[MULTI BOOT] Trying to setup a legacy Viewsonic monitor to work correctly on VGA1

[Sonicview]

This is my first posting and I am hoping someone might be able to help. I hope my post isn't too long.

I have a 32bit laptop dual booting Windows 7 and Kubuntu 16.04. It has two monitors
1. LVDS1 (Laptop screen). Not used after grub.
2. VGA1(Viewsonic VA2216w) I only use VGA1.

Autologin is switched on.

The initial LVDS1 screen displays the grub boot menu not very clearly. The VGA1 screen is clear but misaligned. This isn’t a major problem.

Windows 7 boots and runs fine.

When booting to Kubuntu, It appears that resolution and refresh are not known to kubuntu. the following happens.

LVDS1 displays the Kubuntu logo clearly but VGA1 displays a rasterised version of the Kubuntu logo.

Once autologin has completed the LVDS1 goes to a black (normal displaying nothing) screen and VGA1 displays the desktop image with thin (still booting) blue line.

Normal desktop eventually appears and everything fine from here on.

I’ve read through the various helps on what should happen when and where but I am not sure what I should do to my system.

I would ideally like to set a config (.conf) file as early on as possible that would tell Kubuntu what my VGA1 monitor’s resolution and refresh values are.

[Snowhog]

Welcome.

You will need to tell us about your laptop. "I have a 32bit laptop" doesn't tell us anything useful. We need to know the brand, model, and type of graphics card/chip (make/model).

[Sonicview]

Welcome.

You will need to tell us about your laptop. "I have a 32bit laptop" doesn't tell us anything useful. We need to know the brand, model, and type of graphics card/chip (make/model).

Thanks for replying Snowhog

Sorry for not including the system details.
I didn't know how much to include initially. It's an Advent 7113 from 2007

Here is partial output from lshw

================= B E G I N ================================

Advent 7113
description: Computer
product: Napa ERB
vendor: INTEL
width: 32 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.4 smp-1.4 smp
configuration: cpus=1
*-core
description: Motherboard
physical id: 0
*-cpu
product: Intel(R) Celeron(R) M CPU 430 @ 1.73GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 0
bus info: cpu@0
version: 6.14.8
serial: 0000-06E8-0000-0000-0000-0000
size: 1750MHz
width: 32 bits
capabilities: boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss tm pbe nx constant_tsc arch_perfmon bts aperfmperf pni monitor tm2 xtpr pdcm dtherm
*-memory
description: System memory
physical id: 1
size: 2004MiB
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=agpgart-intel
resources: irq:0
*-display:0
description: VGA compatible controller
product: Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:b0080000-b00fffff ioport:1800(size=8) memory:c0000000-cfffffff memory:b0040000-b007ffff
*-display:1 UNCLAIMED
description: Display controller
product: Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.1
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:b0100000-b017ffff

================= E N D =========================================


If you would like me to send anything else please ask.

sonicview

[oshunluvr]

Old school monitors like this one do not supply EDID data. You will have to do some manual work to fix all this.

First of all you need to determine the specs your monitor can handle and to what resolution you would like. Specifically you need to know: max resolution, refresh and sync rate(s), and possibly DPI (usually 72 on older CRT displays).

Once you have all that info, I suggest you use xrandr to play with the resolutions and refresh rates to determine what you want. BE CAREFUL! Some CRT type monitors can actually be damaged by mis-applying an unsupported rate. Don't experiment with out-of-range values and if you hear any buzzing or whining from the monitor when you apply a setting using xrandr power it off immediately and reboot the computer.

Then, since this is 16.04, you will need to create a Monitor config file in /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d called 20-monitor.conf. It will need to contain the correct settings for your monitor. Here's an example:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier   "Viewsonic"
    Option        "DPMS"
    Horizsync    30.0-97.0
    Vertrefresh    50.0-150.0
    Modeline "1280x1024_60.00"  109.00  1280 1368 1496 1712  1024 1027 1034 1063 -hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
  Identifier      "Screen1"
  Monitor         "Viewsonic"
  DefaultDepth    24
  SubSection "Display"
      Depth           24
      Modes           "1280x1024_60"
  EndSubSection
EndSection

[Sonicview]

Thanks oshunluvr

Thank you for going to so much trouble.

I have pulled a file from the web of the Viewsonic VA2216w specifications and have done some experimenting using xrandr for the various modes. At least I know what may be possible.

One question. Why doesn't the file 20-monitor.conf mention VGA1 or LSV1 when referring to the monitor/screen. When xrandr uses those labels.


sonicview

[oshunluvr]

One question. Why doesn't the file 20-monitor.conf mention VGA1 or LSV1 when referring to the monitor/screen. When xrandr uses those labels.

Xorg is detecting much or all of those sorts of thing itself. Since you define the "Screen" xorg will look and determine which connection to use. If you want a look at what Xorg is doing during boot, review your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file. If you had a newer monitor that properly reported it's capabilities to Xorg you wouldn't even need the bit you're doing now. Xorg would detect it all.

[Sonicview]

Xorg is detecting much or all of those sorts of thing itself. Since you define the "Screen" xorg will look and determine which connection to use. If you want a look at what Xorg is doing during boot, review your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file. If you had a newer monitor that properly reported it's capabilities to Xorg you wouldn't even need the bit you're doing now. Xorg would detect it all.

Thanks again

I've managed to get rid of the rastering effect just after autologin. So thanks to you it is now a bit better.