”Here’s a trick to change the screen resolution and color quality display settings in Safe Mode of Windows, with any registry hack or third party program. Go to Display Properties (Windows XP) or Display Settings (Windows Vista) by right click on empty blank space on Desktop, then select Properties (Windows XP) or Personalize (Windows Vista). Then change the resolution by sliding the Low to High slider bar. Do not press “OK” or “Apply” at this time. Instead, click on Advanced Settings, and then click OK. Windows in Safe Mode will change the screen resolution according to new settings, and prompt a “Monitor Settings” dialog box prompting that desktop has been reconfigured, with countdown timer. Click on Yes to keep the new settings. Alternatively, simply click on Advanced, go to Adapter tab, then click on List All Mode. Select a mode with screen resolution size and color mode that you prefer, and click on OK. Windows will apply the new resolution size and color quality on Safe Mode too.” From here . Similar article here