Mac mini displays the wrong resolution

Hi everybody.
My Mac mini recently began starting up in the wrong resolution (1024x768, instead of the usual 1280x1024.) From my experience with older, 680x0 Macs, I reset the PRAM. This fixed the problem, but I find that I have to do it every time I restart the computer.
Is there a battery inside the mini that needs to be replaced?
Thanks.
Intel mini (1.5GHz Core Solo)   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

Mr E,
Try using the Finder to search for files with the name 'windowserver' (no quotes of course. You should find 2 or 3, including one with a string of additional alphanumeic characters. Move all three to the trash and then reboot.
These are the files that control screen properties, and the system will recreate new ones in the absence of the originals. Startup may produce an erroneous resolution if your screen is not tightly connected and thus not properly recognized, but if so, aside from checking the connections are firm and tight as suggested, you should then be able to set the required resolution and have the system retain it correctly.

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