GUI turning to mush on new laptop
 

I just installed Slackware and whenever I start up the GUI the screen goes to mush.... my laptop did this with knoppix also, but that was solved by entering this command in at boot: "fb1024x768 od."

I'm thinking that this might be a screen resolution problem... I have a wide screen laptop and on windows I run it at 1280x768

how can I change the screen resolution from the command line in slackware?

any and all help is apreciated... have a nice day :)

edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

If you read through the file you'll find the appropriate section and it is pretty well commented

You could also try "X -configure" to try to auto-configure xorg.conf. But maybe you have.

Kent

X.org has a program that can help you generate a modeline. I needed to do this on my laptop with a 1280x800 screen. Are you sure that your screen shouldn't actually be 1280x800?

The program I mentioned is called 'gtf'. It is best to go to the console init level before using it, so that your graphic system isn't loaded down with work. (Sorry, I don't know what the Slackware init levels are. Look at the /etc/inittab file on your system if you need to look it up)
As root enter:
gtf 1280 786 60 -x
This will generate a modeline for 1280x786 @ 60Hz.
I've had the best luck removing the other resolutions and only running at the native resolution of the lcd screen (which is 1280x800 in my case).

Of course it would be a good idea to read through the man-page of 'gtf' first. And, if you were wondering, gtf stands for General Timing Formula.

You hadn't mentioned what video card your laptop uses. You may also need to select the proper driver for it. There is a "vesa" driver that works with nearly all video cards. You might want to select that for the video driver to begin with, and get the timing part down first. That way you would be solving on part of the problem at a time.

oops sry... maybe I would need a proper driver for it... I have a "Mobile Intel(r) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family" or at least thats what my laptop is telling me...

tried that... didn't really find out how to change the resolution or how to solve the problem uf my GUI not starting right....

tried it... didn't work... unless theres more that I have to do after entering that command? if so then please enlighten me.... :)

I'm pretty sure that 1280x768 is the right resolution although with knoppix, 1024x768 would work.... dunno why... knoppix has amazingly great hardware detection. so after I enter in the command:
what should I do with the modeline? what do I do after I enter in a command?

sry for being soo noobish... but I want to get this fixed!!! any and all help is appreciated!! :) thx in advance....