X-resolution, installing GNOME and special/non-Latin characters on 10.2

Svip · 05-21-2006, 07:36 AM

I am having two issues. Well, quite many issues to be frank, but some of them are merely not as important (such as installing XGL and Compiz).

But I have three I'd like to fix asap.

First, there are the resolution in X. For some reason KDE (which I am running due to the fact that it was the only thing I could select (I know there are the other X Window Managers, but no GNOME)) won't allow me to select anything higher than 1024x768, which to me is way too small. I need AT LEAST 1800x1400, and I know my monitor and video card can handle it.

Before Slackware, I had been using Ubuntu for a while, it ran smoothly on 1800x1400. I tried editing my /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, but as usual, it changes nothing.

Secondly, I wish to install GNOME. Perhaps I am too lazy, but I haven't find a good "guide" to get GNOME installed. :<

Third, I also want to get more special characters, if not the entire Unicode if possible. Cause if there is one thing I hate, is to not to be able to see special characters.

Thanks in advance.

cwwilson721 · 05-21-2006, 11:53 PM

As far as the video goes, what card/chipset do you have? You could check

Code:

lspci

to double check.

As far as gnome is concerned, there is a large contingent of Dropline Gnome people here on this forum. Go to http://www.droplinegnome.net/ and check it out (Specially made for Slackware)

And the unicode? Lets take care of #1 and #2 first.

Wim Sturkenboom · 05-22-2006, 02:23 AM

Which video card, which monitor? Please post sections "device", "monitor" and "screen" from the xorg.conf file.
Also let us know what you tried to change in xorg.conf.

Usually setting correct 'vertrefresh' and 'horizsync' and adding the desired mode (1800x1400) does the trick.
For hires, the correct driver for the videocard needs to be selected as well.

Svip · 05-22-2006, 06:40 AM

Monitor section in xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier  "My Monitor"

    HorizSync   31.5 - 50.0

    VertRefresh 40-90

EndSection

Note: I have stripped the comments.

Device section in xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "VESA Framebuffer"
    Driver      "vesa"
    #VideoRam    4096
    # Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate
EndSection

I think I should note that my cardchip is a nVidia FX5200. And that I haven't installed the nVidia driver yet.

Screen section in xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen 1"
    Device      "VESA Framebuffer"
    Monitor     "My Monitor"

#   DefaultDepth 8
#   DefaultDepth 16
   DefaultDepth 24
#   DefaultDepth 32

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes "1800x1400" "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes "1800x1400" "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes "1800x1400" "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       32
        Modes "1800x1400" "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection

EndSection

My monitor is a Samtron 96B model. I think, that is as much as I can read from the monitor itself. I never got it in a package/parcel.

Is this enough information for now?

Wim Sturkenboom · 05-22-2006, 07:37 AM

Step1
run xorgsetup; it will try to detect video settings and it might detect your videocard
please note that xorgsetup will destroy your monitor settings (but you want to change them anyway).

Step2
I suppose that this is your monitor (sorry for the German site, but it contains some specs).
If it is, please change the horizsync to 30-85 and the vertrefresh to 50-160 in the monitor section; if you have the manual, you should be able to find these specs in there as well.
This should allow some other resolutions as well, like 1152x864, 1280x960 and 1280x1024.
Just try them out.

Please note that the spec. specifies 1600x1200 max. 1800x1400 is a funny resolution for a normal CRT (it's not 4:3 ratio).

If the driver stays vesa after the first step, you probably have to download other drivers from nVidia.

Svip · 05-22-2006, 08:00 AM

I tried that xorgsetup command, but for some reason it ran into an error. Something about finding the existing file. I suppose I should stop X and then install the nVidia driver I have downloaded.

Also, I thank you for the information about my monitor (it was indeed the correct one), so I have changed those info you told me to.

Svip · 05-22-2006, 04:21 PM

Small update: Got dropline GNOME to work (it wins). And I now have a bit higher resolution, although I am greedy and wanted a bit more. But it'll do for now.

Thanks! GNOME came with a good line of special/non-Latin characters, but I wish I could have them all.