Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

[Agent24]

I have a GeForce FX5600 but can't run my monitor (KTX K-700) above 640x480.

I think it's because my monitor is not detected.

How can I force my video card to a resolution when autoconfigure doesn't work?

(this is the reason I hate automatic configs, when they don't work, you're screwed >)

[flarson]

Re: Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

Actually in this case you are only back to where we used to be all the time, which is you have to do it yourself. This http://kubuntuforums.net/forum/index...6450#msg176450 is pretty informative.
You can find a modeline calculator here http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl
The chances are very good that if you specify HorizSync and VertRefresh for your monitor in /etc/X11/xorg.conf it will work without the need to calculate modelines. Those values can be found in the manual for the monitor, which is probably online if you do not have one.

"man xorg.conf" will tell you how to place them, although you will find examples in the links above.

[Jook_roberts]

Re: Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

I had a similar problem. I spent hours trying to correct it. I didn't even know the monitor was the issue. In a move of desperation I attached another monitor and reinstalled the nvidia driver. I got a ton of resolution options. I selected one I liked and then switched the monitors back. Problem solved, sort of.

[p.falk]

Re: Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

Hello,

I face a similar problem, with my S.A.M. M1769-1 Monitor, kubuntu jaunty would only provide 800x600 max. resolution.
I tried to connect another monitor, and it worked, I could choose a higher resolution 1280x1024, and that remainded when plugging in again the old one.

BUT: as soon as I reboot, all higher resolutions are gone again.
--> how can I preserve the resolution setting in kubuntu 9.04?

Thanks and best regards
Peter

[flarson]

Re: Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

What is happening is that your monitor either is not reporting its ability so X is being conservative to avoid burning out your monitor, or your monitor is reporting capability less than what you want. You can add a Monitor section

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier   "Generic Monitor"
    Option     "DPMS"
    HorizSync    28-84
    VertRefresh   43-60
EndSection

And set the monitors capability to something that will work. You may very well burn up your monitor if you push it too hard. The owners manual for your monitor would have the real info and is probably on the web. Let me repeat, X is being conservative to not burn up your monitor and you can do that messing with this.

[p.falk]

Re: Can't get above 640x480 resolution / how to force resolution?

Hello mando_hacker,

thanks for the hint, I tweaked a little around with the HorizSync and VertRefresh. Actually there was always the maximum resolution chosen, that was possible under the HorizSync/VertRefresh combination that I entered in xorg.conf and when chosing a lower resolution it would work, but not remember when restarting the PC.

So finally I ended up with not giving a frequency range there but a single value:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Generic Monitor"
    Option     "DPMS"
    HorizSync   60.15
    VertRefresh 75
    Modeline "1024x768_75.00" 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802 -HSync +Vsync
EndSection

The Modeline I got from the online calculator at http://www.arachnoid.com/modelines/.

So now it works somehow, the only little obstacle is that there is always a scrollbar on the desktop on the right side. Once moving around with that a little makes it disappear. As I am planning to by a new monitor soon, I can live with that for a while, but anyhow that is weird.

Thanks for your support.

Best regards
Peter