Well the title says it all. About four weeks ago I we possessed my ransom ware. It is the bad one. The child porn one. At that time I was on a HP desktop running Windows 7-64. That gave me the perfect chance to switch to Linux. I went out and bought a new HP Pavilion desktop and lap top. Both came with Ubuntu 12.04 installed. I crashed the desktop in two days. LOL!! The way I did it was all new-bee. I had an update window pop up on my screen. In that window there were five updates. So I pushed install. What I had not noticed was that window had a scroll bar on it. The total amount of update amounted to 165. Half way through the install my OS crashed never to live again. So I opened my laptop and download a new Ubuntu 12.04. Installed it on a (live) USB stick and installed a new OS. With in a week I crashed that OS trying to upgrade to 14.04. You guessed it ! I downloaded Ubuntu 14.04 to a live stick and installed it. I tell these story's here, to help my fellow new-bees not make the same mistakes.
Now to the problem at hand. I am running my HP/Ubuntu on a 27 inch monitor. This TV/monitor has an HP computer plug on the back (don't know the name of that plug)I have spent all day reading forums/Google trying to find an answer. On how I can make my desktop go wide screen. As it stands right now. I have four inches of black screen on each side of the screen.All you gear head out there. Take it easy on me with your explanations. If you have an answers for me. Please do a step by step. You know "KISS". I have used all the tools that came with my OS. I think I am going to have to use the terminal on this one.

Check the tv settings. Look for input sources. Select pc as the source of the signal.

Go into display settings and check your resolution and make sure it's right. If you can't change it for some reason try installing the proprietary drivers.

Been there done that. Thanks!

I did as you suggested. Something strange has happened. The last time I checked this was two days ago. I had only two resolution both were (4:3) now there is a new one 1360x768
(16:9) My problem has be solved!!!!!!!!!!!! I must have fix this without knowing. I did type some stuff into my terminal that I found on some forums.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR POSTS

i DO THINK YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I SEEM TO REMEMBER INSTALLING SOME NEW DRIVES. i THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH MY fx CARD

Hay gang I just downloaded Zorin 8 OS and (Ignburn)it to a DVD. I install it as a dual boot with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. Well, the install went flawless. With this new install I am back to square one. I am back to having 4 inches of black screen on each side of my desktop window. I preformed all the updates and added more from Synaptic Package Manager. I am not sure what drivers I might need. My be someone out there can take me by the hand and lead me to the right stuff.

Do the same thing install the proprietary drivers reboot and change your resolution. I run a desktop that has a 2530x1600 display and 2 1280x1024 displays all are at the correct resolution. This is one of those things that google might be better to help you with than here. Your typing stuff in the terminal probably was modifying xorg which is probably a bad idea as a new guy. Zorin says it's Ubuntu based so what ever you did to fix the resolution in Ubuntu though I'll bet the resolution is higher than 1366x768.

Chris, I tried to do as you suggested.There was 3 proprietary drivers on the list. I click on the first one and my cusser changed to a rotating disk. Which should indicate that the changes are being downloaded. Oh con trair. No install is taking place. This is true on each of the drivers on the list. As it stands right now. I could care less. I fined Zorin to be to boring.Just like Windows 7. I have spent the last two weeks playing around with Ubuntu. I like it a lot. Oh sure it is rather complicated for a 15 year user of Windows. I learned Windows XP, 7-32bit & 7-64bit by using the internet/Youtube/Forums. I have done the same with Ubuntu 12.04 & 14.04.I crashed Ubuntu 12.04 twice before I moved on to 14.04. I am kicking Zorin to the curb for now and going to spend my time learning Linux/Ubuntu.

OK, have fun!