[clug-talk] more screen resolution questions

[Alastair Preston]

On 7 May, 2009 10:11:59 am Dan Mueller wrote:
> More questions.  Ive got a ibm 1.8 ghz pc that im running Linux mint on and
> cant get the screen resolution to be more than 800x600   ive done all that
> I know to do. Any suggestions??
>
> Dan

Not enough information here to go by......

Which version of Linux Mint?
What video card?
What resolution can your monitor do?
What is "all that I know how to do"? I.e. what have you done so far?

I've seen this limitation when I've done a clean installs, or any install that 
overwrites /etc/xorg.conf ; In the old days, the installer asked you to input 
the capabilities of your monitor and video card, but now they rely on 
autodetection, which won't work if the card or monitor doesn't supply the 
information. In that case the installer sets the video parameters to a lowest-
common-denominator "safe" setting.

What driver is your /etc/xorg.conf using (should show in the "device" 
section)? 

Does it match the video card? 

Are the monitor's specs reflected in the "monitor' (should show HorizSync and 
VertRefresh parameters) and "screen" (should at least have "depth" value) 
sections?

You may need to plug these values into xorg.conf then rerun the display 
settings dialog. The procedure is to some degree distro and version dependant.

Al