Slackware 10 and my monitor
 

Hi, im a new slackware user(ive played with red hat, but you know what they say...) and i installed slackware 10 so i could get a little experience on that... anyhoo, on the with question

i installed it fine, booting lilo from a floppy, it works fine, until i try to write the xorgconfig file, i have my monitors spec and everything, so i enter the sync rates right, but when i come to startx it loads fine apart from being really really big and i cant see most things.

its probably just something i havent noticed and im being an idiot, but if you could gimme a hand id be grateful

James

r u trying to run in 800x600 resolution? and did you have 1024x768 or higher resolution in ur xorgconfig? if so, the 800x600 wont work. if you want 800 resolution, that has to be ur only choice in the xorgconfig. else, use 1024x768, it should work without changing anything.

well the thing is, it worked first time when i chose generic things, but now i cant get it to come in the right size whatever choices i make in the xorgconfig thing

Please post your xorg.conf. It can be found at /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

The monitor specs might not be so bad to post either, though it doesn't sound like you're having any problems with your hardware.

Samsung Syncmaster 753DFX
General
Model Name SyncMaster 753DFX
Picture Tube
Type 17"(43cm) DynaFlat X (40.6cm viewable)
Deflection angle 90 °
Dot Pitch 0.20mm (Horizontal)
Screen type Aluminized tri-color phosphor dot trio with black matrix.
Anti-doming invar shadow mask.
Multi-layer coated with anti-static.
Maximum Resolution
1280 Dots, 1024 Lines at 65Hz
Active Display
Horizontal 312 ± 4 mm
Vertical 234 ± 4 mm
Synchronization
Horizontal 30 ~ 70 kHz
Vertical 50 ~ 160 Hz
Input Signal Definition
Video Signal RGB, Analog 0.7 Vpp positive at 75 ohms
Sync Signal Separate H/V sync, TTL level, positive or negative
Display Color
Unlimited
Maximum Pixel Clock
110 MHz


the xorg.conf file is full of random numbers and letters, so it would take me ages to copy it all down haha

Those numbers are not random, and I need them. Just open the thing up in emacs and copy it all.

It's sort of essential. xorg.conf is the configuration file for your X server. Those random numbers and letters tell your X server what to do and how. I need to know what you're telling it, otherwise I can't really help you.

If, however, you can't get an X server running at all anymore then the part I'm really interested in is the part that looks a bit like ( example is mine ):

Section "Screen"
Indentifier "Screen 1"
Device "S3Trio 64V2/DX (Generic)"
Monitor "My Monitor"
Default depth 8
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "640X480"
Viewport 0 0
Endsubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "640X480"
Viewport 0 0
Endsubsection
Endsection

there ye have it, thanks again mate

p.s. i can get the x server running its just really really big, something to do with the resolution or something i expect, but i got no idea what to try next...

Ah, well, that's your problem. This little bit of xorg.conf handles screen resolution. Your only screen resolution is 640X480, which is really friggin big.

If you make the line with 640X480 look like so
you'll be much happier.

Also, you can cycle through screen resolutions while in X by pressing control and plus or minus, depending on wheter or not you want to go up or down in resolution.

If you still have problems, ask. If that works, please be sure to inform me.

If you want to read more about xorg.conf type "man xorg.conf" at the nearest command line.

i opened the xorg.conf file in vi and edited the line, then saved and quitted. but unfortunately still no luck, same as before.

I hate to ask this, but did you restart your X server?

via the startx command?

i edited the thing, then typed startx, and i left the GUI by typing Ctrl+Alt and backspace

Oh crap, I am SO sorry I didn't see that earlier! I wasn't even looking for that being a problem so I didn't even think to check. I apologize.

Okay, that code segment in you xorg.conf means that you want you color depth to be 8 bit, which isn't all that great. I don't know about your video card, but all modern hardware ( modern being definately 1995 and up ) can handle 24 bit color depth.

If you'll notice in my xorg.conf example all the various sections dealing with other color depths are left blank and that at the top my depth is set to 24 bit. That's because I don't use anything but 24 bit, so why bother?

However, in your xorg.conf, you edited your xorg.conf to display at higher resolutions in the event that you run at a 24 bit color depth. But since you're running at 8 bit nothing you change will be noticeable.

All you need to do is switch the 8 to a 24. Then exit your GUI and startx. That should work.

now i get an error with the VGA saying that 24 is unsupported by the driver, i tried 16 as well...

Hmm, maybe you do have an unlucky video card. I'd have to know what it is to say more.

Assuming your video card could actually handle the resolutions drop this code into your xorg.conf
If it can't handle even 16 bit I'm curious to know what your card is, and then how you set up your xorg.conf.

Use the utility, if that doesn't work you can use the or to move from one resolution to the other