HOWTO: Choose the resolution YOU want in xorg.conf

[tukuyomi]

Xorg has been recently updated to 7.3 and apparently uses xrandr to set the best resolution for you.
It works well in most cases, but sometimes, you'll want to set X to start in a resolution YOU choose.
Of course, the first thing you do is to tweak your xorg.conf as you did it for about x years now and happily press [CTRL][ALT][<--] and ..? wtf o_O the resolution has not changed.
After having checked twice your xorg.conf, you're still stucked in that resolution and your desktop is unusable due to all icons in your gnome-panel that are not visible anymore...
So, how to modify xorg.conf to your needs? Here is it!
Say you want a resolution set to 1600x1200 at 75Hz, you use gtf tool to output a Modeline that'll be used in xorg later:

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$ gtf 1600 1200 75

  # 1600x1200 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 93.97 kHz; pclk: 205.99 MHz
  Modeline "1600x1200_75.00"  205.99  1600 1720 1896 2192  1200 1201 1204 1253  -HSync +Vsync

Now, open your xorg.conf, then find Section "Monitor" then add those two lines as in the following -example- code:

Code: Select all

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Modeline	"1600x1200_75.00"  205.99  1600 1720 1896 2192  1200 1201 1204 1253  -HSync +Vsync
	Option		"PreferredMode"		"1600x1200_75.00"
EndSection

Then, find Section "Screen" and add this example code:

Code: Select all

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes	"1600x1200_75.00"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Be sure that Modes string is the same as above!

... And that's all? I hope so, let's save this file and restart your X server.

Thanks to Bogart from ArchLinux forums for the tip : http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? ... 48#p255048

[IsaacKuo]

Another place to generate modelines is this web page: Colas XFree Modeline Generator

Colas's Modeline Generator doesn't do interlace modes, though.

One thing I've found with the nvidia driver is that it will absolutely IGNORE your custom Modeline if the name of the modeline is something "standard" like "1600x1200". Instead, you need it to have a "funny" name like "1600x1200funnystuff". I would guess that "1600x1200_75.00" is sufficiently "funny" to qualify, but I'm not positive.

[Jackiebrown]

I would guess that "1600x1200_75.00" is sufficiently "funny" to qualify, but I'm not positive.

That's interesting. I guess that is why nvidia setting labeled it 1680x1050_60

Code: Select all

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Videocard0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "metamodes" "1680x1050 +0+0; 1280x1024 +0+0; 1024x768 +0+0; 800x600 +0+0; 640x480 +0+0; 1680x1050_60 +0+0"
    Option         "UseEdidFreqs" "True"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection

[El1iP3S01D]

How do i install gtf?

[tukuyomi]

gtf is a part of xserver-xorg-core package. If you don't have it, you probably run an older version of X.

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$ dpkg -L xserver-xorg-core | grep bin/gtf
/usr/bin/gtf

[LKGeek]

I guess this is part of the xorg problem.

I'm using the ati driver, and it automatically bumped my monitor to the highest setting (1900x1200?) but i prefer 1680x1050

i edited the xorg.conf file, and i can now do 1680x1050

the problem is that firefix3.0rc1 now doesn't display resized images properly.

this happened at the earlier resolution too.

does anyone have a solution to this?

[oswaldkelso]

This did not work for me on its own. I filed a bug report Bug #457612.

It needs more options to work for Macs I have a ppc. To quote the Debian dev (Thank you Alex) working on the bug.

"Mac cards to not have a connector table in the bios so we don't know
how their outputs are wired up."

Changing the Modeline on its own did not work for me I still had a blank screen. It only gave me X by adding this option to the Monitor section:

option "ConnectorTable" "100,1,0,1,108,2,0,1"

I had to try all these options in turn, several gave me X but only some allowed the mini vgai port to work. I have X its just off set to the left by about 45mm and has a gap top and bottom of about 5mm. Unfortunately there are no actual control nob's on this pc to adjust it! I am viewing this on my external monitor.

"96,1,0,1,100,2,0,1"
"96,1,0,1,104,2,0,1"
"96,1,0,1,108,2,0,1"

"100,1,0,1,96,2,0,1"
"100,1,0,1,104,2,0,1"
"100,1,0,1,108,2,0,1"

"104,1,0,1,96,2,0,1"
"104,1,0,1,100,2,0,1"
"104,1,0,1,108,2,0,1"

"108,1,0,1,96,2,0,1"
"108,1,0,1,96,2,0,1"
"108,1,0,1,96,2,0,1"

I have no idea if these options are Mac, PPC or machine specific but provide them in case its of benefit to others. With out this option I still had a blank screen even with the correct rates.

[spajix]

I did this and my screen is still not set to 1024*768 as I want it but instead 800*600 which is really bad since I'm using an old IBM Thinkpad 1171 and since it's set to 800*600 it's not using the hole screen so I have a really small work space
I'm using Denian Lenny

Code: Select all

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver       	"trident"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Modeline "1024x768_16.00"  13.51  1024 968 1056 1088  768 769 772 776  
	-HSync +Vsync
	Option	"PreferredMode"	"1024x768_60.00" 
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
        Monitor         "Configured Monitor"
        Device          "Configured Video Device"
        Defaultdepth	16
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth          16
                Modes         "1024x768_60.00"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Any ideas?

[spajix]

Although it still doesn't work I did find one problem with my last xorg file
In the gtf step I put 16 thinking it was for the depth instead of 60 for the refresh rate
So here it is with that fixed but still I can't use my full screen
Please someone help me with this

Code: Select all

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver       	"trident"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Modeline "1024x768_60.00"  64.11  1024 1080 1184 1344  768 769 772 795
-HSync +Vsync
	Option	"PreferredMode"	"1024x768_60.00" 
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
        Monitor         "Configured Monitor"
        Device          "Configured Video Device"
        Defaultdepth	16
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth          16
                Modes         "1024x768_60.00"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

[spajix]

And Thanks for any future help

[spajix]

Thinker:/home/justin# xrandr --fb 1024x768
xrandr: screen cannot be larger than 800x600 (desired size 1024x768)
I don't think Debian relizes that this screen is more then 800x600

[spajix]

Nevermind
I have fixed it
I took a closer look at the Arch post
Messed with some stuff and it works

[bntawil]

Hello people,

I tried the solution in this post and it still wouldn't work... I'm actually starting to pull my hair off here!

spajix, could you share the "messed with some stuff" part?

I'm running Debian 5.0 (Lenny) with all updates installed on a DELL Inspiron 6000 with an ATI Mobile Radeon X300 (can't install the driver for that)

Here's my xorg.cong contents:

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Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Modeline "1280x800_60.00"  83.46  1280 1344 1480 1680  800 801 804 828 -HSync +Vsync
	Option      "PreferredMode"      "1600x1200_75.00"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	DefaultDepth   24
   	SubSection "Display"
		Depth   24
		Modes   "1280x800_60.00"
	EndSubSection 
EndSection

Did I miss anything?

[tukuyomi]

You wrote it a bit fast ^^

Code: Select all

   Modeline "1280x800_60.00"  83.46  1280 1344 1480 1680  800 801 804 828 -HSync +Vsync
   Option      "PreferredMode"      "1280x800_60.00"

[bntawil]

DOH! thanks for the note
still didn't work though

[tukuyomi]

I'm running Debian 5.0 (Lenny) with all updates installed on a DELL Inspiron 6000 with an ATI Mobile Radeon X300 (can't install the driver for that)

So, I presume you are using VESA driver, thus you won't be able to get 1280x800 for now :/
Have you tried using 'radeon' driver, as it seems to support your hardware:
Quote from man radeon

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SUPPORTED HARDWARE
       The radeon driver supports PCI and AGP video cards based on the followâ€

[leluque]

Hi,

I'm new to linux, I installed lenny and can't get it to show the screen resolution I want. It seems to me that no matter what i do with xorg.conf Debian does whatever it wants with my screen resolution. Sometimes it configures a low resolution but when reboot it goes back to a higher resolution scheme and so on. The output from xrandr this time is:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 240, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 800
default connected 1280x800+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1280x800 60.0*
1280x768 60.0
1152x768 55.0
1024x768 75.0 70.0 60.0
896x672 60.0
960x600 60.0
832x624 75.0
800x600 75.0 72.0 60.0 65.0 56.0
840x525 60.0
700x525 75.0 70.0 60.0
640x512 75.0 60.0
720x450 60.0
640x480 75.0 73.0 60.0
720x400 70.0
640x400 60.0
576x432 75.0
640x384 60.0
576x384 55.0
512x384 75.0 70.0 60.0
416x312 75.0
400x300 75.0 72.0 60.0 56.0
320x240 75.0 73.0 60.0
And my xorg.conf is:
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "latam"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Modeline "1280x1024_60.00" 108.88 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1060 -HSync +Vsync
Option "PreferredMode" "1280x1024_60.00"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024_60.00"
EndSubSection

EndSection

Originally my xorg.conf file was very simple:
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "latam"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"

EndSection

I would like a 1280x1024 resolution, can anyone give me a hand?

Thanks,
Luis

[bcinteractive]

since this is a new fora application, I don't know how to 'watch' this thread except putting this post here. please don't delete this or better yet -- please tell me how to 'watch' this thread. thank you.

[gnudude]

click the 'subscribe topic' or the 'bookmark topic' link at the top of the thread (at least with the theme I am using)

[Frattimonde]

my xorg.conf is empty?!