Laptop Screen Resolution
 

Hey now. I'm using a widescreen laptop with all new, fairly standard hardware (intel, etc..) I've just recently installed Ubuntu on it, and much to my surprise, the screen resolution worked just like you'd think it should. Now I'd like to put the FreeBSD back on it but (so I hear) Xorg doesn't like the widescreens or my preferred 1200x800 resolution. I know how to basically edit a config file and how the do the configure routine, but I just can't get it to function properly. I'm curious as to why certain Linux/Unix Distros will work and why others don't. I thought FreeBSD was an industry standard, more or less?.... And don't they all sit on a Xorg server?? I'm sure this is probably a fairly common install problem but I'd just like to know whether I should give up on the idea or not. Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

I would print out the /etc/X11/xorg.conf from a working distro and compare to the other. Modify to match. Note: keep a working copy of the file in the event there is a syntax error.

Brian1

Surrendered
 

Thanks for the advice. I had basically been editing my config file that way, though not Copy/pasted so there might have been some errors. I hadn't got it hooked up to the internet so an upgrade could have solved the problem as well. I've actually just gone ahead and put FreeBSD in an old 'all in one' unit that has a good default screen resolution. My laptop has just about had it with the reloads so I'm giving it a break....for now. I'm just really curious about Xorg and why it seems to act different on all of the distros. I wonder what kind of additional software gets layered on top of it. It must have something to do with the hardware detection. I'd like to eventually help with the development of UNIX so I could feel confident about convincing people to switch from Windows. Until you can just throw in a boot disc and have it more or less load satisfactorily with nil user interaction, I don't think most of the populous is going to rushing over to linux or Unix anytime soon. For now, it doesn't seem that laptop hardware and Free OSs work all that well together. ( My screen had a 16:9 ratio and Ubuntu's website specifically mentions that it can handle this). I know Xorg is undergoing some faster than usual development so I guess this probably in response to that. It's interesting seeing how Linux/Unix is at least starting to become idiot-friendly (I really was impressed with Ubuntu's ease if install, even if it does have the least capabilities as an OS). Anyways, enough digression. Thanks.

I realize I'm posting a response to my own question but I've managed to make some progress and thought I could share some info with anyone who cares. I re-installed FreeBSD on the widescreen laptop (1280x800) and tried something different. It seems like most of the install and configuration instructions within the handbook are not at all necessary and refer mostly to older versions of the OS. (The handbook does seem to be slightly oudated and bloated) So I decided to basically edit nothing!! and just plow ahead with the install. I also have the 6.1 disc now so perhaps the update was necessary. I didn't do the "Xorg -configure" routine at all and so there is no file to refer to for the X11 server, apparently. So perhaps its running in default mode. I can only guess what role Xorg is playing in all of this. At the login prompt I login as root and then type "kdm". That brings me to the KDE login screen where I can login as a normal user. From there I can also log in under Gnome or some of the other, really crappy window managers/pseudo-desktop environments. I'm not sure what logging in as root initially does for security, but all of the desktop environments work perfectly. I can even use KDE apps under the Gnome desktop. I'm not sure if the system is intended to work this way because there is absolutely no mention of it anywhere that I can see. I was basically trying random commands from the handbook until something worked. Perhaps this method makes more sense to some of you, or might even work for you if your having config difficulties.