Need help. KDE sabotaging refresh rates.

[sfaaikido]

Monitor is an old NEC Multisync FE1250+ running off a ATI X800XL with ATI's 8.44.3 driver installed and actually working. KDE will not reach the desktop with any refresh rate I specify. It always defaults to 60Hz. This monitor has an annoying whine at 60Hz (always has), terrible flickering at 60Hz and supports 1280x1024 @ 102Hz. Running on a fully updated, fresh Gutsy install, KDE version 3.5.8.

The monitor has two useful tools. The monitor will report its resolution and refresh rate and the monitor will auto notify if it gets a signal under 85Hz.

Sitting at KDM, the monitor is receiving whatever I specify, from 85Hz to 120Hz (actually above listed specs). But once you login, when ksplash pops up, it reverts back to 60Hz. Disabling the splash screen completely doesn't prevent the drop. But the timing is too perfect for it to be a complete coincidence.

I've spent nine hours trying to solve this problem. Almost convinced its a bug somewhere in KDE. I've registered for five forums, search as many as I could find, read every single HOWTO and Xorg FAQ Google could find plus a dozen or so that showed up on Yahoo. I've tried specifying modelines, forcing specific hsync and vsync values (not ranges), bumping up hsync and vsync ranges, allowing only one resolution and refresh rate, looking for any script or config file that ksplash might be using to change the refresh rate, reverting back to the standard ATI and VESA Xorg drivers (though not Xorg's XGL drivers for fear I'd never get ATI's back) etc etc etc. The last thing I can think of is installing ubuntu-* and seeing if Gnome has the same problem. Although Debian Etch/Gnome was what I was running on this machine before installing Kubuntu.

A side note: I did install Mandriva Free before Kubuntu. It did not have this problem, but so many other things were broken I wiped it out.

If I don't get this fixed soon, KDE is going bye bye. This is too stupid of a problem to waste this much time on. So please, useful and helpful info would be appreciated.

UPDATE: Forgot to mention, I have made some headway, I think. kcontrol is showing 85Hz. However the monitor still says 60Hz and has the annoying whine. Additionally, kcontrol now seems broken, it isn't responding to resolution or refresh rate changes.

Also forgot to post my latest xorg.conf. I have looked through the various logs but there's nothing in them to provide any clues.

# X-Server Configuration file
# Still need ATI tweaks / check loaded modules
# 1280x960 virtual modes no go
# 1150x864 virtual modes no go

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
screen 0 "aticonfig-Screen[0]" 0 0
Inputdevice "Generic Keyboard"
Inputdevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DefaultServerLayout" "Default Layout"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dri"
Load "glx"
Load "GLcore"
Load "v4l"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "stylus"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "eraser"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "cursor"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "aticonfig-Device[0]"
Boardname "ati"
Busid "PCI:1:0:0"
Driver "fglrx"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "aticonfig-Monitor[0]"
Vendorname "Plug 'n' Play"
Modelname "Custom 1"
modeline "1280x1024@85" 157.5 1280 1344 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1072 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@85" 56.3 800 832 896 1048 600 601 604 631 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@85" 94.5 1024 1072 1168 1376 768 769 772 808 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@75" 78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@70" 75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x1024@75" 135.0 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]"
Device "aticonfig-Device[0]"
Monitor "aticonfig-Monitor[0]"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024@85" "1280x1024@75" "1024x768@70" "1024x768@75" "1024x768@85" "800x600@85"
EndSubSection
EndSection

[PerfectApproach]

Re: Need help. KDE sabotaging refresh rates.

I noticed that you're using the fglrx driver module for your ATI video card. Have you tried using the free driver included in Kubuntu, just to see if you are able to control your refresh rate?

If you switch back to the free driver, and are then able to control your refresh rate, your problem is with the driver, not the X config or KDE (KWin). My experience has shown that ATI's drivers aren't always of the highest quality.

You might also try reverting to an older version of the driver to see if that changes your problem at all.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Need help. KDE sabotaging refresh rates.

Back up /etc/X11/xorg.conf and execute "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg". When it gives you the options of simple, medium, or expert (or something like that), choose the expert one and enter "31-110". This is the horizontal refresh rate, hsync, or something. If it asks for a horizontal rate, give it that. If you're asked for vertical refresh rate, vsync, or any vertical rate, give it "55-160". (Yes, it actually supports up to 160 Hz.)