I completely new to this realm of the computing world. I am running Mint 4.0 and I have a few questions to start off. I would like better video Resolutions that what I have to choose from (the standard 640X480, 800X600, and 1024X768). I have a 15.4 inch widescreen monitor and would like 1440X900.
So, my question there is where do I get a video driver to enable the desired resolution.
Also with my sound drivers. I have no audio, what shall I do about that.
And one more driver wireless.
Thats all for now. Thank you for your time and effort.

hi,

Which distro are u using, you can try out Ubuntu 7.10 for your PC as a live CD, or you can also install from the CD also, thus you can check out video Resolutions.

Mint 4.0 is Ubuntu 7.10. Post your 'lspci' output, so we can determine what kind of hardware is in the laptop.

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Contoller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 01)
04:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)

You should be able to get the proper resolution, the Intel driver is included, you shouldn't need to patch your VBIOS with 915resolution anymore, but I may be wrong. Intel didn't include the widescreen modes in thier VBIOS because Windows doesn't listen to it anyway, Linux usually does, so it thinks the card isn't capable of 1440x900.

The sound should be detected too, that is a very common and well supported chipset.

The wirless is also well supported by the iwlwifi project, I don't know if the driver comes with your distro or not, it should be in your repositories if it didn't.

i dont have any widescreen resolutions.

my sound still does not work.

the wireless does work now.

sound error
The volume control did not find any elements and/or devices to control. This means either that you don't have the right GStreamer plugins installed, or that you don't have a sound card configured.

You can remove the volume control from the panel by right-clicking the speaker icon on the panel and selecting "Remove From Panel" from the menu.

I guess your video drivers aren't recent enough to handle it without 915resolution.

Try running alsamixer to see if the sound is detected, it could just be the panel app freaking out because it can't find the Master or PCM channel. This laptop had that problem before I updated alsa, I had to use the Front channel to control sound.