Cannot change screen resolution

codeman9 · 11-09-2005, 08:14 PM

I am using FC4 with the "install everything" option on a Dell Optiplex GX260. I know this type of problem is all over these boards, but I cannot seem to find an answer to my specific problem. All of the answers say to edit the xorg.conf file and voila, it will work. I have edited this file numerous times and the problem still exists. Anyway, here is the problem:

I only have a limited number of resolution choices in the system-display-config program. I want 1600x1200 @ 60Hz or at least 1024x768 @ 85 Hz with at least a depth of 16 on my Monitor that supports those resolutions. Below is a copy of the relevant portion of the xorg.conf file:

Code:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 91TXM (TFW9105)"
	DisplaySize  380	280
	HorizSync    30.0 - 95.0
	VertRefresh  50.0 - 130.0
	Option	    "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Videocard0"
	Driver      "i810"
	VendorName  "Videocard vendor"
	BoardName   "Intel 845"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Videocard0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth     8
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
		Modes    "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
		Modes    "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

As you can see, the DefaultDepth is 8. This is because if I change it to 16, the Xserver does not start and I have to re-configure it using the system-display-config program that gets invoked and a new config file is generated.

From running lspci, I have an Intel Corporation 82845G/GL[Brookdale-G]/GE Chipset Integrated Graphics Device (rev 01), which, I believe, corresponds to the Intel 845 video card that I select in the Display->Hardware Tab. Either way, the i810 driver seems to be the correct driver even if the name in the xorg.conf file is incorrect. Maybe this is the problem? Maybe I don't really have the Intel 845 card? If this is the case, is there a way I can find out which card I do have? Anyway, I got lost in thought for a moment, since I'm pretty sure that is the graphics card.

Here is output from the Xorg.0.log file:

Code:

(WW) I810(0): config file hsync range 30-95kHz not within DDC hsync ranges.
(WW) I810(0): config file vrefresh range 50-130Hz not within DDC vrefresh ranges.
(II) I810(0): Monitor0: Using hsync range of 30.00-95.00 kHz
(II) I810(0): Monitor0: Using vrefresh range of 50.00-130.00 Hz
(II) I810(0): Not using mode "1600x1200" (no mode of this name)
(--) I810(0): Virtual size is 1024x768 (pitch 1024)
(**) I810(0): *Built-in mode "1024x768"
(**) I810(0): *Built-in mode "800x600"
(**) I810(0): *Built-in mode "640x480"
(II) I810(0): Attempting to use 85Hz refresh for mode "1024x768" (34)
(II) I810(0): Attempting to use 85Hz refresh for mode "800x600" (32)
(II) I810(0): Attempting to use 85Hz refresh for mode "640x480" (30)
(**) I810(0): Display dimensions: (380, 280) mm
(**) I810(0): DPI set to (68, 69)

It says that 1600x1200 is a mode name that doesn't exist (see bolded part). However, scrolling up in the log file, I discover many Mode definitions that correspond to the built-in VESA modes, and there I see that 1600x1200 @ bit depth 8 does exist as Mode 3a.

Further up in the log file there is this:

Code:

(II) I810(0): Supported VESA Video Modes:
(II) I810(0): 720x400@70Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 832x624@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@70Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1280x1024@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1152x870@75Hz
(II) I810(0): Manufacturer's mask: 0
(II) I810(0): Supported Future Video Modes:
(II) I810(0): #0: hsize: 1600  vsize 1200  refresh: 75  vid: 20393
(II) I810(0): #1: hsize: 1280  vsize 1024  refresh: 75  vid: 36737
(II) I810(0): #2: hsize: 1024  vsize 768  refresh: 75  vid: 20321
(II) I810(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) I810(0): clock: 202.5 MHz   Image Size:  380 x 285 mm
(II) I810(0): h_active: 1600  h_sync: 1664  h_sync_end 1856 h_blank_end 2160 h_border: 0
(II) I810(0): v_active: 1200  v_sync: 1201  v_sync_end 1204 v_blanking: 1250 v_border: 0
(II) I810(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) I810(0): clock: 157.5 MHz   Image Size:  356 x 285 mm
(II) I810(0): h_active: 1280  h_sync: 1328  h_sync_end 1488 h_blank_end 1728 h_border: 0
(II) I810(0): v_active: 1024  v_sync: 1025  v_sync_end 1028 v_blanking: 1072 v_border: 0
(II) I810(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) I810(0): clock: 148.5 MHz   Image Size:  380 x 285 mm
(II) I810(0): h_active: 1280  h_sync: 1328  h_sync_end 1488 h_blank_end 1728 h_border: 0
(II) I810(0): v_active: 960  v_sync: 961  v_sync_end 964 v_blanking: 1011 v_border: 0
(II) I810(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) I810(0): clock: 94.5 MHz   Image Size:  380 x 285 mm
(II) I810(0): h_active: 1024  h_sync: 1072  h_sync_end 1168 h_blank_end 1376 h_border: 0
(II) I810(0): v_active: 768  v_sync: 769  v_sync_end 772 v_blanking: 808 v_border: 0
(II) I810(0): Will use BIOS call 0x5f05 to set refresh rates for CRTs.

which seems to tell me that my video card does, indeed, support at least one of these better resolutions. Even without this info from the log file, I have used the card under Windows and it did support, at least, 1024x768 @ 85 Hz @ 24 depth.

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks!
Cody

pyrael · 11-18-2005, 11:42 PM

Try setting the refresh to a lower rate, I had the sdame problem with my sis video, I set the display to 1400X1050 @60Hz and acheived a mid-ground between size and clarity.