DVI LCD works with Linux! (1280x1024)

Arclite · 08-14-2003, 02:26 AM

I installed linux just today and i'm a total newbie at everything linux. I've spent my last 5 hr trying to make my DVI LCD work with Linux. I made hundreds of serach on Google and here.

As someone pointed out changing the driver name to "vesa" in XF86Config file makes LCD work. Again i'm totally new at linux so it will be best if i don't mention Xfree and things to technical. The thing i did what they weren't able to do was increase the resolution over 1024 x 786. This trick can raise it up to 1280x1024. There was setting to go even higher, but i'm happy with my native resolution.

Instruction:

I did this using Madrake 9.1 with the lastest XFree version, 4.3 or something like that.

1. Using "root" mode go into directory 'file:/etc/X11'
2. In here your going to be needing to tweak these two files:

First File

XF86Config:

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Driver "vesa"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24

Bold is where you make your change (change previous value with the word 'vesa' as shown)

Second File

XF86Config-4:

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
    Driver "vesa"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Bold is where you make your change (change previous value with the word 'vesa' as shown)

3. Save and reboot. By this time you will see very low res display, however DVI is working none the less.
4. Now Mandrake has this thing called Mandrake Control Centre. You have to install this full featured control panel while installing the Mandrake. I don't know what RH has so use your common sense this point on.
5. Go open Mandrake Control Centre (may be something else for other distro).
6. Click on Hardware.
7. Click on Change your screen resolution
8. Set it to high as it goes. Should be something like 1024 X786. I know many of you are using this already. However you can go even further.
9. Save changes and reboot. When you come back go to Hardware, but this time click Configure your monitor. Set it to 'Flat Panel 1280x1024'.
10. Reboot.
11. This time go back to Change your resolution, make sure your at 24 bit colour. If it wasn't set to 24 bit before, change it to it and reboot.
12. If it was already 26 bit colour, it should now give u the choice for 1280x1024. Pick it and reboot.

That's it, your looking at 1280X1024 DVI output on Linux! Infact i'm using that setting right now as i type.

I reallly wish Distro makers support DVI as standard just like svga, but until then this should work nicely.

Any question i will be happy to answer them.

Not bad for someone whos been using Linux for less than 6 hrs

.

Now, only if there was ClearType like technology in Linux.

This Post has been edited for correcting step 2. I've added what to change for the 'XF86Config-4' which was left out previously.

Arclite · 08-14-2003, 02:38 AM

I should mention, i installed the latest Linux GeForce Driver before doing this.

Xin(tEb · 08-14-2003, 05:05 AM

Hello,

You are helpful for me cause I had lost the idea of having my dvi working.
My D-sb works with tech specifications added to XF86config
ok and Nvidia geforce ti 300 drivers installed and "nvidia" in monitor section added!
Analog function!
But DVI works in green...lol
yes i can read the screen but all is green
not a problem of cable cause it works on windows

So you say i must add vesa in the driver section, can you explain me all the approaches i'm a noob too perhaps more than you
Does it takes place in section monitor or driver
cause i don't remember a driver section just a driver line in screen section.

And why vesa what does it means??
Explain pls

Thanks

Xin(tEb · 08-14-2003, 05:07 AM

and by the way what program do you use to edit XF86Config
There so many prog i don't know the one to chose and how to call them in text mode?

Arclite · 08-14-2003, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Xin(tEb
Hello,

You are helpful for me cause I had lost the idea of having my dvi working.
My D-sb works with tech specifications added to XF86config
ok and Nvidia geforce ti 300 drivers installed and "nvidia" in monitor section added!
Analog function!
But DVI works in green...lol
yes i can read the screen but all is green
not a problem of cable cause it works on windows

So you say i must add vesa in the driver section, can you explain me all the approaches i'm a noob too perhaps more than you
Does it takes place in section monitor or driver
cause i don't remember a driver section just a driver line in screen section.

And why vesa what does it means??
Explain pls

Thanks

Make sure you have the latest version of Xfree which i think is 4.3.

Make sure you have this Nvidia driver:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._ia32_1.0-4496

That is if your Video Card is GeForce.

Once you finsihed installing that (took me a while to figure out how) follow this change instruction. You don't need any new file to change to vesa driver. You jsut change the text to 'vesa' and soem how it automatically does it. I couldn't beleive i spend 5HR and that one word 'vesa' fixed it.

Make sure you log-in as Root. If your not a root now, log out and log in as root power. You will need it.

You know where 'XF86config' file is located right?

file:/etc/X11

Go there and open it. You asked me about which program to open it with? Well in windows .ini files alike are used with notepad (most basic form of word processing app). I don't know what the equvelent of that in Linux is but when i double clikc on that file it auto opens 'KWrite'.

Continuing on...

In that 'word' file Find this chunk, it's near the bottom.

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Driver "vesa"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24

You see that word vesa up there? That's the change i made. I don't clearly remember what it said before. I think it said 'svga' before i made the change.

Anyways, Scroll all the way to the bottom and move up to locate that section, it's really easy to spot them.

Just like what i did, replace any text that was there before with "vesa". Now save the file. And reboot, and follow my direction i listed in my first post.

This setting worked fine for me, however i can't be held responsible for any problems that occures. To me this was safer method than configuring the parameter in XF86config like some people did. Just note that your doing this at your own risk.

However, you can most certainly ask me more question here, and i will be happy to answer them.

Good Luck.

Xin(tEb · 08-15-2003, 01:41 PM

Thanks man!

I have opened my XF86Config file and scrolled through it, but at my surprise i have no Driver line in my "Screen" Section, so i'm wondering what is by default?
I will try svga and vesa...

What is the purpose of these drivers vesa and svga?

Arclite · 08-15-2003, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Xin(tEb
Thanks man!

I have opened my XF86Config file and scrolled through it, but at my surprise i have no Driver line in my "Screen" Section, so i'm wondering what is by default?
I will try svga and vesa...

What is the purpose of these drivers vesa and svga?

Honestly, i have no idea. Someone suggested me to go with vesa. So i did.

And yes, Driver line is there bu defualt. I'm pretty sure i replaced 'svga' with 'vesa'.

Give that a try. Let me know how it goes afterward.

Good luck!

Arclite · 08-16-2003, 01:17 PM

I formated and reinstalled Linux. Now i know exactly what your problem is.

I had the similar green colour effect too. I tried following the exact steps to my guide, however it was no go.

Turns out i need to configure 2 files.

file:/etc/X11 - in here your going to be needing to tweak these two files:

First File

XF86Config:

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Driver "vesa"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24

Bold is where you make your change

Second File

XF86Config-4:

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
    Driver "vesa"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Bold is where you make your change

Follow this and then set your screen resolution and your Video card setting to 1280X1024.

I am almost certain that it will work correctly now.

Xin(tEb · 08-17-2003, 04:03 AM

Hello,

I'm happy to have news from you, i hope you don't format your box for me

Or you are very curious and it is a good point

Ok i will follow your instructions
Do you know what is the use of XF86Config-4?
And where can i find the documentation to this...the same you get?

Oo i thiiink i remember what the "4" means, i have read somewhere that XFree86 config files synthax where different from version 3 to 4... so they let us chose the one we want to trick

I will tell you if all that stuff works
See you
Best Regards

Xin(tEb · 08-17-2003, 04:42 AM

Just a question after these tweaks: The driver nvidia will not work, do you see the nvidia logo at XFree start up?

Xin(tEb · 08-17-2003, 06:32 AM

Arfff

I'm on SuSE 8.2 I don't find the XF86Config-4 file. I know it is present on Mandrake but on my distro i don't remember seeing it once

When I add "vesa" and the driver line, and restart XFree
It will not load the X server and stay run level 3

I try to add it just after the device line like you and in the sub section
of "screen"
Don't work !!

By the way I had a look on the 1702fp specs docmentatiion, seems there are many vesa modes for this monitor

Do you have in you XF86Config a "MODES" section like me?
Perhaps the solution is near this section for me

Arclite · 08-17-2003, 04:33 PM

I've never tried Suse so i'm not sure if it has XF86Config-4 file.

Interesting thing i notice was that "Nvidia" sceen appeared everytime i booted into linux.

However, after doing the same tweak after reinstall of my linux the Nvidia screen don't appear anymore.

Either way my LCD has been working quite nicely.

As for Modes... yes i believe seeing it. What version of Xfree do you have? Latest one seems to be working problem free.

Sornen · 08-17-2003, 08:13 PM

For redhat XF86Config-4 use to be used to distinguish version 4 of XFree from earlier version. As I understand it XFree uses only one of these configuration files depending on what version you have not both. In rh9.0 there was no longer the need to distinguish between the two version so the 4 has been dropped and there is just the one version.

BTW my LCD has always worked well on DVI with just the usual nv driver.

Arclite · 08-17-2003, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sornen
For redhat XF86Config-4 use to be used to distinguish version 4 of XFree from earlier version. As I understand it XFree uses only one of these configuration files depending on what version you have not both. In rh9.0 there was no longer the need to distinguish between the two version so the 4 has been dropped and there is just the one version.

BTW my LCD has always worked well on DVI with just the usual nv driver.

What is your screen resolution?

Sornen · 08-17-2003, 09:36 PM

1280x1024