First, I know nothing about Linux. I just installed Fedora 4 on my laptop. All went well, but after the install, when you restart the computer, the resolution is all messed up. I selected it as 800*600, I think. I am wondering how I would go and change the screen resolution. The image that Fedora is showing is also way to big for my monitor and blurry. I looked up some stuff, but since I am new, I have no idea what it means.

Oh yah. the model is a Gateway CX200. I don't know if you need it or not.

It seems that the system-config-display is not quite up to speed handling wide screen laptops or monitors. So as root edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file (your choice of text editor) and add the setting needed to utilize the 1280x768 screen, example sections below;

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "LCD Panel 1280x800"
HorizSync 31.5 - 90.0
VertRefresh 60.0 - 60.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection


Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "1280x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "1280x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Thanks, But I have no idea what that means. Would it be possible to guide me through it. Thank you in advance

Basically I already have...

You have a configuration file for your graphic interface called xorg.conf, it's location is the the /etc/X11 directory. This file can be edited by the system root user. It can be edited by any text editor, some examples are gedit, kwrite, vi, nedit. Take a look at what your current configuration file looks like, it is pretty much explains itself as you read it. For more help and information then from the console or xterm session type; man xorg (press the 'q' key at any time to exit).

This might help also, it's for RHL9 and is a bit old but chapter 7 explains the configuration file fairly good and most of it applies;

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...ual/ref-guide/

@Landon

Hi Landon,

I know how you feel. I've been dual booting fedora core 4 for the last 3 months and I'm still finding it hard going at times. Most advice is probably quite good, but when you are new to Linux you see things in a "Windows way". After checking /etc/X11 and opening xorg.conf with gedit (it opens with gedit by default), I found that 1280x800 was listed. If you need to edit the file, open up the terminal window then type su -, enter your root password. Type "gedit", then drag the xorg file into the terminal window and press enter so gedit will open it as root (with permission to change it) you can then edit the mode part that Lenard is talking about. Anyway I digress, basically the fun I had was because being used to windows I expected menus to be drop down not for the arrows to go across to drop down menus. So it took me ages to work out that clicking on the across arrow on the display panel-hardware under monitor (generic lcd monitor) would drop down a menu so I could select 1280x800 instead of the 800x600 resolution that it fedora was set on. Then it lets you change the resolution in the settings part.

I looked on the net for a long time and never found anything that addressed the across arrow thing that got me stumped for days.

Anyway don't give up and I hope you don't have any wifi problems..It took me about a week to get mine to work (not full time obviously..lol)

Regards,

Euan.

THank you very much, both of you. I appreciate your help more than you know. I will probably be back on in a few hours after I get it to work (maybe) and find something else that needs to be fixed. Anyone know how long it usually takes to "get" linux?

Umm.. How do I get to root?

I re-installed it, this time clicking 1200 x 800, and I got close to the same thing

I got to a screen that says sh-3.00# When I ry typing in SU -password it says wrong password or user unknown or something. if i try typing in etc/x11/xorg.cong it says no such file or directory....... AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH

Increase the Video RAM size in BIOS.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Ok. I am trying it over again. When I try to istall it this happens: I put in the DVD. I restart my computer. A screen comes up asking telling me to press enter if I want to install Linux. I press enter. A few more screens come up. After about 4 or 5 screens, it "freezes" at Installing ata_pixx driver, or something. Its the second screen, right after it just installed something else. I am not entirely sure I even downloaded the right version. I downloaded the one for i386. anyways, please help before I throw my at my wall.

OK, clam down.... you do not need to re-install everytime you have a problem, this is Linux not Windows. Yes, it takes awhile to "get" Linux. One of the first things you should learn is Linux is case sensitive (for example su is not SU or even Su it's su) for the commands, username, passwords basically everything.

Your BIOS is accessed, most of the time, by pressing the 'F2' key when the system boot or is re-booted. This is where you can adjust (hopefully) the amount of shared RAM (memory) for the video controller.

Now, since you do not have much Linux experience the using "su" is fairly easy once you know the rules, so let's get you into using root's account and pathing. After you open an xterm session type; su -

When asked enter root's password (remember this password is case sensitive), if you get this far then your almost home....

Now you want to first make a copy of the xorg.conf file just in case you make a mistake so type; cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

Next you want to edit this file, since I perfer nedit (you can use gedit if you want, just change the command) type;
nedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

When done with the edit and saving of the file type; exit (twice, once for root and once for yourself)

A couple fairly good guides to using Linux are available at;
http://www.unixguide.net/linux/linuxshortcuts.shtml
http://linux-newbie.sunsite.dk/index.html

And welcome to Linux....