Display problem -- desperate call
 

I am a regular reader of Linux For You; and recently installed the Fedora Core 1 installation after upgrading my Pentium III 800 to a Mercury motherboard Celeron 1.7 GHz. I had earlier used both Ferora and Red Hat 9 on the lesser system with much success. But now when I boot into Linux the default display is 600x480 and no matter what utility I use (redhat-config-xfee86) or how many settings I change in the settings menu; I can't get the screen resolution to 1024x768/800x600. The display sucks as it is; and also in Fedora (I have tried reinstalling the distro twice and reinstalling Red Hat 9 again in its place) the Screen Resolution pull down menu in Preferences (Start Here) is struck to 600x480 and no other options are available. I have Windows Me installed simultaneously which has the correct display properties. Now I have no choice but to keep using Windows Me pirated, ofcourse) when I want to shift completely to Linux. Save a fellow enthusiast, pal. Please.

Okay, first it would help if you tell us whay kind of monitor you are using (specs). Next I would suggest finding a text editor that you are comfortable using and read up on how to configure/edit your existing XF86Config file that is found in /etc/X11/ directory.

It sounds like you need to 1) kill your xserver that you have running and get to a text prompt so you can run xf86config (as root) to make a new XF86Config that has the right settings or 2) kill your xserver, get to text prompt and edit your XF86Config file and pay close attention to the modes part that, most likely, has only the 600x480 option inserted. You also need to check your Horiz and Vert refresh rates and make sure they match those for your monitor.

rberry88

what grafix card are you using btw. AND NOTE! not all linux distributions use the "XF86Config" file, sometimes they us "XF86Config-4" if i dont work in one, try the other.

in your /etc/X11/XF86Config file find out what DefalutDepth your using. example:
# If your card can handle it, a higher default color depth (like 24 or 32)
# is highly recommended.

# DefaultDepth 8
# DefaultDepth 16
DefaultDepth 24 <---default one is this
# DefaultDepth 32

then check the resolutions under that default depth. the one i use is 24:

# "1024x768" is also a conservative usable default resolution. If you
# have a better monitor, feel free to try resolutions such as
# "1152x864", "1280x1024", "1600x1200", and "1800x1400" (or whatever your
# card/monitor can produce)

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display" <---- SO here is where you should put it under
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection

The effort
 

Hi thanks for your replies, pal. But the problem is that I have already edited XC Configuration file and seen that the resolution theirin has the 1024 option as well. The monitor is LG Studioworks; the sync frequencies are correct... 31-60 and 50-120 as in the manual.... Intel 845... the driver is I810. I would be glad to know if there is some special driver needed for this motherboard.

What is your graphics card then? Geforce, ATI? if your graphics are on board, then find out in the motherboard manual what they are to find the proper ones. if you have a Geforce 3/4/FX go here http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp .
For ATI Radeon 7xxx to 9xxx go here http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html .

In your XF86Config check to see what drivers the graphics card is using. Generaly the default is "vesa","nvesa" or "nv". High end canrds can function with these but not a the resolutions you looking for. You may have the monitor drivers and frequency in correctly but its the graphics drivers that'll kill ya.


# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************

# Any number of graphics device sections may be present

Section "Device"
Identifier "VESA Framebuffer"
Driver "nvidia" <--This is what you should be looking at
#VideoRam 131000
# Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate
EndSection