Just got a Dell Inspiron 1100 (specs at bottom). I installed Mandrake 9.2 with no problems, but when system loads it will not display full screen. there is just a small box in the middle of the sceen that has the desktop on it. Tried changing monitor choices and resolution with no success. Any advice would be appreciated.

System Specs:
Celeron 2.3
384 RAM
Intel Integrated Video
30GB HDD
CD-RW/DVD combo

You most likely need to change the horizontal refresh rate of your monitor. The simplest solution is to check the back of your monitor for the horizontal refresh frequency. With most monitors, this is listed in plain view right back there with the tags and serial numbers. For example: 30-85Hz. Having that value, you need to configure the XServer to use the proper frequency range. If you're running fairly stock KDE, you proceed as follows:

"K"-Menu --> Configuration --> Configure Your Computer --> (Input root password) --> Hardware --> Configure Your Monitor --> Choose "Custom" for monitor --> Input horizontal refresh rate: xx-xx Make certain you put this figure in exactly as it's listed, or you can damage your monitor. If the horizontal refresh rate for the monitor isn't listed on the back of your monitor, you can always pay a visit to the manufacturer website and download the white papaper for the model in question. Really, it's not difficult at all, so don't be intimidated.

This system is a laptop, looked under service tag and could not find refresh rate, Tried changing the monitor types between the 4 resolutions I could see for Laptop monitors. This didn't seem to do anything, tried changing the resolution and the video driver type with no resolution either..

Well that does better explain your problem. I shouldn't have assumed it was a desktop PC. My apologies

Since we're talking about a LCD display and not a CRT monitor, forget what I said about refresh rates. With your laptop, stretching is not supported, so you'll have to set the display to the native resolution of your LCD panel (i.e. 1024x768). Dell has something to say about this.

Thank you for all your help. I've messed with many resolutions and none of them seem to work. One of the odd things is that although there is the black boarder around the displayed area, that area scrolls as around as if it is displaying at 1024x768.

Thanks again for the help :-)

As a Side note I reloaded windows to see what would happen and No windows is doing the same thing? Possible driver issue. Is anyone awre of drivers that dell might ship with the unit that could do this?

Sounds like as video driver problem. I have a HP ze5185 laptop. When I do an install of MDK and during the boot process it shows up in a small box about a quarter of the size of my screen.

But when KDE fires up (XF86) it goes to full screen. So sounds like when my ATI driver loads it then goes to full screen.

What is your exact video card type?

Try these

http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Chri...iron_1100.html

http://geocities.com/randomnumbergenerator2001/

It sounds like a driver issue. Also, it seems you're not the only one having troubles with the 1100. From what I've seen, Dell has purposefully broken the Intel 82845G/GL video controller on their notebooks so that it won't even work with Intel drivers; only hacked Intel drivers from Dell will work 100% properly. People with Inspiron 5100's (almost the same laptop) are having similar problems.

P.S. - If you call Dell for tech support, DON'T mention that you run Linux. Don't even say the word Linux. Those techs will blow you off in nothing flat. You're unlikely enough to get proper tech support from Dell as it is without laying that card on the table...

anti_trend what are u on about. Dell use Intel's North Bridge the 82845G with integrated graphics and share system memory.

The 82845 has a faster draw rate then the 82830G and the i810. But there are a few changes in the chip for example no over plane.

The main difference to users is they changed the memory allocation.

So as ac_dispatcher nicely provided the link u will have to run a patch called the 845patch.
This will allocate memory to the graphics and enable full screen. here is the link http://geocities.com/randomnumbergen...45patch.tar.gz

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Xfree86 driver i810 is very pore performer and is probably at worst with the 845G.

If U can afford $69 US go here www.xig.com
They have a driver for the intel series with almost a 10 fold performance increase.
I went from about 1 frame every few seconds to full game speed with Quake 3.
Xig benchmarked it from 80,000 char/sec to 600,000.
Also supports dual head.

What if the 845 patch doesn't work?

I'm running mandrake 9.2, and I'm having the same problem that's being talked about. I can scroll around in a 640-480 sized screen, but my desktop is 1028x780.

Edit: Nevermind! It works. For somereason I need to boot at runlevel 3 then login as root and telinit 5. THEN it works. If level 5 starts initially it doesn't work.

Weird. I know there are ways to get around this but I have no idea what they are. I don't really care. My screen doesn't look like crap anymore.

Thank you guys

And, if anyone else is having problems with this then e-mail me.