I have found the SOLUTION!
Screen mode should be 3, it's the Native that's causing issues with seeing everything properly.

Namely, use what you want out of my settings:

//
// Automatically generated file. Do not edit!
//

[GAMESETTINGS]
{
AILevel = 0
BorderScroll = 0
ChatMessageFilter = 1
ExtendedTooltip = 1
Filtering = 1
Fullscreen = 1
LandscapeHardware = 1
MP3UserFolder = 0
MsgHistory = 100
MsgLevelMask = -1
MusicEnabled = 1
MusicVolume = 100
ObjectHardware = 1
PlayerName = "Gadien"
PopupAllMsgs = 1
Screenmode = 3
ScrollStepValue = 10
SoundFXEnabled = 1
SoundFXVolume = 40
TextureQuality = 1
Tutorial = 0
VoiceChatEnabled = 0
VoiceChatMicro = 0
VoiceChatVolume = 0
WebHelpMode = 0
WindowHeight = 900
WindowWidth = 1440
}

and change your Desktop Screen Resolution to your "Native Resolution"

... Save your changes and mark it as "Read Only"

have fun ;)

I did exactly same steps only changed 1280x800 for my laptop resolution but it didn't work for me.
I want to play the game suitable resolution for my laptop and my pc (which is 1920x1080)
please help

I don't know, this works on both my laptop and my PC, but for some people it didn't work. Might have to do with the graphics card. Make sure you don't forget to make the file read-only, as that's one thing that's easily forgotten.
Also check Gadien's solution, maybe that will work for you.

Hello guys !

I am stuck :((
I managed to make this game work without the black edges and with the HD patch which I found on internet ...
And this morning, I installed some drivers (from the original DVD's installation) for my computer and since, the game launch like before, without full resolution and with the black edges ...
I tried all the afternoon to redo the steps to play like before, but, I can't !
I have tried many things even the HEX edition, but that one didn't work (the game wasn't lauching anymore ... I guess I would have needed more explanation to do it right).
I am completely hopeless :(

I cannot set the resolution screen on "2" with the HD Oesi's patch :/ .
As soon as I change the resolution with one patch, I cannot change the resolution in the game anymore.

Please help :) !

I run with Windows 8.1 and I already downloaded the lastest graphic drivers ^^

I don't know if this is the same issue or not, and I can't find a fix on it anywhere, but I'm hoping someone on here can help. I installed the game, installed the various fixes, so the game now runs with no errors. However, all I get is a black screen. I can hear music/sounds in the background, and I can even see my mouse, but that's it. Nothing else seems to be working for me.

Windows 10, GTX980 (x2 in SLI), 32GB ram.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!

I bought an old laptop that is running windows 7 just to play settlers IV only to find the dirty big black borders, I have tried all of these suggestions and it still wont go away, I have tried the widescreen fix tool, changing .cfg files with note pad,tried compatibility mode but nothing and its pissing me off. Does anyone think it could be the AMD processors that are doing this because i have seen a few people with AMD and having the same problems?

AMD Phenom(tm) II
N660 Dual-Core
Processor 3.0 GHz

Per Horhew's instructions, I set mode to 4, res to 1600 x 1200 and it's working fine in 1600x1200.
(Running it in window using DXWnd on my 1920x1200 screen; it's perfect).
[code]
//
// Automatically generated file. Do not edit!
//

[GAMESETTINGS]
{
AILevel = 1
BorderScroll = 0
ChatMessageFilter = 1
ExtendedTooltip = 1
Filtering = 0
Fullscreen = 1
LandscapeHardware = 1
MP3UserFolder = 0
MsgHistory = 100
MsgLevelMask = -1
MusicEnabled = 1
MusicVolume = 51
ObjectHardware = 0
PlayerName = "Csimbi"
PopupAllMsgs = 0
Screenmode = 4
ScrollStepValue = 10
SoundFXEnabled = 1
SoundFXVolume = 100
TextureQuality = 1
Tutorial = 0
VoiceChatEnabled = 1
VoiceChatMicro = 100
VoiceChatVolume = 100
WebHelpMode = 0
WindowHeight = 1200
WindowWidth = 1600
}
[/code]


Here are the settings for DXWnd:
[code]
[target]
title0=Settlers 4
path0=D:\GAMES\S4GOLD\Exe\S4_Main.exe
startfolder0=
launchpath0=
module0=
opengllib0=
notes0=
registry0=
ver0=0
monitorid0=-1
coord0=0
flag0=673186088
flagg0=1275199512
flagh0=21
flagi0=138412036
flagj0=4224
flagk0=0
flagl0=0
flagm0=0
tflag0=0
dflag0=0
posx0=100
posy0=0
sizx0=1600
sizy0=1200
maxfps0=0
initts0=0
winver0=0
maxres0=5
swapeffect0=0
maxddinterface0=7
slowratio0=2
scanline0=0
initresw0=1024
initresh0=768
[/code]

This is the only thing that worked for me. (Win 7 64bit)...

https://github.com/FireEmerald/Settlers4-Widescreen-Tool

I've tried the Widescreen-tool, too. But it provides a different version of the DLL than what's provided by gog. The settings where Screenmode=4 and WindowHeight and WindowWidth are set, did help but ONLY when the resolution matches my screen. I'm running settlers on an iMac and 1920x1600 didn't work, but 2560x1440 did.

What the widescreen-tool does is change the DLL so that Screenmode=1 will go to the resolution that's hard-coded in the patched DLLs. Using Screenmode 4 seems to tell the app to use the config file's resolution.

yeah screenmode=4 worked perfectly, I have a 4k screen so it would just open in 640x480 and show a black screen to start with.

changed it to screenmode=4 and fullscreen=0
fullscreen=0 seemed to fix the intro movies and black screen.
screenmode=4 seemed to force it to use the windowheight and windowwidth once in game (main menu is still 1024x768)
when in game its full 4k and I can zoom in/out using - or + looks fantastic!!

I only had The Settlers III and this is a great edition to my gog collection, balance changes are a welcomed sight yay for infinite stone and more reasons for tool workshops!

I run at 4k and had to change video.cfg to the following to stop the videos from causing a black screen to at least get the main menu to show not just a blank screen.

It used to work in game a while back (6 months ago) but now i'm just getting blank screens until i change the input on my TV to something else then back again, I've turned f CEC/HDMI Enhancements but eh at least i can play it again.

[ADVGAMESETTINGS]
{
ForceBlit = 0
PureSoftwareMode = 0
ShowVideos = 0
}

For me it was an Intel Graphic issue On my Razer laptop.

1. I opened the Intel Control Panel.
2. Changed the resolution to 1024x768 in the Intel Control Panel
3. Picked ”stretch”
4. Changed back to my preferred resolution.
5. Save and start the game.