Debian Live Project LiveCD Resolution settings (X, IceWM)

**DoomUs** · 09-16-2011

Keep in mind that this post is concerning a Debian Live Project "LiveCD" that I'm building.

The LiveCD has minimal linux utilities, and a couple other programs, and IceWM. Everything runs and functions properly. The problem is that the LiveCD Resolution is stuck at 800x600 and I cannot figure out how to change it.

Some things I've tried:
1) "xrandr" - this command results in a "command not found" error (apparently I don't have it)
2) "X -config" - results in:

Code:

server is already active, cannot establish listening socket
_XSERVTransSocketUNIXCreateListener: ...SocketCreateListner()
_XSERVTransMakeAllCOTSServerListners: server already running

errors and refers me to the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file

3) "Xorg -config xorg.conf.new" - results in the same as above
4) "xfgconfig" - results in "command not found"
5) I tried copying my "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d" directory from my Host (that used to produce the livecd) machine to the "chroot/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d" directory of the LiveCD - this results in the LiveCD being unable to boot due to reported "no screens found" error

6) I tried a few manual configurations (may not have been good, I really don't understand the format very well) of "xorg.conf" many of which stalled the boot of the LiveCD, but in the end didn't seem to change anything. Furthermore, I don't really want to put anything hardware specific in here because I want the LiveCD to be able to run on arbitrary hardware.

7) I attempted setting the "vga=xxx" boot parameter to various values, including "ask", none of which resulted in any change.

The /var/log/Xorg.0.log contains two lines:

Code:

(WW) xf86CloseConsole: KDSETMODE failed: bad file descriptor
(WW) xf86CloseConsole: VIGETMODE failed: bad file descriptor

I'm really not looking for a solution like, "Install X (i.e. xrandr) software and configure ..." for two reasons,
(1) first and foremost, the LiveCD boots, and obviously has a default resolution because the IceWM desktop is accessible and usable (unfortunately without a handy "control panel" to change resolution). So I know it MUST be getting some default resolution setting from somewhere...
(2) this LiveCD is designed to be as light as possible, so adding software is really really not what I want, especially considering (1).

I know it has to be possible to change the resolution, and I'd really like it to be selectable in the syslinux menu, but even if it just defaulted to something decent, I'd be happy.

Thanks for any help!

**rokytnji** · 09-18-2011

So I know it MUST be getting some default resolution setting from somewhere...

There's no /etc/X11/xorg.conf by default anymore in Debian. You can create one however.

Xorg - Debian Wiki

Check with

Code:

apt-cache policy xserver-xorg-core

to see what version is installed.

You might need to install

Code:

apt-cache policy xfonts-base

as well to get rid of log errors. If that is not what you want. Sorry. That is the best I can do for you.

My etc/X11/xorg.conf in AntiX with Debian testing (because I used

smxi sgfxi svmi rbxi :: home page

for correct video drivers which also made my /etc/X11/xorg.conf for me. My xorg.conf just for reference purpose only.

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
	Screen      2  "Screen2" RightOf "Screen1"
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	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"
	FontPath     "built-ins"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "record"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"glx"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "dri2"
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"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor2"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
        ### <percent>: "<f>%"
        ### [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     "AGPSize"            	# <i>
        #Option     "GARTSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "RingSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "BufferSize"         	# <i>
        #Option     "EnableDepthMoves"   	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NoBackBuffer"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DMAForXv"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "FBTexPercent"       	# <i>
        #Option     "DepthBits"          	# <i>
        #Option     "PCIAPERSize"        	# <i>
        #Option     "AccelDFS"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "IgnoreEDID"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "CustomEDID"         	# [<str>]
        #Option     "DisplayPriority"    	# [<str>]
        #Option     "PanelSize"          	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ForceMinDotClock"   	# <freq>
        #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     "SubPixelOrder"      	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ClockGating"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "VGAAccess"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ReverseDDC"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "LVDSProbePLL"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DRI"                	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ConnectorTable"     	# <str>
        #Option     "DefaultConnectorTable" 	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTMDSPLL"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVDACLoadDetect"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForceTVOut"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVStandard"         	# <str>
        #Option     "IgnoreLidStatus"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTVDACAdj"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Int10"              	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "EXAVSync"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ATOMTVOut"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "R4xxATOM"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForceLowPowerMode"  	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DynamicPM"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NewPLL"             	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ZaphodHeads"        	# <str>
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver	"radeon"
	
	Option  "DynamicClocks"   "on"
	Option   "EnablePageFlip" "on"
	Option   "AccelMethod" "EXA"
	BusID       "PCI:1:5:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
        ### <percent>: "<f>%"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Rotate"             	# <str>
        #Option     "fbdev"              	# <str>
        #Option     "debug"              	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card1"
	Driver	"radeon"
	
	Option  "DynamicClocks"   "on"
	Option   "EnablePageFlip" "on"
	Option   "AccelMethod" "EXA"
	BusID       "PCI:1:5:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
        ### <percent>: "<f>%"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultRefresh"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ModeSetClearScreen" 	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card2"
	Driver	"radeon"
	
	Option  "DynamicClocks"   "on"
	Option   "EnablePageFlip" "on"
	Option   "AccelMethod" "EXA"
	BusID       "PCI:1:5:0"
EndSection

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

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Card1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen2"
	Device     "Card2"
	Monitor    "Monitor2"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection


Section "Extensions"
#	Option      "Composite"	"disable"
#	Option      "RENDER"	"disable"
EndSection

My setup

Code:

$ inxi -F
System:    Host: biker Kernel: 2.6.38-7.dmz.2-liquorix-686 i686 (32 bit) 
           Desktop Fluxbox 1.3.1 Distro: antiX-M11-base-686 Jayaben Desai 25 April 2011
Machine:   System: GATEWAY product: W3507 version: 500
           Mobo: Intel model: D102GGC2 version: AAD70214-201
           Bios: Intel version: GC11020M.15A.2010.2006.0817.0956 date: 08/17/2006
CPU:       Single core Intel Celeron D CPU (-UP-) cache: 512 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3) clocked at 3199.950 MHz 
Graphics:  Card: ATI RC410 [Radeon Xpress 200] X.Org: 1.10.4 driver: radeon Resolution: 1024x768@85.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on ATI RC410 GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 7.11
Audio:     Card: ATI IXP SB4x0 High Definition Audio Controller driver: HDA Intel Sound: ALSA ver: 1.0.23
Network:   Card: Realtek RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ driver: 8139too 
           IF: eth0 state: down speed: 10 Mbps duplex: half mac: <filtered>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 120.0GB (5.8% used) 1: /dev/sda ST3120213A 120.0GB 
Partition: ID: / size: 109G used: 6.5G (7%) fs: ext3 ID: swap-1 size: 2.17GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 48.7C mobo: 48.6C 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 2292 fan-2: 1101 fan-4: 0 
Info:      Processes: 85 Uptime: 1:20 Memory: 172.7/880.0MB Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.23

**DoomUs** · 09-22-2011

This isn't the solution I was hoping for, but even if I follow these directions, once I've created an xorg.conf how do I define a default at boot, or change the resolution once booted? I still haven't solved my issue.

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