This is like typing while looking through a keyhole. My current screen resolution is 640x480 and the only choice that is available in system/preferences/screen resolution is 640x480. I would like to change it to 1024x768. How do I do it? Thanks in advance for your help. This screen size is driving me nuts.

Chuck

Find your way to the /etc/X11/ directory and look for a file named XF86Config-4, Xorg.conf, or something similar. Edit the file (you may wish to make a backup first, just in case) and go down to Section "Screen". Add "1024x768" (including quotation marks) next after every instance of "Modes" in that section (right next to where it should say "640x680"). Now, save the file and restart X (CTRL + ALT + Backspace). Return to your system / preferences / screen resolution and see if there are any more options available.

Well, I kind of hosed it up. I found the xorg.conf file, but it already had the 1024x768 in it, although that resolution was not selectable. I decided I would try the monitor and screen section from my xorg.conf file on my pclinuxos installation(which works great), so I cut and paste the sections into my ubuntu xorg.conf file and restart the system. Well, now the xserver won't start. Now it's really time to see if I can turn a significant problem into a real disaster.

Hi There
Firstly, what grpahics driver (hardware) do you have? ATI, NVidea or other?

Ubuntu has one of the most intuitve xserver configuration out there (just my 2c first).
At the command prompt type

Select the options that apply to you. I normally choose the all defaults, and at the driver scetion I choose VESA and select the resoltuions I know will work with VESA driver (in your case choose highest 1024x768, BUT if you have ATI or other card then u will need a prop driver to emulate that resolution..but that later). At the point where it asks you to autodetect display It will ask you twice, choose YES at the first, and NO at the second. It will ask you to overwrite the xorg.conf file, choose YES, do not worry it makes a backup of the old file (with the date and time as appendix).

reboot.

Now you should come to a GUI login. If not then your resolutions were too high for the VESA, so go thru reconfigure as above and choose one less than 1024x768 res. You should be able to get into GUI now.

Try and find out what graphics card you have and we can take it from there?

HTH.
smiley

See no harm in trying ctrl+alt+K.P_+ (numpad +).

The video controller is embedded on the motherboard. It's a Nvidia nforce2. I'll try the "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" command when I get home tonight. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've seen many posts on the subject at http://ubuntuforums.org/
Try search there..

You need to write your monitor syncs in the xorg.conf or else resolution will stuck to the minimum.
Check if monitors vert and horiz are missing

Should look something like this:
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "xyz"
HorizSync 30-100
VertRefresh 50-150

I have a emachines e15t active matrix tft monitor. The only specs I've been able to run down are that it's "native mode" is 1024X768 @ 60hz. Would you expect to find sync frequencies in a xorg.conf for a lcd monitor?

If changing your Xorg.conf didn't work then I recommend that you look around for the latest drivers for your video card and install them.

Well, I think the xorg file deserves revisiting to check the sync freq. If that looks ok, I'll reconfigure the xserver as suggested above, and if that fails I'll look for another driver (or SimplyMEPIS)

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BinaryDriverHowto/Nvidia

This should come in handy. MEPIS my other Debian Os, also great!

............and you were 100% correct! Thank you everyone for all your help and suggestions.