Monitor Settings Disapear After Restart

Also, my MacBook's screen is just the way it was before, just my monitor that is smushed.

Could you describe "smushed"? I just can't get a picture of what your screen looks like.

I've had a permission repair allow me to go beyond 800 x 600 on an older G4 tower. Nothing like being told that a 1280 x 1024 native LCD can't possible do more than 800 x 600. Not happy

Also, and strangely, a reset and PRAM reset (or whatever it's called on the Intel Macs) may do the trick. Not certain exactly how it works on the Intel machines, but the resolution settings as well as the available settings (apparently) can be affected by the PRAM settings.

The Intels will only reset once holding the "cmd-opt-p-r" keys.

Using "Detect Displays" in the Displays Preference Pane (Or just command-F2) isn't having the monitor show up as it should in the Displays preference pane (as in, the monitor is actually named and not something ambiguous like say Color LCD)?

So, I just get an image on my screen that isn't the proper resolution and it looks very squeezed. I repaired permissions, and nothing is there that's different. I will try resetting the PRAM later today. Using detect displays does nothing, but what's already there.

Uncheck "mirroring" if that is turned on. If you haven't tried already, re-insert the external cable adapter.

It was not being mirrored, and I took out the cable and put it back in multiple times.

Is your LCD working with another computer? Try that and also your MacBook's output into another display just to ascertain whether or not the problem is hardware.