Dead Display = Dead Machine
 

SuSE 8.2:

Is there a file which contains the parameters for the monitor configuration? My SuSE 8.2 has decided to put itself in the 1280 x1024 mode. Unfortunately my LCD display does not support that resolution. When I boot up into Safe Settings, I get a text display of YAST from which I can access a screen showing the monitor resolution. When I go to change the parameters, the program puts itself into the undisplayable 1280 x1024 mode (duh!) and my monitor displays "Timing out of range". I can't see what I'm doing so I can't change the display parameters, so I can't see the output of the machine, so I basically have a dead machine. At least Windows keeps you in a nice, conservative 640 x 480 mode until you configure the display. Show me a functioning monitor which does not support 1280 x 1024 and I'll show you a monitor which WILL display 640 x 480.

Posting this from my Windows machine because it's the only one that WORKS right now.

I don't know SuSE but the standard configuration file location for XFree86 is /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.

I suggest you at first comment out all the modes except the one you wish to use, and set the monitor options for your display (HorizSync, VertRefresh) and go from there.
When you have it working you may want to enable other modes as well, but as you have an LCD display you may only want to run it at the default resolution.

Håkan