Monitor resolution (complete beginner)
Hi,
I've just installed Trisquel, and the highest screen resolution available is 1024x768. My monitor's native resolution is 1680x1050, so I'm assuming it's not recognising my graphics card (an NVidia GeForce GTS 250). I'm pretty much a complete newcomer to GNU/Linux and have no experience with the command line (learning things like that are part of the reason I've installed GNU/Linux, but that doesn't help right now). Can anyone walk me through whatever I need to do to gain access to higher resolutions?
I don't know about that graphics card but I have an nvidia card and I can run at 1680x1050. Click on the blue trisquel icon to bring up the menu then select system then preferences then monitors and you should be able to select your resolution there.
If it doesn't let you choose 1680x1050 let me know and we will go from there.
I tried that, and 1024x768 is the most it'll offer me, sadly.
Other details that may be relevant: I'm running Trisquel 4.5 x64, and my monitor is a Medion MD30422PV.
It MAY be the video card. That is a newer model video card correct? Do you possibly have an older one you could swap in to just see if it detects it correctly?
I remember reading about this as a bug on the Ubuntu forum. There was no mention of anyone fixing it. The same thing happens on those Intel GMA graphics adapters, except they are stuck at 800x600.
I have an Intel GMA 4500M and it perfectly works at full resolution.
I believe that taking a look at Xorg's logs (/var/log/Xorg.0.log can be read from the log viewer in the System/Administration menu) should help to understand the trouble. For instance you might discover that the vesa driver is used instead of the nouveau.
SirGrant: I don't, I'm afraid.
Magic Banana: Um, my cluelessness kicks in about here. Log viewer does indeed have Xorg.0.log at the top of its list, but I have no idea what any of it means. I think the section you're talking about is...
[ 12.331] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Apr 20 16:19:10 2011
[ 12.343] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[ 12.343] (==) No Layout section. Using the first Screen section.
[ 12.343] (==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
[ 12.343] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
[ 12.343] (**) | |-->Monitor ""
[ 12.343] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen Section".
Using a default monitor configuration.
... but even that's a guess, and made even more uncertain by the mention of various stuff about Nouveau drivers that comes later. An indication of my cluelessness: I don't know how to check what drivers are installed or are in use for anything, it's just that the monitor is the only thing that's noticeably not playing nice at the moment.
If the log mentions "various stuff about Nouveau drivers", you probably use this driver (which is correct). Let us see whether this log contains errors (indicated by "(EE)") or warnings (indicated by "(WW)") that may be useful to understand the problem. The easiest way to list these lines is from the terminal (in the "Accessories" menu) using these two command lines:
$ fgrep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
$ fgrep '(WW)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
Response to fgrep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 12.901] (EE) HID 04f3:0103: failed to initialize for relative axes.
Response to fgrep '(WW)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 12.344] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[ 12.376] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
[ 12.376] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for fbdev
Thanks for your help (and your patience).
Ah... any suggestions as to what else I can try? Is there an easy way to check the Nouveau drivers are definitely being used?
On 20/04/11 04:01 PM, name at domain wrote:
> Ah... any suggestions as to what else I can try? Is there an easy way
> to check the Nouveau drivers are definitely being used?
lspci -vnvn
Find the VGA section and the "Kernel driver in use" will tell you for sure.
George
That shows the hardware, not the driver. If /var/log/Xorg.0.log mentions "various stuff about Nouveau drivers" then this is the used driver.
Did you try running the command? It is infact, a definative way to see exactly what driver is being used. As an example, my output is:(@Magic Banana pay particular attention to the last line)01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation G92 [GeForce 8800 GT] [10de:0611] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:c802]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 18
Region 0: Memory at f6000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Region 1: Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Region 3: Memory at f4000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
Region 5: I/O ports at 9800 [size=128]
Expansion ROM at f7be0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Sorry about the delay replying. ZykoticK9: Just ran that command, and the output is as follows:
00:00.0 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] Memory Controller [10de:0754] (rev a2)
Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 Memory Controller [1849:0754]
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR-
00:01.0 ISA bridge [0601]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] LPC Bridge [10de:075c] (rev a2)
Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 LPC Bridge [1849:075c]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap- 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: nForce2_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c-nforce2
00:01.2 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] Memory Controller [10de:0751] (rev a1)
Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 Memory Controller [1849:0751]
Control: I/O- Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap- 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
00:08.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] PCI Bridge [10de:075a] (rev a1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- Reset- FastB2B-
PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr+ DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
Capabilities:
00:09.0 IDE interface [0101]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] SATA Controller (non-AHCI mode) [10de:0ad0] (rev a2) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])
Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 IDE [1849:0ad0]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: ahci
Kernel modules: ahci
00:0a.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: nVidia Corporation MCP77 Ethernet [10de:0760] (rev a2)
Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 Ethernet [1849:0760]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: forcedeth
Kernel modules: forcedeth
00:10.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] PCI Express Bridge [10de:0778] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- Reset- FastB2B-
PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
Capabilities:
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:12.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] PCI Express Bridge [10de:075b] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- Reset- FastB2B-
PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
Capabilities:
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:13.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] PCI Bridge [10de:077a] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- Reset- FastB2B-
PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
Capabilities:
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:14.0 PCI bridge [0604]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] PCI Bridge [10de:077a] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- Reset- FastB2B-
PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn-
Capabilities:
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
Kernel modules: shpchp
00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor HyperTransport Configuration [1022:1200]
Control: I/O- Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR-
00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor Address Map [1022:1201]
Control: I/O- Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR-
Kernel modules: k10temp
00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h Processor Link Control [1022:1204]
Control: I/O- Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: ath9k
Kernel modules: ath9k
01:0a.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394) [0c00]: Texas Instruments TSB43AB22/A IEEE-1394a-2000 Controller (PHY/Link) [104c:8023] (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: Pinnacle Systems Inc. Device [11bd:000e]
Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV+ VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: firewire_ohci
Kernel modules: firewire-ohci, ohci1394
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation G92 [GeForce GTS 250] [10de:0615] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR-
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb
Not sure what that means, but since it says nouveau is in use I'd guess my problem may be with my monitor - I'd certainly never heard of Medion until I picked this up second hand. Any ideas?
On 21/04/11 06:58 AM, name at domain wrote:
> Sorry about the delay replying. ZykoticK9: Just ran that command, and
> the output is as follows:
>
> 00:00.0 RAM memory [0500]: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200]
> Memory Controller [10de:0754] (rev a2)
> Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation K10N78FullHD-hSLI R3.0 Memory Controller
> [1849:0754]
> Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr-
> Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
> Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
Damb, someone is using the mailing list rather then the forum (like I
usually do). Because I was pasting something "ugly" I wanted to make
sure it appeared OK in the forum, so I used the forum to post my
comment, and by doing so, it cut off the most important part - the last
line. If you see the forum post it includes the last line.
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: nVidia Corporation G92
[GeForce 8800 GT] [10de:0611] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: eVga.com. Corp. Device [3842:c802]
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr-
Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort-
SERR-
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
I did bring this issue to quidam's attention in IRC last night.
George (aka ZykoticK9)
I'm not on the mailing list yet, and I've not used IRC so far, so I've only read messages on this forum.
Update: A bit of experimenting with ubuntu has convinced me that it's definitely not just the graphics card - even with the proprietary drivers installed in ubuntu 10.10 x64 the native resolution wasn't available, so there's an issue with the monitor being recognised correctly. Not sure if that's helpful or not.
I am a translator!
That information is very helpful, thanks. Sadly, there isn't much we can do now that we know it isn't a driver issue.
Well, you can try to force the resolution by specifying it in /etc/X11/xorg.conf. It is quite some time I have not touched this file (since Xorg is now able to correctly auto-configure itself... well, not in your case!) but I believe this simple configuration should be OK:
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Subsection "Display"
Modes "1680x1050" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
In the "Modes" line you can specify, in order of preference, all the supported resolutions.
Just, to be clearer (since you insist on your newbiness), you need to open your favorite text editor (here 'gedit') on /etc/X11/xorg.conf with the administrator rights (hence 'sudo'):
$ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Since this file probably does not exist, the opened page will be blank and you only need to copy-paste the section above and save. If it actually exists, edit the "Screen" section to specify the resolutions as above.
You then need to restart Xorg. Closing the sessions of every graphically connected user should do it.
Hmmm...
Magic Banana: I tried following your instructions (and thank you for making them so simple). The /etc/X11/xorg.conf was indeed blank, so I copied your instructions across, saved the file and restarted the system. It doesn't seem to have made any difference - the choice of resolutions in the Prefences / Monitors GUI is still the basic range from 640x480 to 1024x768. I also noticed that I can't enable any desktop effects (I was curious) which makes me now think it's a combination of graphics card drivers and monitor drivers... Maybe I should have waited to try Trisquel on a less awkward system ;)
Of course.
fgrep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log gives this:
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 11.211] (EE) HID 04f3:0103: failed to initialize for relative axes.
and fgrep '(WW)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log gives:
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 10.789] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[ 10.803] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
[ 10.803] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for fbdev
I have a similar issue when I install Trisquel for the first time. All I do is install Resolution Switcher, it's in Add/Remove Applications, (search for Resolution). In the notification area a screen symbol appears. I click the symbol and select the correct resolution from the list. In my case 1440 x 900 widescreen. I'm not sure this will work for you, but its worth a try.
Magic Banana: I removed nothing, so that / those result(s) are after follwoing your instructions, saving the Xorg file and restarting my system as mentioned above.
BinaryDigit: I'm afraid Resolution Switcher didn't help, it just gave me another way to choose between the default resolutions. Cheers for the suggestion though, it was worth a try...
Thank you all for your patience and helpfulness.