Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

[Blzut3]

I installed the 64-bit edition of Kubuntu 8.04 with KDE4 and so far my experiences are better than with previous versions. However I ran into a problem with trying to change my resolution to 1280x1024. The system settings dialog does not allow to to apply changes, which I assume has something to do with needing to be in "administrator mode", but I can't find a way to access it.

In addition I have a two monitor set up and Kubuntu seems to detect both monitors fine. To the right of the resolution/refresh rate panel there is what seems to be a positioning panel? If not is there a way to get a dual monitor set up working (with the desktop extending onto the 2nd display)?

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

If you need a stable environment, KDE4 is currently not the way to go.  The 4.0.x series was meant to be essentially an RC version; it's functional, but still has some bugs that need fixing - as you have discovered.  I would suggest installing the KDE3 version of Kubuntu, but if you want to stick with KDE4, you'll need to get your hands dirty with commands and learn how to work around issues (which I'm more than willing to help you with, if that's the path you wish to take).

If you want to install the KDE3 version of Kubuntu, just install the kubuntu-desktop package:

sudo aptitude install kubuntu-desktop

Then, click the "Session" menu form the login screen, and select KDE3.

Let me know which way you want to go.

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

Thanks for the reply. I understand that the KDE4 release is not necessarily stable, so help with command line workarounds would be appreciated.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

OK then; let's start with the basics: what video card do you have?  Some manufacturers (such as Nvidia) include with their driver applications to assist with configuring Xorg.  If you don't have an Nvidia card, you "may" be able to adjust the resolution by opening System Settings as root:

kdesudo systemsettings

If you can't get the results you want from there, you will need to manually adjust your xorg.conf file:

kdesudo kate /etc/X11/xorg.conf

There should be a section entitled "Screen"

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection    "Display"
Depth      24
Modes      "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

(I pulled the above from another post)

Place your desired resolution in the front of the "Modes" option; say you wanted a 1900x1200 resolution for example, you would need to change the section to look something like this:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection    "Display"
Depth      24
Modes    "1900x1200" "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

The 1st option is the one Xorg looks to.  I'm not familiar with setting up a second screen, however, but will look into it.  I have to study for an exam tomorrow, so it'll probably have to wait till after that, but I'll get back to you soon

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

ATI Radeon HD3870 manufactured by Sapphire Tech.

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

In reply to the edit that happened 3 minutes after I posted my video card: Thanks a lot. One problem though. KDE seems to start up fine in 1280x1024, but shortly after the screen will change to 1024x768 and the rest of the screen gets chopped off. This only seems to happen after I log in. I've seen this happen before once (though since I didn't change the resolution it seemed a bit odd). I'll edit this post If I get it working.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

In reply to the edit that happened 3 minutes after I posted my video card: Thanks a lot.

I was working on it while you were posting yours. The changing resolution problem is a bit strange...would you mind posting your xorg.conf?

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#  sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

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

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	DefaultDepth 24
	SubSection	"Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes	"1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
EndSection

I think the login screen stopped showing up in 1280x1024 now.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

OK, just as an experiment, comment out the resolutions you don't need so it would look like this:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" # "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Then, restart X and see what happens.

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

Still showing 1024x768.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

I had that problem once before (back on Feisty), but can't remember how I fixed it - I think it just randomly fixed itself...

For this next experiment ( ), you'll need to kill KDM and run a command straight from one of the terminals:
- Press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to switch to a terminal
- Backup your current xorg.conf:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

- Kill KDM

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm stop

- Generate a default xorg.conf:

sudo Xorg -configure

- Replace your xorg.conf with the generated one:

sudo cp ~/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

- Restart KDM and see what you get (it probably won't be 1280x1024, but you may change it manually):

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start

Edit: You may need to replace 'kdm' with 'kdm-kde4' in the commands above.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

Argh...my apologies: I forgot about a command that will help you setup X.org:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Choose the defaults for anything you're unsure of, just be careful to choose 1280x1024 when you get to the resolution section.

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

OK. I did everything in the first post and it gave me this working xorg.conf:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier   "X.org Configured"
	Screen   0 "Screen0" 0 0
	InputDevice  "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice  "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath   "/etc/X11/rgb"
	ModulePath  "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
	FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
	FontPath   "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load "GLcore"
	Load "dbe"
	Load "dri"
	Load "extmod"
	Load "glx"
	Load "record"
	Load "xtrap"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier "Keyboard0"
	Driver   "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier "Mouse0"
	Driver   "mouse"
	Option	  "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	  "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	  "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	#DisplaySize	 340  270	# mm
	Identifier  "Monitor0"
	VendorName  "VSC"
	ModelName  "VX724"
 ### Comment all HorizSync and VertRefresh values to use DDC:
	HorizSync  30.0 - 82.0
	VertRefresh 50.0 - 85.0
	Option	  "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    ### Available Driver options are:-
    ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
    ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
    ### [arg]: arg optional
    #Option   "NoAccel"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "SWcursor"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "Dac6Bit"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "Dac8Bit"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "BusType"      	# [<str>]
    #Option   "CPPIOMode"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "CPusecTimeout"   	# <i>
    #Option   "AGPMode"      	# <i>
    #Option   "AGPFastWrite"    	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "AGPSize"      	# <i>
    #Option   "GARTSize"      	# <i>
    #Option   "RingSize"      	# <i>
    #Option   "BufferSize"     	# <i>
    #Option   "EnableDepthMoves"  	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "EnablePageFlip"   	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "NoBackBuffer"    	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "DMAForXv"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "FBTexPercent"    	# <i>
    #Option   "DepthBits"     	# <i>
    #Option   "PCIAPERSize"    	# <i>
    #Option   "AccelDFS"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "DDCMode"      	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "IgnoreEDID"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "DisplayPriority"  	# [<str>]
    #Option   "PanelSize"     	# [<str>]
    #Option   "ForceMinDotClock"  	# <freq>
    #Option   "ColorTiling"    	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "VideoKey"      	# <i>
    #Option   "RageTheatreCrystal" 	# <i>
    #Option   "RageTheatreTunerPort" 	# <i>
    #Option   "RageTheatreCompositePort" 	# <i>
    #Option   "RageTheatreSVideoPort" 	# <i>
    #Option   "TunerType"     	# <i>
    #Option   "RageTheatreMicrocPath" 	# <str>
    #Option   "RageTheatreMicrocType" 	# <str>
    #Option   "ScalerWidth"    	# <i>
    #Option   "RenderAccel"    	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "SubPixelOrder"   	# [<str>]
    #Option   "ShowCache"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "DynamicClocks"   	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "VGAAccess"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "ReverseDDC"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "LVDSProbePLL"    	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "AccelMethod"    	# <str>
    #Option   "DRI"        	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "ConnectorTable"   	# <str>
    #Option   "DefaultConnectorTable" 	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "DefaultTMDSPLL"   	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "TVDACLoadDetect"  	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "ForceTVOut"     	# [<bool>]
    #Option   "TVStandard"     	# <str>
    #Option   "IgnoreLidStatus"  	# [<bool>]
	Identifier "Card0"
	Driver   "radeon"
	VendorName "ATI Technologies Inc"
	BoardName  "Unknown Board"
	BusID    "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device   "Card0"
	Monitor  "Monitor0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   1
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   4
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   8
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   15
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   16
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport  0 0
		Depth   24
		Modes "1280x1024"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

I added in the 1280x1024s after the first run didn't work. Still running in 1024x768. I don't know if my second display might be bothering it?

I tried the dpkg-reconfigure thing, but that only seemed to be about reconfiguring the keyboard.

[integr8e]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

I tried the dpkg-reconfigure thing, but that only seemed to be about reconfiguring the keyboard.

So it does; it used to help you set up the whole kit-and-kaboodle :P

Have you tried changing the resolution in System Settings?

kdesudo systemsettings

[Blzut3]

Re: Unable to change resolution/monitor postions

Still doesn't allow me to apply any changes. Also kdesudo systemsettings doesn't work but this does:

kdesudo /usr/lib/kde4/bin/systemsettings