video equipment still forcing my laptop to a lower res, argh

[Robert P. J. Day]

Quoting Ed Greshko <Ed.Greshko at greshko.com>:

> Robert P. J. Day wrote:

>>   ok, i'll get a chance to check that when i get into the workplace.  but
>> is there any way to de-activate that checking within X?  from what you've
>> written, i'm assuming that the X server sees what's happening, and
>> consequently scales back on the resolution as a result.  is there  
>> an option >> to tell X to simply ignore that and go with full WUXGA  
>> no matter what?
> Not that I know of.  The HW is reporting to X what its capabilities are
> and even if you tell X to ignore what the HW is saying the HW probably
> won't respond to it very well.  :-)

ok, i got a chance to boot the laptop first with no external HW  
attached to VGA, then after attaching that HW.  the salient parts of  
the diff of the X log files, before and after:

... snip ...
419a420
> (II) RADEON(0): Found color CRT connected to primary DAC
440a442,444
> (II) RADEON(0): Found color CRT connected to primary DAC
> in RADEONProbeOutputModes
> (II) RADEON(0): Total number of valid Screen mode(s) added: 0
446c450
< (II) RADEON(0): Output VGA-0 disconnected
---
> (II) RADEON(0): Output VGA-0 connected
449,450c453,455
< (II) RADEON(0): Using exact sizes for initial modes
< (II) RADEON(0): Output LVDS using initial mode 1920x1200
---
> (II) RADEON(0): Using fuzzy aspect match for initial modes
> (II) RADEON(0): Output VGA-0 using initial mode 1152x864
> (II) RADEON(0): Output LVDS using initial mode 1152x864

   well, that certainly verifies why my laptop ends up at 1152x864.
let's read on:

563d568
< disable montype: 0
564a570,589
> init memmap
> init common
> init crtc2
> init pll2
> freq: 81620000
> best_freq: 81623077
> best_feedback_div: 786
> best_ref_div: 65
> best_post_div: 4
> restore memmap
> (II) RADEON(0): RADEONRestoreMemMapRegisters() :
> (II) RADEON(0):   MC_FB_LOCATION   : 0xf7fff000 0xf7fff000
> (II) RADEON(0):   MC_AGP_LOCATION  : 0xffffffc0
> restore common
> restore crtc2
> restore pll2
> finished PLL2
> restore dac
> enable montype: 1
> disable montype: 0
566a592
> disable montype: 1
637c663
< (II) RADEON(0): Setting screen physical size to 507 x 317
---
> (II) RADEON(0): Setting screen physical size to 304 x 228
667a694
> enable montype: 1

   um ... ok.  i have no idea how much of that is important since
the decision to go with 1152x864 seems to have been made already.
in any event, i'm open to suggestions.  and i'm still unclear on
what is making the decisions above.  the RADEON video chip itself?
based on what?

rday