Fix X windows

[Karl Larsen]

Cameron Simpson wrote:
> 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.
>   
My problem is that my computer MUST have nvidia installed and working. 
This morning I discovered that the nvidia rpm's I have will require me 
to upgrade to the latest kernel. I can do that too. Not real hard but it 
all takes time. So perhaps tomorrow I will work on it more.

Karl


-- 

	Karl F. Larsen, AKA K5DI
	Linux User
	#450462   http://counter.li.org.