Subject: Re: Screen resolutions (was: Linux laptops) - SUCCESS
From: Eric D. (liriodendron@mac.com)
Date: Sat Mar 16 2002 - 17:01:00 MST
keywords: change screen resolution, monitor resolution, refresh rates,
switching resolutions, Yellow Dog Linux 2.1, newbie instructions, 1024x768,
1280x1024, Xconfigurator, xf86config, XF86Config-4
(keywords are for newbies like me who can't find anything in the archives...
maybe this'll help someone in the future (I hope) :) :) :) :) )
on 16/3/02 16:51, Robert Brandtjen at rob@prometheusmedia.com wrote:
> On Saturday 16 March 2002 01:33 pm, Eric D. wrote:
>>> In Xconfigurator I've specified that I _only_ want to use 1152*864 @ 70
>
> the easiest way to do this is to just change the config file directly, I
> guess, although mine just did it, expertly choosing the highest refresh rate
> for the resolution-
>
> when Xconfigurator runs, it should be allowed to "auto test" the refresh
> rates. you should only be running Xconfig from init level 3, it seems to not
> run well from X.
Hmmm. "Auto test"? I get no such option to auto test refresh rates (maybe
it's because I'm using a SVGA "port protector" with the DDC pins pulled...
would auto-test require the DDC or would it cycle through resolutions asking
for user-feedback?)). As for "init level 3", no idea what it is but I
presume I'm not running Xconfigurator from X (ctrl-option-F2 "session").
Crude instructions for the frustrated: I am now running 1024*768 @ 75 Hz and
1280*1024 @ 60 Hz.
Caveat: I have fiddled around with fbset and Xconfigurator and xf86config
(all in the usr/X11R6/bin folder) so I may have already been lucky enough to
change a setting that allowed me to do this.
I had some success today (yippi). xf86config did nothing. What worked was
Xconfigurator combined with editing of XF86Config-4.
In a non-X Windows session (ctrl-alt-F2) I logged in as root, and typed,
cd /usr/X11R6/bin
There I ran Xconfigurator (note capitalization). I told it to use "safe
mode" and it wrote a XF86Config-4 file. I switched back to the XWindows
session login (ctrl-alt-F7) and reset it (ctrl-alt-backspace). This time
instead of getting 1024*768 @ 60 Hz I actually got 1024*768 @ 75 Hz and 60
KHz (yeah) but at 8 bit colour. To fix the colour thingy I went back to
session 2 (let's call it that, ctrl-alt-F2) and edited XF86Config-4 (sorry
hardcorers but I can't stand vi & I know pico like the back of my hand (even
after not having used it for 7 years)):
pico /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
I paged down use the "page down" key (it works, as does the numeric keypad
with Num Lock off) to the "default depth" section and changed 8 to 24
Pressed ctrl-X (to quit) and followed the prompts to save. Ctrl-alt-F7
followed by ctrl-alt-backspace and voila, I had 24 bit colour, 1024*768 AND
75 Hz refresh rate (so my eyes no longer go buggy with 60 Hz).
Now, as a complete stab in the dark I wanted to see if I would be lucky
enough to get 1280*1024 @ 60 Hz by a simple edit.
ctrl-alt-F2
pico /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
Paged down to the bottom of the document where there were three 1024*768
settings with 8, 16 and 24. I changed three 1024x768 to 1280x1024, did
ctrl-X, saved, then back to X-Windows via ctrl-alt-F7, ctrl-alt-backspace
(to reset) and I got 1280x1024 at 60 Hz.
ctrl-alt-keypad + or - do nothing but I only managed to get them to work
when, for some bizarre reason I was running 640*480 and 800*600.
I don't have virtual desktop ability back yet (although, that will be a
matter of time and playing with Xconfigurator (damn, I so wish I could
program)), nor do I have 1152*768 @ 75 Hz (have no idea how to go about
doing that yet... can I do the simple replace?), nor can I ctrl-alt-keypad
+/- to switch resolutions but that's for another day. This has been enough
experimenting for a while. I have more important work that's taken a
back-burner to this experimentation.
PS Thanks for the URL below Robert, I'll take a look at it when I get a
chance.
Eric.
> ALthough this site pertains to Nvidia drivers for linux, it will teach you
> alot about the XF86Config-4.
>
> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/nvidia_tsg.html
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