Having trouble getting 1280X800 resolution to work. Choices are: 1024X768, 800X600, 600X400, when I right-click into "Configure Desktop/Dislay." I used Synaptic to get "855resolution", ran it and restarted X with no result. I ran MCC and tried hardware->monitor and selected dell->1280X800 laptop with no result. When I tried to configure desktop settings in MCC I got a wandering screen. Any ideas?

I used 855resolution to get my laptop to get 1280x800

When you ran 855resolution, did you do something similar:

(as root)
855resolution -l

look for a mode that you wouldn't possibly use (e.g. something that shows 1600x1200). For me it was mode 5c

then do: 855resolution 5c (or your mode) 1280 800

you should see a message about the patch being applied.

restart x (ctrl-alt-backspace)

If this works and you want to make it permanent, do this

make a text file (as root) /etc/855resolution

!#/bin/sh
855 resolution 5c 1280 800

then chmod+x /etc/855resolution
(note, change 5c to whatever worked for you)

put a symlink in /etc/rcs.d/rc5.d to start it at boot:

ln -s /etc/855resolution /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S45855resolution

This is how I got it working on my laptop (I have the intel 915GM chip)

sorry...just got back from a short vacation. I will try that out and get back to you with the results. thanks

I tried as you showed...but never got the resolution to change. I followed your steps trying 3c and 5c at 1280 800. I then exited the session and restarted x as you said. I did not get any change in screen res so I have not created any text files.

One other thought, is your xorg.conf set to use 1280x800 resolution?

To change this:

PClinuxOS control center --> hardware --> change desktop screen resolution. To get the 1280x800 you may have go to other and then find 1280x800.
apply the changes, logout, hit alt-f6, login as root, run 855resolution as before, logout, hit alt-f7 and restart x (alt-backspace).

I tried your method again:
"When you ran 855resolution, did you do something similar:

(as root)
855resolution -l

look for a mode that you wouldn't possibly use (e.g. something that shows 1600x1200). For me it was mode 5c

then do: 855resolution 5c (or your mode) 1280 800

you should see a message about the patch being applied.

restart x (ctrl-alt-backspace)

If this works and you want to make it permanent, do this

make a text file (as root) /etc/855resolution

!#/bin/sh
855 resolution 5c 1280 800

then chmod+x /etc/855resolution
(note, change 5c to whatever worked for you)

put a symlink in /etc/rcs.d/rc5.d to start it at boot:

ln -s /etc/855resolution /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S45855resolution"

and realized that a typo was keeping it from working.

!#/bin/sh
855 resolution 5c 1280 800

should be: 855resolution 5c 1280 800

works terrific... thanks for the help

Your welcome!
sorry about the typo

Thanks petespin27! This worked like a charm. It only took 3 minutes to get this working. Now I've got a beautiful looking desktop that I know my co-workers are going to envy

Isn't this a great example of why so many people think Linux is complicated?

Booting to a command prompt, creating a textfile with shell commands, changing file permissions, creating a symlink---just to get the OS to support a widely-used laptop screen resolution? What's wrong with this picture?