X screen size to big in slackware
 

I have just installed slackware 8.1 on my computer and it work OK. The problem was that the X server wouldn't load. I did some research before I went to make a post and I have learned enough to configure my X server so now it loads. The colors and graphics are magnificent! The problem is that I can only see about the 6th of the screen. I can put the mouse to the sides of the screen and I will slowly scroll. Did I screen something up in the xconfig, I probably did, but what. I am using a generic video but it works good for a generic card. I have only a little 15" gateway monitor. I had the resolution at 800 by 600 but I couldn't all the screen. I set it to a higher res. but it was only at about 60hz and my monitor can only do 64hz. I haven't tried higher because I don't want to fry my monitor. If it is any help I set my vertical refresh to 50-100. Any suggestions.

Thanks,

try Cont>Alt>+ or - to change the toggle resolutions. Let me know if this does not work as I had the same prob and resolved it pretty easily.

Thank You! The text and all is a little squished, do I have to go back in xf86config to change this or can I do this from my desktop?

-Thanks

dop mean the icon text only or even the applications bar (the "K" button menu) If they are small as well let me know.

Everything on my desktop is really small. I can read it but it is not very clear. I want to bring my res. down so I can see it a little easier but if i do that it takes up more room that my screen has.

darin...see if anything in this thread helps with your problem. Having a 15" monitor, you may need to alter what is recommended, but the result should be similar.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=48316

in /etc/X11/XF86Config change your moniter stuff to something like this...

Default Depth 16

(under subsection listin 16 enter)
Modes "800x600"
or
Modes "1024x768"
whichever ends up looking better to you

or look up "rickenbackerus" on this site's name search engine and look at his posts...he listed some good info once that helped me.

You can also run xf86config as root and it will ask you what default depth you want to start with, as well as the order of "modes" or resolutions you would like to use and whether or not your want a "virtual" desktop (screen bigger than actual screen size).

You could also edit /etc/X11/XF86Config with your favorite text editor and change your resolution order around for your default depth:

"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"

You can reorder this to whatever you want. If you want to start with 800x600 then change it to

"800x600" "1024x768" "640x480"

Let us know if you need any help with it. Also, if you don't want any virtual desktop, change the setting to "0 0". Hope this helps.:D

I'm editing my config and set the resolutions but I can't find the virtual desktop setting in the file. Where should I look?

it's the viewport values:
0 means default, i.e. the first resolution listed.

Here is what I have in xf86config and it still load at a resolution of about 800x600 but the screen takes up about four times more room than my monitor has so when I start x server I can only see the top right corner of the box loading KDE:

Selection "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "*Ceneric VESA compatible"
Monitor "My Monitor"
DefaultDepth 16

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600" "640x480" "1024x768" "1280x1024"
Viewport 0 0

EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600" "640x480" "1024x768" "1280x1024"
Viewport 0 0
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480" "1024x768" "1280x1024"
Viewport 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

Since your default color depth is set to 16, modify the "Depth 16" section. I think if you remove the highest undesired resolutions it will solve your problem.

X is allocating a virtual desktop for the 1280x1024 max settings. But your screen resolution is set to 800x600 to start in. So the screen will scroll by use of the mouse up to the full 1280x1024 desktop created. You have to leave at least one setting though, probably the 800x600 setting, if the 640x480 is not desired. I do not think you have to change all the subsections, just the default one.

Thanks Acid! I couldn't remember the exact term of Viewport.

Darin, perhaps you should try a larger resolution of 1024x768--or higher even. Just to see if the screen is still too large. Your /etc/X11/XF86Config file looks pretty good from what I can tell. However, your "My Monitor" indicates that you didn't specify a monitor name although that shouldn't really matter. Did you select the right module/driver for your video card? I'm wondering if this could be the culprit.

Also, if you use the CTRL+ALT+ (+/-), it will kind of make your screen go offscreen if you know what I mean. Mine does that for some reason and I hate it, so I just set my resolution to 800x600 and it works fine. When you get to the KDE box, have you tried to toggle the resolutions while KDE is loading just to see if you can see more or less of the KDE box? If it works, then you'll probably be able to narrow down which resolution is best suited for your screen and visibility. I would also double-check that vid card module.

Excalibur--good to know. I didn't know that if you have higher resolutions listed it would allocate the virtual desktop setting to that resolution. Thanks for posting that.