Restoring xorg.conf

[Workaphobia]

I just installed Mandrake today on an old machine and managed to graphically login, but the resolution needed some tweaking. Whatever setting I changed seems to disagree with my monitor though, so to correct it I tried going through the command line and running xf86config and xf86cfg. Now I can't even start an X session, and I'm looking to simply restore my xorg.conf (and whatever else is associated with window settings) from the installation CD without reinstalling the entire distro.

Distro: Mandrake 10.1 Community
Processor: Pentium III
Graphics Card: Diamond Stealth III S540 (32MB)
Monitor: NEC MultiSync 3FGx
I'm not quite sure what other specs are relevant.

I initially got an "(EE)" error message about the driver not supporting a certain color depth option, and then when I tried running it in a different color depth I got a black screen. I'd post a log if the machine were connected to the internet.. and if I could get a GUI open for a browser.

[Workaphobia]

Problem solved.. Sort of. I randomly changed more settings in xf86cfg and got it to work. I really need to find a better method to fix these things, but I guess for now this works. At least now I can experiment through the GUI Control Center now.

[UgoDeschamps]

can you post what changes you've made,
if possible the old and the new settings so that we can explain what went wrong with the innitial settings

[Workaphobia]

I'm still trying to get my wireless ethernet adapter working on it, so I can't upload directly, but it had something to do with the resolution. It started out on (I think) 800x600 and a color depth of 8 or 16 - I wish I were better at distinguishing between these sorts of settings. The desktop scrolled left and right, so I changed the resolution to 1024x768 and a color depth of 16. That rendered the desktop unreadable. Later in xf86cfg, I tried redoing the resolution and somehow that allowed me back into X. I don't think it was so much changing a particular option as overwriting the conf file generated by xf86config. Right now, I'm on a resolution 640x480, which doesn't look as horrid as I expected. I might switch to a newer monitor if this system works out.

Of course, I've made a backup of my new conf file.

[UgoDeschamps]

640x480!!!! omg
that aint good at all!
can you tell us what is your video card, as well as your monitor...
We might be able to give you another settings...

all monitor (for the last 5-6years at least) can support 800x600
the refresh rate might be too high thou... that could well be your problem! improper refresh rate will make your screen all scrambled and "in-workable"

[Workaphobia]

As I posted before:
Graphics Card: Diamond Stealth III S540 (32MB)
Monitor: NEC MultiSync 3FGx

It is an old monitor that we normally use for testing machines at my house, but I know it can go higher. I just don't want to fight with it that much right now - but if you know an easy fix, that'd be great. I'll try lowering the refresh rate a tad.

[edit] I found this yesterday and used it when I experimented with xf86config: Specs

[Workaphobia]

Okay, I tried making incremental changes to see what breaks it. 800x600 at colordepth 16 seemed to work fine at first. Then in the monitor section of the hardware panel, I changed the selection from Generic 1024x768 @ 70 Hz to my actual model, and when I restarted the X system I got:

...
Data incomplete in file etc/X11/xorg.conf.
Undefined Monitor "Monitor0" referenced by Screen "Screen0".
(EE) Problem parsing the config file.
(EE) Error parsing the config file.
...

Replacing my xorg.conf with a backup I made just prior did not solve the problem - but entering xf86cfg, not changing anything, and overwriting the conf fixed it, and brought me back to the generic monitor at the same resolution/colordeph. Yes, I was restoring the file XF86Conf and not its symbolic link, but it turned out that my backup was older than I thought it was. Future restores from backup worked fine.

Second try: 800x600 now gives me the same scrolling desktop problem, leaving me wondering whether or not I really restarted X before changing the monitor tab before. I also try duplicating the other error for good measure, and it is in fact deselecting the generic monitor that causes the problem.

24 bit color works fine at 640x480.

1024x768, both in 16 bit and 24 bit, have the scrolling issue but give me no other problems.


So currently I can run 640x480 at 24 bit color without a problem, but I can't go higher. Well, I'm making slight progress.


[edit, since I don't want to tripple-post] For some reason my graphics card was also set as generic. I fixed that, and as a reward earned the opportunity to change my color depth to 8 bit or 15 bit, in addition to the 16 and 24 I could already access. Nothing else has changed. And, in case it's relevant, it says my xorg driver is Savage.

[UgoDeschamps]

[code]Model: MULTISYNC 3FGX
Max Resolution: 1024 x 768
H Freq/ V Freq: 32-49 Khz / 55-90 Hz
Heres your Monitors Specifications

as for your video card driver in xorg saying SAVAGE, that 100% good

[code]1024x768x16 resolution[/code]
this is your video card specs

So, in your xf86Config file, you should have something like this

[code]Section "Monitor"

Identifier "My Monitor"

HorizSync 32 - 49
VertRefresh 55 - 90
EndSection[/code][code]Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "* Generic VESA compatible"
Monitor "My Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection[/code]

These setting should work just fine,... This will bring your 1024x768x16 by default...
since your monitor supports this as well as your video card, there should be absolutly no problem..

if you do run into more issues, can you please tell us again so we can work something out

Thanks

[Workaphobia]

I took what you posted and compared it to my xorg.conf before and after Configure your Computer modified it - and now that I've seriously peeked into the file and have seen that it isn't that many lines, it has become that much less threatening.

I took the conf generated by Configure your Computer and renamed the monitor device ("monitor1") to what the rest of the file referenced ("Monitor0"). This allowed X to start up, but I got that refresh rate distortion again. This problem goes away when I comment out the line that sets those rates and leave everything else as is. I'd experiment further with the numbers, but I'm afraid I might damage my monitor if I'm not careful.

But I'm losing sight of my goal here - I want to increase the resolution to 1024x768 without having my view magnified beyond the physical screen. How do I force the monitor to display that actual resolution instead of allowing the X system to compensate by creating virtual desktop space?

[Workaphobia]

I found a man page for XFConfig format. Changing the "Virtual" setting affected the desktop, but the system totally ignores my "Modes" parameters. I can't even be sure that this is 640x480 - for all I know it could very well be 800x600. I don't have the best eye for that sort of thing.

At this point I've learned how to recover from a bad X configuration, and I've got a handle on how to customize the desktop. I can live with the current appearance, and I may even switch monitors once I put the machine in a more permanent location. If I could get it to 1024x768, that'd be great, but if not, this is good enough. Either way, thanks for your help.