xorgconfig, video resolution, xdm and gdm - queries and tips
This is as much a story of my upgrade as anything but there are some tips and questions embedded in it as well. As I said the Slackware 9.1 to 10 upgrade went pretty smoothly, all the really vital things like the networking started up with no problems at all after the upgrade. The two things that needed some work were the xfree -> xorg move and xdm. After finding xorgconfig (thank you whoever it was) the basics of video configuration were quite easy. Just copying my xfree config file to xorg.conf worked reasonably well and I then ran xorgconfig to check it as much as to change it. The next issue was that xdm didn't work, since I use a Win2k system to display my Linux desktop (via the Cygwin/X server) this was rather vital to me. I found that 'startx' would bring my xfce desktop up OK on the local display but xdm gave an error in its log file saying that XDMCP failed to open a socket with errno 97. A bit of investigation (Google search) suggested that this might be that the xdm I had was expecting IPV6. So I sidestepped the problem by trying gdm instead, this works perfectly and looks a bit prettier too so I'm happy. I did have a bit of a problem initially when trying to login on my Win2k machine but that turned out to be because I was typing away on the wrong keyboard! The one remaining video issue is that I can't get the native video resolution that I want, the card supports the 1600x1200 that I want and so does the display but I can't get it to actually do it. The remote desktop via gdm is at 1600x1200 but when I fire up a local desktop I get only 1024x768. I've put the 1600x1200 resolutions as my first choice in the xorg.conf file, what is limiting it to less? -- Chris Green (chris@areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
On Wednesday 24 November 2004 12:50 pm, Chris Green wrote:
The one remaining video issue is that I can't get the native video resolution that I want, the card supports the 1600x1200 that I want and so does the display but I can't get it to actually do it. The remote desktop via gdm is at 1600x1200 but when I fire up a local desktop I get only 1024x768. I've put the 1600x1200 resolutions as my first choice in the xorg.conf file, what is limiting it to less?
At a wild guess (I am no expert on X configuration) there is something wrong with your modeline for 1600X1200, probably the timings defined here put it outside the maximum values as defined by the "Monitor" section, either that or the values in the monitor section are not correct. The way I understand it the "Monitor" section provides the absolute limits as to what your display hardware is capable of and then each modeline defines the specific timings for each resolution. If one of your modelines falls outside what is defined in the "Monitor" section then X will not use that resolution. I've always seen these modelines as a bit of a black art, but I'd suggest you get the true specification for your display and then use something like http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl to generate the correct modeline. That said I thought with modern gear the correct settings where obtained from DDC so this shouldn't have been an issue. There is a reasonable explanation of the modeline format hidden somewhere in the XFree86 docs (I assume this is all the same for X.org) but I can't find it at the moment. Also a word of warning, messing with these settings without knowing the correct values can in some cases destroy your monitor....most modern stuff should just go to a "out of range" mode. but you have been warned !
Thanks for responding. On Wed, Nov 24, 2004 at 07:14:35PM +0000, Wayne Stallwood wrote:
On Wednesday 24 November 2004 12:50 pm, Chris Green wrote:
The one remaining video issue is that I can't get the native video resolution that I want, the card supports the 1600x1200 that I want and so does the display but I can't get it to actually do it. The remote desktop via gdm is at 1600x1200 but when I fire up a local desktop I get only 1024x768. I've put the 1600x1200 resolutions as my first choice in the xorg.conf file, what is limiting it to less?
At a wild guess (I am no expert on X configuration) there is something wrong with your modeline for 1600X1200, probably the timings defined here put it outside the maximum values as defined by the "Monitor" section, either that or the values in the monitor section are not correct.
My Screen section is as follows:- Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen 1" Device "GL1000" Monitor "LGFlatron" DefaultDepth 24 Subsection "Display" Depth 8 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection EndSection So, as I see it, there aren't any timings defined there. This is as generated by using xorgconfig so I assume the syntax is correct.
The way I understand it the "Monitor" section provides the absolute limits as to what your display hardware is capable of and then each modeline defines the specific timings for each resolution. If one of your modelines falls outside what is defined in the "Monitor" section then X will not use that resolution.
I've always seen these modelines as a bit of a black art, but I'd suggest you get the true specification for your display and then use something like http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl to generate the correct modeline.
The display specifications are from the monitor manual so are presumably correct. -- Chris Green (chris@areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
On Wednesday 24 November 2004 7:28 pm, Chris Green wrote:
My Screen section is as follows:-
Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen 1" Device "GL1000" Monitor "LGFlatron" DefaultDepth 24
Subsection "Display" Depth 8 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection EndSection
So, as I see it, there aren't any timings defined there. This is as generated by using xorgconfig so I assume the syntax is correct.
Maybe things are done differently with X.org (SuSE 9.1 is still XFree86) but in my configuration file I see bits like this Section "Monitor" DisplaySize 340 270 HorizSync 31-82 Identifier "Monitor[0]" ModelName "1280X1024@75HZ" Option "DPMS" VendorName "--> LCD" VertRefresh 58-75 UseModes "Modes[0]" EndSection Section "Modes" Identifier "Modes[0]" Modeline "1280x1024" 134.72 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1068 Modeline "1152x864" 102.08 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 901 Modeline "1024x768" 79.52 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 801 Modeline "800x600" 47.53 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626 Modeline "640x480" 29.84 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501 EndSection Perhaps the mechanism that X.org uses to define monitor timings is different, in which case I can offer no help :o(
On Wednesday 24 November 2004 7:52 pm, Wayne Stallwood wrote:
Maybe things are done differently with X.org (SuSE 9.1 is still XFree86) but in my configuration file I see bits like this
Section "Monitor" DisplaySize 340 270 HorizSync 31-82 Identifier "Monitor[0]" ModelName "1280X1024@75HZ" Option "DPMS" VendorName "--> LCD" VertRefresh 58-75 UseModes "Modes[0]" EndSection
Section "Modes" Identifier "Modes[0]" Modeline "1280x1024" 134.72 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1068 Modeline "1152x864" 102.08 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 901 Modeline "1024x768" 79.52 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 801 Modeline "800x600" 47.53 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626 Modeline "640x480" 29.84 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501 EndSection
Perhaps the mechanism that X.org uses to define monitor timings is different, in which case I can offer no help :o(
Just booted up SuSE 9.2 Live eval in a Virtual Machine. That is running X.org yet still has the modelines I am referring to. Funnily enough xorg.conf is just a symlink to XF86Config which seems like the wrong way of doing things if you are going to do a dirty hack like symlinking X.org to look like XFree86.
On Wed, Nov 24, 2004 at 09:08:03PM +0000, Wayne Stallwood wrote:
On Wednesday 24 November 2004 7:52 pm, Wayne Stallwood wrote:
Maybe things are done differently with X.org (SuSE 9.1 is still XFree86) but in my configuration file I see bits like this
Section "Monitor" DisplaySize 340 270 HorizSync 31-82 Identifier "Monitor[0]" ModelName "1280X1024@75HZ" Option "DPMS" VendorName "--> LCD" VertRefresh 58-75 UseModes "Modes[0]" EndSection
Section "Modes" Identifier "Modes[0]" Modeline "1280x1024" 134.72 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1068 Modeline "1152x864" 102.08 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 901 Modeline "1024x768" 79.52 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 801 Modeline "800x600" 47.53 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626 Modeline "640x480" 29.84 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501 EndSection
Perhaps the mechanism that X.org uses to define monitor timings is different, in which case I can offer no help :o(
Just booted up SuSE 9.2 Live eval in a Virtual Machine. That is running X.org yet still has the modelines I am referring to. Funnily enough xorg.conf is just a symlink to XF86Config which seems like the wrong way of doing things if you are going to do a dirty hack like symlinking X.org to look like XFree86.
OK, I'll check tonight if I have a "Modes" section. In the slackware UPGRADE.TXT for 9.1 to 10 (which goes from Xfree to Xorg) it says to copy XF86Config to xorg.conf and then maybe check a couple of lines. -- Chris Green (chris@areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
Wayne Stallwood wrote: snip
Just booted up SuSE 9.2 Live eval in a Virtual Machine. That is running X.org yet still has the modelines I am referring to. Funnily enough xorg.conf is just a symlink to XF86Config which seems like the wrong way of doing things if you are going to do a dirty hack like symlinking X.org to look like XFree86.
I agree it's dirty hack. In slack 10.0 they are completely different files. IAn -- Ian T-Bell aka RuffRecords aka RedTommo
On Wednesday, November 24, 2004 7:28 PM, Chris Green wrote:
My Screen section is as follows:-
[snip]
So, as I see it, there aren't any timings defined there. This is as generated by using xorgconfig so I assume the syntax is correct.
I had a simliar issue with setting up my monitor under Debian at the weekend. According to the logs, XFree86 was retrieving the timing information correctly from the monitor via DDC, but it was continuing to use it's default settings (VertRefresh 30-75 I believe). Having put in the DDC values for HorizSync and VertRefresh into the Monitor section it worked for me. My current Monitor section is Section "Monitor" Identifier "NEC MultiSync FE700+" HorizSync 31-70 VertRefresh 55-120 Option "DPMS" EndSection Regards David.
Chris Green wrote: snip
The one remaining video issue is that I can't get the native video resolution that I want, the card supports the 1600x1200 that I want and so does the display but I can't get it to actually do it. The remote desktop via gdm is at 1600x1200 but when I fire up a local desktop I get only 1024x768. I've put the 1600x1200 resolutions as my first choice in the xorg.conf file, what is limiting it to less?
Have you check the Xorg log file? This lists all the resolutions tried and why it rejects/accepts them. Ian -- Ian T-Bell aka RuffRecords aka RedTommo
On Wed, Nov 24, 2004 at 09:10:48PM +0000, Ian bell wrote:
Chris Green wrote: snip
The one remaining video issue is that I can't get the native video resolution that I want, the card supports the 1600x1200 that I want and so does the display but I can't get it to actually do it. The remote desktop via gdm is at 1600x1200 but when I fire up a local desktop I get only 1024x768. I've put the 1600x1200 resolutions as my first choice in the xorg.conf file, what is limiting it to less?
Have you check the Xorg log file? This lists all the resolutions tried and why it rejects/accepts them.
Now that's a good idea that I hadn't thought of, thanks, I'll do it tonight. -- Chris Green (chris@areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."
participants (4)
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Chris Green -
David Fairey -
Ian bell -
Wayne Stallwood