Question How to get high resolution on an Apple monitor connected to a Windows laptop ?

[jordanthompson]

I have an older Apple display that I am trying to get maximum resolution on from my Dell XPS 13. The display is connected to the XPS (which supports very high resolutions as well) via an Apple proprietary box that converts the signal to thunderbolt.

When connected to a MacBook I can get incredibly high resolution, maximizing the display (so I know that it is possible). When I connect my xps, it shows up as a generic monitor and I can't get a decent resolution from it.

I have tried to turn on unsupported resolutions for the display, but I have already selected the highest available in the list.

I could have sworn that I had this working a while back, but for the life of me, I can't remember how I did it.

Mod Edit:
Is it possible to get display drivers from a boot camp installation and install them on a windows pc? Would this even work?

 

[Lutfij]

Apple have a number of displays out there, which one do you have to work with? As for the breakaway/adapter cable, please pass on a link to said cable. With regards to your laptop, can you please pass on the SKU to said laptop? Similar to Apple and other brands, Dell Have a number of 13" XPS listed in their portfolio, both old and new.

 

[jordanthompson]

Thanks for getting back

Apple have a number of displays out there, which one do you have to work with? As for the breakaway/adapter cable, please pass on a link to said cable. With regards to your laptop, can you please pass on the SKU to said laptop? Similar to Apple and other brands, Dell Have a number of 13" XPS listed in their portfolio, both old and new.

Thanks for getting back to me on this. Unfortunately I am not in front of the display so I don't have the details on it. This is the Apple/thunderbolt adapter. I have an "XPS 13 Plus 9320" with a display driver capable of 3456x2160 (to the built-in display at least). I think the root problem is that the driver is incorrect (it is using the generic Microsoft driver which has limited capabilities.) I feel that if I could get my hands on the driver from bootcamp, it may just work (I had it working on a MacBook both natively and running bootcamp at one point) or if I could trick the OS with a different driver...

 

[Lutfij]

When in Device manager, can you see what your Display Adaptor is?

 

[jordanthompson]

It is a "Generic Monitor (Cinema HD):

Here is the driver information:

And the driver details:

Here is the advanced display information:

And finally more information about the driver and the available resolutions:

Here are the resolutions available for the built-in display:

 

[jordanthompson]

I was able to get my hands on a copy of AppleDisplayInstaller64.exe and ran it then rebooted. I was hoping for a miracle, but alas, none was to come :-(
Still having issues with this monitor :-(