Why can't you get a higher screen resolution than 800x600 on SUSE?
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Distribution: SUSE 10.0, LiMP (Linux Multimedia Player)
Posts: 86
Rep:
Why can't you get a higher screen resolution than 800x600 on SUSE?
... It annoys me that you can't get any higher than 800x600 on SUSE... you have to leave the text on e.g. Desktop windows absolutely tiny so the windows aren't to large, and I don't find that user friendly.
Is there any way the resolution can be made higher?
sax2 is the X server's configuration tool in SUSE. It's use is to be preferred before manually editing of xorg.conf.
In general, SUSE allows a lot more resolutions than 640x400 and 800x600, providing that your graphics card is properly configured (better to have a shitty resolution than a black screen ).
The reason you do not edit the xorg.conf file in SuSE before trying all the SuSE provided tools is because your display problems might not be what you think. Editing the xorg.conf file at the start circumvents a proper troubleshooting process and will make your situation much worse. The biggest issuses in SuSE are due to bad card drivers, and errors (bugs) in xorg. Please refer to this link to see some of the most common issues and their fixes:
Editing the xorg file must be done ONLY after you have ensured that:
1. Your hardware is supported/compatible.
2. Drivers have been properly installed.
3. Checking for open bugs in Novell and Xorg bugzillas.
I have read several posts that people jump right into the xorg file bypassing everything else, this is the wrong way to get things fixed and often will be a waste of time.
FWIW, as of SuSE 10, the ONLY way to get xorg running correctly on my desktop system (AiW Radeon 8500DV, Radeon 7500 PCI, two ViewSonic P815 monitors) is to build the xorg.conf manually. I can get (2048x1536@60hz)x2 using YaST, whereas on 9.3 sax2 would give me 2048x1536@70hz and 1920x1440@75hz as options. I had to use xmode and add the modes in by hand, as well as add in the acceleration options.
Likewise, SuSE 10.0's sax2 will NOT configure my wacom tablet correctly - I need to revisit xorg.conf and configure the wacom by hand (sax2 did not enable pressure sensitivity nor stylus tilting).
Lastly: I cannot get sax2 to correctly detect and configure any laptop display on the newest (i915, i945, ATI, and NVidia) chipsets correctly - I need to run xmode and add them in manually, or be stuck with 800x600 on 1440x900 and 1940x1200 displays.
Sometimes going right to xorg.conf editing right away is the correct solution, but you can only know from experience when to simply Just Don't Bother(tm) with xorgconfig or sax2. I say that trying sax2 and making sure the monitor is correctly selected is the right thing to do.
The problem you are having is that of the ATI drivers. For some reason the ATI and NVidia cards are having problems with SuSe (most likely due to some bug). Before editing the xorg file check that you have the proper ATI driver according to the ATI website.
What I am saying is that you should only mess with the Xorg.conf file if:
1. You know how the Xorg.Conf file works.
2. You know how SuSe uses the Xorg.Conf file
3. You have checked bugzilla's at both the SuSE and Xorg websites.
4. You know for sure that you are using the proper drivers.
Editing the Xorg.Conf file should be left to those who know how to do it.
Sorry, but SuSE (as in Novell) does NOT recommed editing the file manually.
Please follow the link provided in my previous post and you may find a solution to this problem. If the graphics card in question is an Intel card or chipset, there is an active bugzilla with Xorg that requires the installation of a hack. Resolution problems are indicitive of driver and monitor issues at the OS level. Often no matter how you set the Xorg in SuSE the desired resolutions will often fail. Follow a standard troubleshooting method before editing the Xorg file is recommended. Other distros may allow you to just jump into the Xorg file, but for some reason SuSe is pickey. Hopefully it will be more robust in 10.1.
If you know how to do it great, but if you don't and do anyway and crash x, you have been warned.
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