I successfully installed Kubuntu 7.10 on my Dell XPS630i some time ago and was very pleased with how the installation software detected almost everything. But when I tried to do the same installation on my Dell Inspiron 2500 laptop the software could not detect the monitor properly and fixed the screen resolution at 800x 600. The same happened with Hardy Heron.
I then spent many many hours reading through postings on Kubuntuforums.net, and elsewhere. I tried many things with no success. Finally, I got an idea that worked and I now have Hardy Heron working at the proper resolution. Perhaps what I did could help other people.
(1) I figured that since my laptop was an older computer that possibly an older version of Kubuntu might install and detect the monitor properly. Kubuntu 6.0 did that nicely.
(2) I then used kwrite ( any editor will work) and had a look at the xorg.conf file.
Persons new to this environment will need to learn how to do this. If someone wants help in this regard I will gladly post detailed instructions. I then printed out the xorg.conf file.
(3) I then installed Hardy Heron and printed out the xorg.conf file.
(4) Then I looked carefully at the file from 6.0 and compared it with the file from 8.04.
There were three sections that were different. I will list them here. This worked on my specific computer but probably will not work on someone else's computer. So do not copy them. I am listing them here so you can see what they look like, and find the comparable sections on your xorg.conf file.
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation 82815 CGC [ Chipset Graphics Controller]"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection
The next section was "long" and contained many different Depth and Modes. I figured that I would only copy what I thought was needed and ignored most of the rest of the file.
Section " Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation 82815 CGC [ Chipset Graphics Controller]"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
Default Depth 24
(this is where I ignored all the Dept and Modes until I came to the one that interested me)
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" ( I knew I wanted this resolution)
EndSection
(5) I then edited the xorg.conf file for Hardy Heron to contain the information I had gleamed from Gutsy Gibbon 6.0. I saved the file. and restarted the computer.
When the program restarted the resolution problem was fixed.
If someone follows my suggestions it is always possible that you might mess up your OS, but if it is a new installation, as mine was, it is easy enough to delete the partitions containing the messed up OS, reinstall it, and start over.
I then spent many many hours reading through postings on Kubuntuforums.net, and elsewhere. I tried many things with no success. Finally, I got an idea that worked and I now have Hardy Heron working at the proper resolution. Perhaps what I did could help other people.
(1) I figured that since my laptop was an older computer that possibly an older version of Kubuntu might install and detect the monitor properly. Kubuntu 6.0 did that nicely.
(2) I then used kwrite ( any editor will work) and had a look at the xorg.conf file.
Persons new to this environment will need to learn how to do this. If someone wants help in this regard I will gladly post detailed instructions. I then printed out the xorg.conf file.
(3) I then installed Hardy Heron and printed out the xorg.conf file.
(4) Then I looked carefully at the file from 6.0 and compared it with the file from 8.04.
There were three sections that were different. I will list them here. This worked on my specific computer but probably will not work on someone else's computer. So do not copy them. I am listing them here so you can see what they look like, and find the comparable sections on your xorg.conf file.
Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation 82815 CGC [ Chipset Graphics Controller]"
Driver "i810"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-51
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection
The next section was "long" and contained many different Depth and Modes. I figured that I would only copy what I thought was needed and ignored most of the rest of the file.
Section " Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation 82815 CGC [ Chipset Graphics Controller]"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
Default Depth 24
(this is where I ignored all the Dept and Modes until I came to the one that interested me)
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" ( I knew I wanted this resolution)
EndSection
(5) I then edited the xorg.conf file for Hardy Heron to contain the information I had gleamed from Gutsy Gibbon 6.0. I saved the file. and restarted the computer.
When the program restarted the resolution problem was fixed.
If someone follows my suggestions it is always possible that you might mess up your OS, but if it is a new installation, as mine was, it is easy enough to delete the partitions containing the messed up OS, reinstall it, and start over.
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