17" monitor 1152 x 864 resolution is better, but in the last it all depends how you want to look at it.

 

Seems like I remember 1152 x 864 as being more common on Mac/Apple computers.

I think 1024 x 728 is the Windows default for a 17 inch, either CRT or LCD, although the LCD has a larger display area.
Graphics display resolution - XGA+

I have a 19 inch LCD which is a 5x4 ratio and the native resolution is 1280 x 1024.

 

When I was using a 17 inch CRT, for a while I used 1152 x 864 and increased the DPI setting because the text was just too small.

For anyone using Windows 7 or Windows 8 that wants to try that:

How to Change the Display DPI Size in Windows 7 and Windows 8