KDE installed but resolutions, etc on monitor are screwed up

[kramerP]

I am new to debian and for a while i was just playing with it completely command line based but then i wanted to get a window manager and environment installed. i tried to install KDE (apt-get update then apt-get install kde kdm) and everything appears to install properly but now my problem is that i can't change the resolution, refresh rate, etc under the display configuration. i tried a bunch of things and to be honest i dont even remember what they were and where i found the tips at but i know i was editing files to reflect what resolutions were acceptable at given color depths. None of this seemed to help thought (unless i was just doing something wrong which is probably the case). But anyways, if anyone has any suggestions about what i need to do to fix this they would be much appreciated. Also, not sure what info you may need to help but please indicate if you need more details.


thanks
K

[Vergil83]

first thing, try running

dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

this will ask you some questions (like what resolutions do you want)

if that doesn't work, try editing

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

by hand.

Here is snip of mine (for example)

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Device          "Generic Video Card"
        Monitor         "OEC:0477"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           24
                Modes           "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

[kramerP]

Thanks for the reply....that actually was what i did before....did it again but it still didn't help. Right now i converted back gnome and it is working better than kde (i can get up to 800x600 resolution) but still not how i'd like it. Here is the XF86Config-4 file....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "PS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "ati"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "DELL D1025TM"
HorizSync 30-85
VertRefresh 50-120
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "DELL D1025TM"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "Generic Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would like to try editing the XF86Config-4 file manually now.

Is it necessary to do this

cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

as is indicated in the man page for XF86Config-4 when editing the XF85Config-4 and wanting it to automatically update or is it possible to have the x server update without doing this? Not that those commands are difficult to run, it's more out of curiousity whether i have to do it or not.

Thanks again in advance.

[Vergil83]

all that stuff it says to it is just to be on the safe side. I have never done it, because normally you should be able to change the XF86Config-4 back if you really screw it up.

What I would do is switch to root, use you favorite editor to edit

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

and manually added those resolutions you want to your SubSection "Display" Depth #. Then restart the X server. It should work fine just doing that. If it still doesn't work make sure your syncs for your moniter are correct as sometimes they can be the problem.

[kramerP]

just wanted to say thanks Vergil83. i edited the XF86Config-4 file and restarted X server and i was able to get 1024x768 resolution, which is sufficient. i was almost certain i could do 1280x1024 but apparently i cant b/c it didn't show up as an option even though i added it. no biggie though i know the comp i was doing it on is a POS and i was prob just mistaken on what i could use.

anyways, thanks again.

[Vergil83]

just wanted to say thanks Vergil83. i edited the XF86Config-4 file and restarted X server and i was able to get 1024x768 resolution, which is sufficient. i was almost certain i could do 1280x1024 but apparently i cant b/c it didn't show up as an option even though i added it. no biggie though i know the comp i was doing it on is a POS and i was prob just mistaken on what i could use.

anyways, thanks again.

I would say either the moniter can't do that size or the syncs are off.

[kramerP]

I would say either the moniter can't do that size or the syncs are off.

How would i go about checking to see if the syncs are "off" and also how would i alter them to make them "on"?

[Vergil83]

How would i go about checking to see if the syncs are "off" and also how would i alter them to make them "on"?

it is just the frequency the moniter is made to work at. If you have an manuals about the moniter, it should tell you.