ABIT IG-80 / IG-81 Motherboard Video

pmgant · 08-12-2006, 11:46 AM

I'm looking for someone who has successfully installed Linux on a system based around an ABIT IG-80 / IG-81 motherboard. I have the basic system installed and running using Ubuntu but I have lots of problems with the video:

1) My monitor can handle a maximum of 1024 x 760 and I have the option to select 800 x 600 or 640 x 480. Whenever I select the lower resolution options X Windows crashes and I end up back at the login prompt.

2) I don't have the option of altering horizontal or vertical refresh rates on the resolution setup menu. By entering a 60, 70 or 75Hz frame rate into xorg.conf I can set the frame rate manually but I am unable to alter the line rate.

3) I'm pretty sure that video acceleration isn't enabled. When moving an open window I get an interesting effect with multiple windows, a bit like 'mouse tails' under MS Windows.

I have tried altering xorg.conf then restarting X but this has made very little difference. Can someone slowly walk me through the installation of the Intel video driver and its configuration?

Peter Gant

tredegar · 08-13-2006, 04:30 AM

1) GUI tools don't always work. Best to edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file directly. Find the "Screen" section. See what your DefaultDepth is set at (mine is 24 bits). Now find the SubSection "Display" bit that refers to your DefaultDepth. On the "Modes" line put first the resolution you want as default, for me it is "1280x1024", but you'll probably want "1024x768" (Note "768" not "760" as in your post.)

Here's the relevant section from my xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"NVIDIA Corporation NV18 [GeForce4 MX 4000 AGP 8x]"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

2) GUI tools don't always work. Best to edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file directly. Find the "Monitor" section and put in your HorizSync & VertRefresh rates (check your monitor's manual or website). Mine looks like this (I have an LCD monitor):

Code:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	Option		"DPMS"
	HorizSync	28-64
	VertRefresh	43-60
EndSection

Backup your working xorg.conf if you have one, make the changes you need as above, then restart X with <CRTL><ALT><Backspace>, login, should be better!

3) Video acceleration is not enabled because Intel do not release drivers for linux. Solution: Buy an Nvidia graphics card & install their drivers. This is very easy if you are running (k)ubuntu and you go to this site:

http://easyubuntu.freecontrib.org/

(They have other nice stuff - codecs, java, flash.... as well))

HTH