Okay, I just installed Red hat 9, and the scren rez by default is 1024x768. My monitor, however, is a Philips 170W 17" widescreen flat panel with a native resolution of 1280X768. I've tried going through the system settings, and editing my config file in the X11 folder, but nothing seems to work, it won't go tot he widescreen aspect ratio. now, admittedly, I don't really know much of what I'm doing (New to linux, under a week), so I'm asking if anyone knows how to force the system to run in 1280X768 mode?

In /etc/X11/XF86Config in the the screen section under modes have you tried putting "1280x768" as the first entry - ie

Modes "1280x768" "800x600" "640x480"

I did something similar, as it had [ "1024X768" "800x600" "640x480" ] (brackets mine) and I added "1280x768" in front of those three to make it [ "1280x768" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" ]
but that didn't seem to work, as the screensize remained at 1024x768. Am I only allowed three entries for that line?

You might check the color depth you're running at versus these modeline entries. Those modelines are specific to their respective display sections in the XF86Config file. Check that each "Display" has this modeline first in the config file section. After you do this, try restarting X and see if that works

Well, I have the color settings right, as well as having gotten it to the point where the display settings window will show "1280x768" as an option, but it still won't actually go to the resolution of 1280x768. It says I need to restart the X server, but shouldn't a simple restart accomplish that or do I have to manually type a restart command in though the command line? This is a little bit frustrating for me because it shows my screen rez as an option, it just never actually switches to that resolution...

what do you mean by a simple restart? I usually just hit ctrl-alt-backspace to restart my XServer. There are other ways as well, but this seems easiest.

Tried that too, and though it still lists 1280x768 as an option, it doesn't actually change the rez to that...grrrrrrrrrr

try posting your XF86Config File, maybe someone can spot something

Here it is in it's entirity; though I'll admit that as a noob, I understand little of it.

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# RgbPath is the location of the RGB database. Note, this is the name of the
# file minus the extension (like ".txt" or ".db"). There is normally
# no need to change the default.
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Red Hat 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "fbdevhw"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "freetype"
Load "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# Specify which keyboard LEDs can be user-controlled (eg, with xset(1))
# Option "Xleds" "1 2 3"
# To disable the XKEYBOARD extension, uncomment XkbDisable.
# Option "XkbDisable"
# To customise the XKB settings to suit your keyboard, modify the
# lines below (which are the defaults). For example, for a non-U.S.
# keyboard, you will probably want to use:
# Option "XkbModel" "pc102"
# If you have a US Microsoft Natural keyboard, you can use:
# Option "XkbModel" "microsoft"
#
# Then to change the language, change the Layout setting.
# For example, a german layout can be obtained with:
# Option "XkbLayout" "de"
# or:
# Option "XkbLayout" "de"
# Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
#
# If you'd like to switch the positions of your capslock and
# control keys, use:
# Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:swapcaps"
# Or if you just want both to be control, use:
# Option "XkbOptions" "ctrl:nocaps"
#
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# If the normal CorePointer mouse is not a USB mouse then
# this input device can be used in AlwaysCore mode to let you
# also use USB mice at the same time.
Identifier "DevInputMice"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Philips 170W"
DisplaySize 370 220
HorizSync 30.0 - 64.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "radeon"
VendorName "Videocard vendor"
BoardName "ATI Radeon 8500LE"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x768" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group 0
Mode 0666
EndSection

I've also tried it where the subsection "display" reads:
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
...and that didn't work either.

Kinda frustrated at this point, because though I went out and bought three books on Linux to get started (and know Mac and Windows through and through), I can't even solve a simple problem like this...

Well, I don't see anything that just jumps out. You can try commenting out the DisplaySize 370 220 Line from the monitor section and you might try removing the Depth 16 Subsection from your Screen Section. I'll look at this some more, but nothing else really sticks out.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.
Is it possible that Linux at this point just doesn't work well enough with Widescreen monitors? Is it also possible, given the pervious statement, that it may be fixed/changed with the 2.6 kernel release?

Try changing the type of monitor you have, it may have not detected the right one and doesnt think your monitor supports that resolvtion and blocks it from being used. I had that problem just a few days ago

I was able to get 1280x768 up and going on my little Fujitsu.

I found the answer at http://www.geocities.com/aaahoopy
At the bottom of the page is the X configuration info that worked. The page talks about using RedHat 7.2 and editing the XF86Config-4 file. I'm using RedHat 9 which only has the XF86Config. I made the additions and edits to that file.

In the Section "Monitor" after the line Option "dpms" I added these lines:
Modeline "1024x768" 65 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync

Modeline "1280x1024" 108 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync

Modeline "1280x768" 108 1280 1328 1440 1688 768 771 777 806 +hsync -vsync

Next I changed the Modes line in the Section "Screen" to the following:
Modes "1280x768" "1024x768" "800x600"

After I rebooted I had the 1280x768 resolution I wanted.

Always make a backup first before making any edits in case you make a mistake.

YOU, sir, are a GOD!!!

In all seriousness, thank you so much.
Now, on to solving my mouse scrollwheel problem, and i'll consider myself set for the night

Hello!

does anyone know if the lines posted by skiloads to get the 1280x768 resolution work on Sony VAIO TR3A? In case, is there any risk to damage the LCD if I put wrong numbers in XF86Config?
I'm running Red Hat 9.0

Thanks