X display question

[Rick Stevens]

David Mackintosh wrote:
> Kind of a specialized question here, I can't find anything on the web which
> matches my problem.
> 
> I have this new Dell D600 laptop which I have installed FC2 on.  It
> has a SXVGA+ (ie, 1400x1050) display.  X will display at this
> resolution (at 24-bit depth) on the LCD display, no problem. 
> However, when I plug the laptop into a docking station which has an
> Acer 77e 17" monitor attached to it, the Acer displays the 1400x1050
> desktop, as viewed through a panning 640x480 window.
> 
> I know it is possible to have this monitor display 1400x1050x24 --
> Windows does it.  I've also driven this monitor at 1600x1280x24 when
> attached to a different linux system.  I also know that it is
> possible to have this Linux display properly at this resolution on an
> external monitor -- I have a Sony something at the office which does
> it.  
> 
> What I can't find is an explanation as to why I'm getting this 640x480
> on an external monitor which is clearly capable of displaying much more, nor
> an explanation of how to fix it.  All pages on the web I've found suggest
> that it means that my monitor can't run the video mode I selected (known
> to be false) or that my video card can't run the video mode I selected
> (also known to be false).  It has to be a configuration problem.
> 
> Any ideas what I should begin looking for>

First, check your /var/log/XFree86.0.log (RHL or FC1) or
/var/log/Xorg.0.log (FC2) to see what it says.  I'm guessing that the
X hardware probe detects your Acer monitor and the odds are that you
don't have a "Monitor" section in your config file that corresponds to
it.  Therefore, the system reverts to 640x480.

Try adding a "Monitor" section for the Acer.  The primary display should
be in a "Monitor0" section, the Acer in "Monitor1".
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
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