Losing Display Resolution on Sleep or Reboot

We have 176 Mac Mini's with ViewSonic VA1703WB 17" WideScreen displays. The Mini's run OS X 10.4.10 and Boot Camp Windows XP. The Mini's are used in a computer lab where they spend most of their time in "sleep" mode until we activate them for an exam. Even though we built our image with the Display (VA1703WB-Series) detected and the proper resolution (1440x900), the Mini's will not retain those settings. Eventually when a Mini wakes up, the display resolution will be reset to 800x600 or some other incorrect setting, and the display detected will be just "Display" instead of "VA1703WB-Series". The only way we've been able to get the display detected again is to disconnect it, power off/on and reconnect the display. What is happening and what can we do to fix it?

That's not typical behavior. Is there any way you can try a different monitor, or better still different monitors (plural) to see if the mini behaves in a more expected manner when connected to a different display? This could help to tell you if there is something about the mini's configuration, like some kind of software installed on all of them, that is interfering with normal operation, or if the problem lies with the display.
Here is one guess I have about what might be happening. When the mini sleeps, the Viewsonic is likely going into a low energy state of its own. There is a ROM inside modern computer displays that holds driver data called EDID that the Mac relies on to identify the display and administer compatible timings. The DDC spec calls for the host system (mini) to be able to power the ROM from a +5VDC pin on the video connector rather than the power supply coming from the display. I suspect this might not be properly implemented in the Viewsonic so that what happens is as follows:
- Mini comes out of sleep state.
- Mini checks for EDID data to see if a new display has been attached.
- Since ROM isn't powered (display in low energy state) and the mini can't itself power it, mini cannot properly identify the Viewsonic.
- Mini outputs generic, default timing.
If you can demonstrate that the mini's work correctly with other displays attached, then you have a good case against Viewsonic to replace or repair their monitors which are not compliant with the DDC standard. Of course this is all speculation, but it's a hint where to look.

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