LinuxQuestions.org - Unsupported mode... display issue

- MEPIS (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/mepis-64/)

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Unsupported mode... display issue

I'm having an issue with Mepis 3.3 and the display. It doesn't seem to care what I put in the display settings (HorizSync 30.0-60.0) (VertRefresh 60.0-75.0) the display gets this: H 21.3hz V26.5hz and this damn floating box announcing unsupported mode that always seems to manage to cover whatever you're trying to do.

Does anyone know where the appropriate config file is that does this job? The gui menu that supposedly controls this isn't doing the right file.

Find your xorg.conf file and scroll down to the screen section and see if you find something like this:

Code:

    SubSection    "Display"

        Viewport    0 0

        Depth      24

        Modes      "1280x1024" "1152x768" "800x600"

    EndSubSection

I don't know what you have for a video card but it could be that a mode, i.e., resolution is specified that the card can't handle. It should select a resolution that it can handle from the list but you never know. If the Modes line isn't present you might add it with a basic resolution, like 800x600, that you know the card can handle. You can experiment with various resolutions in the other color depth subsections until you find something that works. You might start with something like 800x600 in color depth 8, then work your way up through the various resolutions in each color depth until you find the limits of the card.

That said, if you have a pretty good video card it should easily handle something like 1280x1024 at a 24 bit color depth. Googling for your card's capabilities should prove helpful and will possibly suggest a starting point.

Finally, Slackware has a utility called xorgsetup that will probe your card (and other hardware) and setup the xorg.conf file for you. Perhaps Mepis has a similar utility.

Above all, don't worry, this is a solvable problem.

The board is a SBC, a Via C3 epx style. It won't seem to work with a later kernel than 2.6.10. I can't find a "Xorg" folder. In the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file:

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "unknown"
ModelName "unknown"
#Option "DPMS" "true"
HorizSync 30.0-60.0
VertRefresh 60.0-75.0
Modeline "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 #60Hz
Modeline "800x600" 40.12 800 848 968 1056 600 601 605 628 #60Hz
Modeline "1024x768" 75 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
Modeline "1024x768" 85 1024 1056 1152 1360 768 784 787 823
ModeLine "1152x864" 65 1152 1168 1384 1480 864 865 875 985 Interlace
Modeline "1152x864" 92 1152 1208 1368 1474 864 865 875 895
Modeline "1152x864" 110 1152 1240 1324 1552 864 864 876 908
Modeline "1152x864" 135 1152 1464 1592 1776 864 864 876 908
Modeline "1152x864" 137.65 1152 1184 1312 1536 864 866 885 902 -HSync -VSync
Modeline "1280x1024" 80 1280 1296 1512 1568 1024 1025 1037 1165 Interlace
Modeline "1280x1024" 110 1280 1328 1512 1712 1024 1025 1028 1054
Modeline "1280x1024" 126.5 1280 1312 1472 1696 1024 1032 1040 1068 -HSync -VSync
Modeline "1280x1024" 135 1280 1312 1456 1712 1024 1027 1030 1064
Modeline "1280x1024" 135 1280 1312 1416 1664 1024 1027 1030 1064
Modeline "1280x1024" 157.5 1280 1344 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1072 +HSync +VSync
Modeline "1280x1024" 181.75 1280 1312 1440 1696 1024 1031 1046 1072 -HSync -VSync
Modeline "1400x1050" 129 1400 1464 1656 1960 1050 1051 1054 1100 +HSync +VSync
Modeline "1600x1200" 162 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +HSync +VSync
Modeline "1600x1200" 189 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 -HSync -VSync
Modeline "1600x1200" 202.5 1600 1664 1856 2160 1200 1201 1204 1250 +HSync +VSync
Modeline "1600x1200" 220 1600 1616 1808 2080 1200 1204 1207 1244 +HSync +VSync
ModeLine "1800x1440" 230 1800 1896 2088 2392 1440 1441 1444 1490 +HSync +VSync
ModeLine "1800x1440" 250 1800 1896 2088 2392 1440 1441 1444 1490 +HSync +VSync
EndSection

Any suggestions?

Try in Section Screen to use Depth 16 and Modes "640x480"
and in Section Monitor use
modeline "640x480" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
This will try a standard resolution. If this works, you could increase the resolution step by step and use the last working.
Since "Unsupported mode" is shown, the video driver may work and try to switch to an unsuported mode, but to be safe, using the vesa driver may also be a good idea, since via c3 is not a very known chip, and the driver may not be that good anyway

If it winds up that you absolutely can't make things work, you might try an nVidia card. nVidia has some pretty good Linux drivers on their site. Just make sure the card you choose is supported, install it, download their driver to a directory of your choosing (/tmp?), go to the command line and install it. Type:

Code:

sh nVidia-driver-name.run

and hit 'Enter'. Follow the prompts and install it. Restart the X server (or just reboot) and you should be in good shape.

This board doesn't support extra video cards, it's designed for embedded use. Altering the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file doesn't change a thing, must be wrong file for this.

resolved
the board vendor told me to put xdrvr=vesa in the boot prompt at the boot cd. Problem went away. Don't know which file got altered unfortunately.