1

I have an old laptop (from 2004) that I'm trying to install Ubuntu 11.10 on. When I run the Live CD, the display works correctly (1024x768). After installing, when I boot from the hard drive, the display goes to 640x480, using only part of the laptop screen. (Nothing is connected to the external VGA port.)

Not sure if this is relevant: I was unable to install from the Live CD (it would hang), but I installed from the 11.10 ALT CD.

Is there some way to get the X settings that the Live CD is so successfully using and force the installed OS to use it?

Running off the Live CD:

$ xrand -q
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 2048 x 2048
VGA1 unknown connection (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1360x768       59.8
   1152x864       60.0
   1024x768       60.0
   800x600        60.3
   640x480        59.9
LVDS1 connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768       60.0*+   60.0
   800x600        60.3     56.2
   640x480        59.9

Running off the HD (also Ubuntu 11.10):

$ xrandr -q
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 640 x 480, maximum 2048 x 2048
VGA1 unknown connection (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1360x768       59.8
   1152x864       60.0
   1024x768       60.0
   800x600        60.3
   640x480        59.9
LVDS1 connected 640x480+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   640x480        60.0*+   59.9

$ cvt 1024 768
# 1024x768 59.92 Hz (CVT 0.79M3) hsync: 47.82 kHz; pclk: 63.50 MHz
Modeline "1024x768_60.00"   63.50  1024 1072 1176 1328  768 771 775 798 -hsync +vsync

$ xrandr --newmode "1024x768_60.00"   63.50  1024 1072 1176 1328  768 771 775 798 -hsync +vsync

$ xrandr --addmode LVDS1 1024x768_60.00
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request:  149 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  18 (RRAddOutputMode)
  Serial number of failed request:  22
  Current serial number in output stream:  23

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation
82845G/GL[Brookdale-G]/GE Chipset Integrated Graphics Device (rev 03)

Years ago I had this same issue with Ubuntu 6.06 on this laptop. I fixed this by editing xorg.conf and adding HorizSync and VertRefresh option to the Monitor section. But now there's no xorg.conf and my attempts so far to create one have failed (no visible display).

I know Ubuntu can do it because the Live CD works. Any suggestions?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

creating a xorg.conf in /etc/ is the way to go. I have a suspicion it might have something to do with autodetecting the monitor resolution.

I had a similar issue and I ran xorg -configure and generated a xorg.conf and placed it in the /etc/directory and it just worked fine.

Improve this answer
5
  • I tried creating one with Xorg --configure, but it did not make a difference.
    – Jeremy Stein
    Jan 3, 2012 at 19:57
  • @JeremyStein What error do you get with xorg -configure
    – viyyer
    Jan 3, 2012 at 21:02
  • You might want to boot the computer into rescue mode and then login and run 'sudo Xorg -configure' and the generated xorg.conf file would be in /root/. move it to /etc/ and it should work.
    – viyyer
    Jan 3, 2012 at 21:09
  • I don't get any error message from Xorg --configure. I stopped lightdm, ran the command, copied the file to /etc/X11/xorg.conf, and restarted lightdm (also tried rebooting). The display was still 640x480.
    – Jeremy Stein
    Jan 3, 2012 at 21:22
  • It has worked for me when I moved it to /etc/ . I don't remember trying /etc/X11.
    – viyyer
    Jan 3, 2012 at 22:29

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .