Oneiric Display Problem on Netbook: Windows Extending Off-Screen
 

I checked before posting, but perhaps I didn't have the right search terms. In anycase I couldn't find a thread on this particular topic.

I installed Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot) on an HP Mini 110 netbook. I completely reformatted the existing HDD, replacing the original Win XP installation with three partitions: /, /home, and a swap partition.

I had to connect via ethernet in order to download a wireless driver. I also installed some 300+ updates that the system recommended once it was connected. Other than that the install went smoothly (in fact I'm typing this on the netbook).

However there is still a nagging display problem that I haven't been able to fix. Certain windows, especially software dialogs, extend off the visible screen area. They cannot be resized or dragged to fit, and they have no scroll bars to get access to the off-screen areas.

I have tried adjusting the resolution, but the panel for doing that has only one option available: 1024x576. And the resolution actually appears fine as far as readability is concerned. Some windows simply act as though the screen is larger than it is, and cannot be persuaded otherwise.

I have checked some hardware info. The system is running an Intel 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller, with a "subsystem" identified as Hewlett-Packard Company Device 308f. However I'm not sure what to do with this information, or even if it's important.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A couple ideas?
 

With Ubuntu 11.10, and an HP mini there probably is a proprietary driver to possibly have Ubuntu activate. Usually an icon will pop up for you saying so. But try and find your "System Settings" and see if there is an icon for "Hardware Drivers". If so, open it and run a search. If one is found and not activated, try to activate and reboot.

Another option is just work within your appearance or "Desktop appearance" settings, even advanced settings therein perhaps. I am not very familiar with the Unity desktop so I cannot recall where all this is located exactly.

Or find your display settings and look around in there for custom appearance, or theme settings and play around with changes.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, barnac1e. I checked those things and didn't find it. There is an "Additional Drivers" panel in the System Settings, but the only driver it lists is the wireless driver that I installed when set up the system. And I found nothing in the Appearance settings that changed the borders of windows.

Hi psuliin! Did you ever get that Ubuntu 11.10 dialogues problem ironed out on your HP Mini? I've got an HP Mini 1151nr that had the same problem. Tried other distros on it and discovered that it never had the problem in KDE, only it seems in Gnome/Unity. Makes me wonder if Gnome developers have coded with an assumption that no one uses 'tiny' 1024x576 screens anymore?

No, unfortunately the problem persists. I was hoping someone here might have a solution, but not yet.