Powerbook G4, how to make applications or videos full screen?

Perhaps the resolution is set in such a way as to not utilize the full size of the screen.

Were the settings in system preference for displays checked to see what a change in

them would do to the appearance of the screen size in proportion to image on display?

You could try & see if a PMU (power management unit) reset may help to get the

graphics processor chip or whatever else, to refresh, & use full resolution that way.

Some video content would likely not be available as full-screen due to limitations in the

PowerBook, so a video from online would be slow anyway, but in a tiny window, almost

tolerable to watch. So some windows and their sizing depends on the content & source.

•Resetting PowerBook and iBook Power Management Unit (PMU) - Apple Support

Be sure to use the recommended process in the above article for your model series PB.

There also is a method discussed in the above article about how to Reset PRAM.

This may be helpful in some circumstances, and won't do harm if tried out of turn.

Just be sure to follow their instructions, in either process.

Here's a link w/ instruction on how to Reset your computer's PRAM... (works same in 10.5)

•OS X Mavericks: Reset your computer’s PRAM

If there is a hardware problem, troubleshooting by use of supported external display

with correct type of display adapter, could be helpful; in that the circuitry supporting

the internal display could fail and yet an external may work OK. Other details have

been mentioned in vintage PowerBook user forums. Some research may be needed

to find more information on this topic; and Apple Support database for obsolete &

vintage products is harder to use & find details nowadays. A wider search may help.

In any event...

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

A related question: In trying to set the resolution to make the icons and screen usable I have goofed something else up. Now I have a half of a screen with whatever safari page or application and the screen saver taking up the rest of the space. I don't know what I clicked or should have clicked to prevent this Would really be thankful for some help. I bought the dummies book but so far haven't found the information we need.

You may have inadvertently activated one of Universal Access features, where the screen could

be enlarged wherever the mouse cursor gets moved to; or another of the universal access items.

•OS X: Shortcuts for Universal Access preferences... (says Lion, works in Leopard/Tiger)

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH3671

•How to Change Mac OS X Universal Access preferences... (says Snow Leopard, works in earlier)

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-change-mac-snow-leopards-universal- access-p.html

The item I'm wondering about, if you may have engaged "Zoom" in the universal access system

preference panel; this can be done by simply using three key on the keyboard. But I don't know

if that is what you did, nor do I recognize the symbols for those. One is a number 8. The other

two symbols related to standard keys (but written as symbols, tell me nothing.)

In the newer OS X versions, the system preference involved is Accessibility and it works different.

Perhaps this may be applicable? -- If not, you could try a restart in SafeBoot and the desktop should

be normal, then you could look into the settings or test them on a regular restart later...

•OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe mode?

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂