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Getting a decent screen resolution

johnsteven
johnsteven Posts: 5
in Getting Started with Linux

I have a problem getting a decent screen resolution. Hardware is a Foxconn 760gxk8mc m/board AMD Athlon64 3400 cpu witha nvidea gforce 5200 512mb agp gfx card on a Samsung syncmaster 913n 19" monitor.

I currently run PCLinuxOS kde version and I can run at 1280x1024 screen res.

I want to try other distros but when I install them I cannot get better than 800x600 screen res. This is with Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva or Mint.

How can I change this?

Comments

  • asedt
    asedt Posts: 96
    Hi

    Have you tried to change the resolution or is the problem that you can't change to any higher than 800x600?

    For example in in Linux Mint you can go into the the Control Center and select Monitors to get a dialog where you can change the resolution. And it's the same for Ubuntu: https://help.ubuntu.com/11.04/ubuntu-help/look-resolution.html

    If the problem is that you can't select any higher resolution check what graphic driver you have installed. (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Video)
  • johnsteven
    johnsteven Posts: 5
    I don't get the option of any better than 800x600 using either the Linux installed driver or the propriatry Nvidea driver.

    I suspect it is my monitor since the situation is the same in all distros.
  • marc
    marc Posts: 647
    johnsteven wrote:
    I don't get the option of any better than 800x600 using either the Linux installed driver or the propriatry Nvidea driver.

    I suspect it is my monitor since the situation is the same in all distros.

    Try 
    xrandr -q

    And give us the output please
  • johnsteven
    johnsteven Posts: 5
    Hi

    I have changed the connection from the gfx card to the monitor, now using the dvi socket on the card.

    Here is the output for xrandr -q

    Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 4096 x 4096
    VGA-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
    DVI-I-1 connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
    1024x768 60.0*
    800x600 60.3 56.2
    848x480 60.0
    640x480 59.9
    TV-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

    I can see the max res is 4096x4096 but how do I change from the current 1024x768?
  • marc
    marc Posts: 647
    the 4096x4096 is the maximum pixels your Screen would support. A screen can be divided into different monitors...

    DVI should get your the maximum resolution your monitor supports and that seems to be 1024x768...

    However, If I recall correctly the Nvidia drivers didn't quite support the XRANDR extension under Xorg so... have you tried using Nvidia's own utility to change the resolution of your monitor?

    It's kind of strange because your monitor's native resolution is 1280x1024 and it should be set automatically with DVI. It totally sounds like a driver/not supported monitor (I have some troubles with my own samsung because of that too).

    Regards
  • johnsteven
    johnsteven Posts: 5
    Hi

    Apologies for the delay in replying.

    I have tried the Nvidia driver (version 173) installed via packet manager and that is even worse. Best offering 640x480!

    Thanks.
  • marc
    marc Posts: 647
    johnsteven wrote:
    Hi

    Apologies for the delay in replying.

    I have tried the Nvidia driver (version 173) installed via packet manager and that is even worse. Best offering 640x480!

    Thanks.

    What's the driver version that works in PCLinuxOS?

    You could try to install the same version...

    Regards
  • linuxine
    linuxine Posts: 1
    Do you know arandr which can let your configure your resolution easily.

    sudo apt-get install arandr
  • johnsteven
    johnsteven Posts: 5
    Hi

    Thanks for the replies.

    Version 173 was the newest and recommended driver - so I tried it.

    I will try arandr. I need to shut down, swap hdd's and reboot to try it.

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