Fix X windows

[Cameron Simpson]

On 27Oct2007 12:20, Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:
> Les Mikesell wrote:
>> Karl Larsen wrote:
>>>    I made the screen too large and when I reboot it would not come up in 
>>> X windows. I can use Ctrl-Alt F1 and get back to level 3 and login as 
>>> root.
>>>
>>>    But I can't recall the name of the tool that lets you change X window 
>>> settings. Does  anyone recall the name?
>>
>> Try:
>> system-config-display --reconfig
>>
> I used just system-config-display and it brought up the panel with the odd 
> size that the dam nvidia lets you use if you have not got its 5 or 6 rpm 
> files and figured out how to load them.
> I got them all and then found out one will only work if I upgrade the 
> kernel :-!
> So decided this was just too much for a new F7 and I will wait until F8 is 
> available. Then I can FIGHT the dam nvidia for a good reason.

I have an NVidia card at work. I've been using the NVidia driver from
NVidia's web site< and it's worked well.

If you have a working X server whose only problem is the display
resoution the simplest approach is probably just the hack the
/etc/X11/xorg.conf file:

  - get out of X, as you have done

  - take a copy of the current xorg.conf

  - edit the original
    There should be a section called "Screen", with a subsection called
    "Display". Edit the "Modes line to include the resoution you want;
    it must be something your monitor and card are supposed to do.
    Here's an example clause form my laptop:

        Section "Screen"
                Identifier "Screen0"
                Device     "Videocard0"
                Monitor    "Monitor0"
                DefaultDepth     24
                SubSection "Display"
                        Viewport   0 0
                        Depth     24
                        Modes    "1400x1050" "800x600" "640x480"
                EndSubSection
        EndSection

    I run in 1400x1050 on this machine.

  - start a new X server
    You can just run the command "startx :1", which will commence a new
    X server using id ":1" (because :0 is in use by the "main" X server
    just at present).

    If this works, you will get a display, probably not running your
    normal session. But we are only testing the resolution, so that's
    ok. If that's good, we're ready; quit the X server by typing
    ctrl-alt-backspace. Then return to your main server (Alt-F7)
    and quit it (ctrl-alt-backspace); this should cause it to start a
    new server using your new settings.

    If not, examine the file /var/log/Xorg.1.log. It should show
    the driver trying various resolutions. Search for yours.
    For example, for my laptop I would search for 1400x1050.
    The driver will only use a resolution it believes that
    the card will do and the monitor will accept.

If the above procedure works, you're good to go. Otherwise, there are
more things to try.
-- 
Cameron Simpson <cs at zip.com.au> DoD#743
http://www.cskk.ezoshosting.com/cs/

I thought the DoD was a bunch of licensed squids. The last thing you
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