resolution problems with slackware and x

Alright im pretty new to linux, but i seem to have a strange problem - i cant change the default resolution for x. The slackware manual says to run SuperProbe, but i dont have it in my system. In my xf86config file, the order of all of the resolutions is "1024x768" "800x600" and i cant get the key combination to work to change the resolution. Unless 1024x768 is still quite large, because new windows that open are almost always off the screen. Any suggestions or tips, please. Thanks

Could you perhaps install superprobe from your install CD?
# Configuring X
Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO - video cards
The Linux XFree86 HOWTO
Common X configuring tools:
You may have one or more of these tools:
XF86Setup
XFree86 -configure
Xconfigurator
xf86cfg
xf86config
xconf
nVidia Driver Installation NHF
nVidia driver page

Try using xf86config. I assume that this is what you did to get your config file to start with. It also asks you a question about whether or not you want a larger desktop than your actual viewing area. Try answering this no. This might be the cause of your stuff being out of your view when you open it.

I, unfortunately, have not figured out how to easily change resolutions in X. Some programs require different resolutions from what I have set as my default, but they usually change them themselves. So, it hasn't really been a problem for me - 1280x1024 is fine anyway, on a 19" monitor.

Hope this helps you out some. You can also, I think, download some other x config utilities, if you find that you have problems.

Also try control-alt-+

G'day sith, welecome to LQ.

A few details about your video hardware will help, to be exact the output of the command "lspci -vv" (as root) that mentions your video controller is the sort of information were looking for.....and any error messages are good too, unlike windows, linux error messages usually point to the source of the problem.

thanks aussie ill try that and get back with the results, and there are no error messages, it just starts up in a low resolution and i want it to be higher. The key combos dont work. Is there a way to initialize or configure them?

Originally posted by theevilsithlord thanks aussie ill try that and get back with the results, and there are no error messages,

X errors are logged to /var/log/XFree86.0.log

it just starts up in a low resolution and i want it to be higher. The key combos dont work. Is there a way to initialize or configure them?

Xfree86 reads the modes in your XF86Config(-4) from left to right, you put your desired resolution first followed by any others in decending order, once that is set up the key combos will work (<Ctrl><Att><+><->) to raise/lower the virtual resolution, from XFree86-4.3.0 you can change the physical resolution on the fly with 'xrandr' - but all this depends on having the correct drivers for your video card.

this was the important part of lspci -vv
------------------------------------------------
00:12.0 VGA compatible controller: Cirrus Logic GD 5430/40 [Alpine] (rev 22) (pr
og-if 00 [VGA])
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Step
ping- SERR- FastB2B-
Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort
- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 0
Region 0: Memory at 41000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=16M]
Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=16M]
--------------------------------------------------
i tried to use Cirrus Logic GD 544x in xf86config, but what other settings should i use? i just end up with no display. I have my monitor manual and the v sync is 50-100 and h sync is 30-60. I have these set up correctly, but the monitor just turns itself off when it goes to boot x.

KDE control center has a place for configuring X... Very nice!

xf86config writes a file called XF86Config, if your old file is called XF86Config-4 then XFree86 will use that instead of the new XF86Config. Move or rename XF86Config-4 if it's there and try 'startx'.