Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) under the sub- folder .config I have 2 folders and 2 files. None of them even vaguely resembles monitor.xml...The 2 folders are gnome-session and gtk 2.0. The 2 files are users-dirs.dirs and users-dirs.locales.Path: /home/clutter/.config<2 sub-folders, 2 files>Perhaps monitor.xml has legitimately never been created? :unsure:But anyway, ready to edit and destroy xorg.config... Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 OK, no sweat. I just opened up my "virtual Jaunty" - I'm still using Hardy - and no .config/monitors.xml there either. Apparently, it gets created when you run "gnome-display-properties" (System->Preferences->Display) and make some changes.Next question. Are you using "nvidia" with this machine? If you are, have you tried to change resolution with "Nvidia Settings" (System -> Admin)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) OK, no sweat. I just opened up my "virtual Jaunty" - I'm still using Hardy - and no .config/monitors.xml there either. Apparently, it gets created when you run "gnome-display-properties" (System->Preferences->Display) and make some changes.Next question. Are you using "nvidia" with this machine? If you are, have you tried to change resolution with "Nvidia Settings"?Well, I have an FX5200 card in this box. I have loaded the proprietary nVidia binaries. I have had the nVidia 'control panel' open at various times, but it doesn't work well or at all. I consider it borderline unusable. Is that what you mean by "Using" nVidia? I certainly intended to try to change the resolution with that control panel, but at the moment, it really sux out loud.Looks like at this moment I'm using the recommended version 173 drivers. There is also a version 96 drivers package. In fact, on my other machine, I remember seeing only the 96 package, and it was recommended (IIRC).Yes, on my other machine (DEC monitor), only version 96 was recommended/ offered. That's what got installed over there. Makes no difference I can see (so far). Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Yup. OK, let's try the modified xorg, then: gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf Edit this bit... here's BEFORE: Section "Monitor" Identifier "Configured Monitor"EndSection Here's AFTER: Section "Monitor" Identifier "Configured Monitor" VendorName "MAG" ModelName "770FS" HorizSync 30.0 - 70.0 VertRefresh 50.0 - 160.0EndSection Save. Reboot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Done, carefully. Rebooting. brb hopefully... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) Wowee!! Yowee!It came back up configured 1024x768.Not a word of complaint, no kernel panics, no corporate picnics, no panic selling on the stock exchange, etc. :clap:Thanks, Urmas- you da man! I think this will get easier for me after I have done it a few times.This leads to 2 more questions:* Where do you find the info on individual monitor specs- Google search? I'll go get the DEC info.* Just how much fireworks could I expect if I forgot all this special configuration and absent- mindedly swapped out the monitor for one with lesser capabilities?BTW using System/Preferences/Display allows access to the nVidia control panel which now works OK (looks like). It is set for autoconfig but it also lists a bunch of screen sizes. I think many of them are not the correct 4:3 aspect ratio I use on a CRT. It runs from 320x175 all the way to 1920x1080, more than my monitor or KVM can handle. Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 GOODY! As for that NEC CRT... I couldn't find specs online... have you used it before? 1024x768? You could try with the very same edit (VendorName and ModelName are just "fluff"... they can be anything you want).Now then... it's Saturday, 1PM, sunny... gonna hoist up a few cool ones... OUTDOORS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Just how much fireworks could I expect if I forgot all this special configuration and absent- mindedly swapped out the monitor for one with lesser capabilities?None, probably... most likely it'll default back to 800x600. Of course, with vintage CRTs, you never know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) Thanks so much! Go enjoy your day, Urmie, see ya later... Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 As for that NEC CRT... I couldn't find specs online... have you used it before? 1024x768? You could try with the very same edit (VendorName and ModelName are just "fluff"... they can be anything you want).Well, I use it often, works great. I think I have seen it at 1280x1024 working fine- or whatever the nearest 4:3 setting is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 OK, then "reuse" the edit you just did. It'll give you [at least] 1024x768.Need beer... I'm outta here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) A well deserved brew for Urmas. B) :yes:Yep, I'll reuse that edit on the other boxes. Wow, time flies! It's already been 2 years and 4 months since I installed my first Linux OS. Yes, it was Ubuntu. It's been a fun ride. I may be a slow study, but still, I am getting there. Linux has made a big difference in my computer experience. Kind of puts the fun back into it. Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) Glommed off of an internet search for the DEC 17 in monitor: SN-PCXAV-YB/YC 17 (16.0 viewable) high-resolution auto-scanning color monitor, cylindrical aperature grill CRT, 0.26 dotpitch, refresh rates up to 75Hz non-interlaced from VGA through 1280x1024 resolution modes, MPRII,Energy Star compliant, 120/240V universal power supply, includes video cable. Select -YB for NorthernHemisphere, or -YC for Southern Hemisphere operation. Order country-specific power cords for 240V use.That about covers it. Maybe I can fudge some figures from that- if I can figure out what to make HorizSync.Edit: I successfully made the changes to my Jaunty 9.04 with the DEC monitor. It rebooted to 1024x768. For the HorizSync I went with 31.5 - 70.0. For the VertRefresh I went with 43.0 - 75.0. Just some guessing based on a few Google search results on this topic. Some folks have to set up really long, complicated xorg.conf. Mine is still pretty simple.BTW online I found some good hints on where to find hints- right on your monitor. Turns out this DEC has a couple of extra configuration buttons under the front panel door. One gives me the info "60.0KHz 75Hz". Earlier It listed lower horizontal oscillator rate (KHz) and refresh rate (Hz) than it is showing now. Something like 41.3KHz and 60Hz. There is also a second button that tells me that horizontal and vertical 'something' are both set to '56'. Whatever that is. It is symbolized by 3 vertical or horizontal bars.Anyway, the darned thing works now, and I have a rough idea about how to handle xorg.conf for next time. Edited July 18, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Wow, time flies! It's already been 2 years and 4 months since I installed my first Linux OS. Man oh man... THE "Clutter Learns Linux" thread... that ought to be a sticky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Anyway, the darned thing works now, and I have a rough idea about how to handle xorg.conf for next time. See? Put two idiots together, and we're [almost] one frickin' Einstein! Ain't Linux [and Internet] great? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Excellent !(It can do 1280 x 1024 too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) @ Urmas... nv drivers may give you resolutions you're trying to get, Urmas, but without the nvidia driver, you're NOT getting any openGL or higher performance capabilities.@ Clutter, I recommend installing the nvidia drivers by using the script provided by Nvidia... not that deprecated/*******ized version in the Ubuntu repos... just my opinion, though.=====EDIT:MUST READ ENTIRE THREAD BEFORE POSTING. :(Anywho... you got it working how you wanted and you learned a thing or two. That's the important thing. Congrats! Edited July 18, 2009 by V.T. Eric Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 @ Clutter, I recommend installing the nvidia drivers by using the script provided by Nvidia... not that deprecated/*******ized version in the Ubuntu repos... just my opinion, though.That's intriguing, Eric. Will have to look into that, understand it better. I don't think I got it from the repos. It got downloaded and installed from nVidia directly, I believe. Not sure, though. Anyway, that process results from the path: System/ Admin/ Hardware drivers. I have no idea whether it's an Ubuntu script or an nVidia script running things for the install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 Man oh man... THE "Clutter Learns Linux" thread... that ought to be a sticky. Yeah, man- I'm going to revive that thread from time to time to add comments. It will be a short novel in about 5 more years. Just kidding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 You would remember if you installed the drivers via the Nvidia script, Clutter. It MUST be run from Run Level 1 with NO X running (command line ONLY).But anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 @ Urmas... nv drivers may give you resolutions you're trying to get, Urmas, but without the nvidia driver, you're NOT getting any openGL or higher performance capabilities.True... which I why I use the "nvidia" driver.@ Clutter, I recommend installing the nvidia drivers by using the script provided by Nvidia... not that deprecated/*******ized version in the Ubuntu repos... just my opinion, though.Well. I'm lazy... if that deprecated/*******ized version in the Ubuntu repos works well enough, I use it. I hate running that #¤%& script after every kernel update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Yeah, especially since Debian/Ubuntu seem to be updating or patching their kernel ever 4 or 5 days lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urmas Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 True. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manitoban Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Clutter, I joined this thread rather late, but I notice that in post #5, you state that you cannot use gui because the buttons are off the screen. Don't be offended please if I tell you that you can move any window in Linux with the cursor anywhere in the window. Hold down the ALT key and drag with the left mouse button down. Forgive me if you already knew that.Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 19, 2009 Share Posted July 19, 2009 Heck! I didn't even know that. That's PRETTY COOL! Thanks, Bill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) Clutter, I joined this thread rather late, but I notice that in post #5, you state that you cannot use gui because the buttons are off the screen. Don't be offended please if I tell you that you can move any window in Linux with the cursor anywhere in the window. Hold down the ALT key and drag with the left mouse button down. Forgive me if you already knew that.BillWow- great tip! No, I didn't know that. Will try it. Thanks, Bill. :thumbsup:Just tried it on a Terminal window, works just as advertised. Edited July 19, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 19, 2009 Author Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) You would remember if you installed the drivers via the Nvidia script, Clutter. It MUST be run from Run Level 1 with NO X running (command line ONLY).But anyway...I haven't yet learned to run from Run Level 1, Eric. Also, I don't yet know where one sources the script- from nVidia? Or how to access and run it from within Level 1. Or, finally, just how much of a difference it might make for me. But I would like to know more about this better option. It does sound like a real pain if you have to do it again after every kernel upgrade. I used to have to do that with my menu.lst- what a pain. Lately, they have an option to keep the old menu.lst.Keep in mind-Clutter runs relatively cheap hardware. 3-5 year old mobos with Pentium 4's. No dual/ quad processors. Original DDR RAM. Cheap video cards like FX5200 and even less. Old, giveaway, 17 in CRT monitors. I never play action games, and I don't use 3D. I am very easy to please when it comes to video or audio. For me, the PC platform is not a TV, not a hi-fi audio setup, not a gamers paradise. It is just a web-surfing, emailing tool that also happens to print business cards, maps, and other such miscellany. Well, I do play Solitaire and Mahjong, if that counts. :whistling:BTW I have always most appreciated the ability of the desktop PC to provide human networking. That was the real draw for me, from day one. I've met some great folks around the world, who I never would have met in my local community. Edited July 19, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 It's easy, Clutter...1) Go to the Nvidia site and download the script for your video hardware --> http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us1a) Using Synaptic, install the kernel headers, kernel modules, and the kernel-devel for your kernel.2) Reboot. When GRUB comes up, highlight your distribution's listing and click the letter "e" on your keyboard. This will bring up the editing-on-the-fly interface for GRUB. 3) Using the arrow keys scroll down to the line in your distribution's GRUB loader that says "kernel". It'll look something like this: title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.17-10-genericroot (hd0,4)kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17-10-generic root=/dev/sda5 ro quiet splashinitrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.17-10-genericquietsavedefaultboot 3a) Click the letter "e" again once you're on the "kernel" line.4) Using your arrow keys to navigate and the keyboard, replace "quiet splash" with "single" (no quotation marks). This will force your Ubuntu to boot up in run level one (single user, no X).5) After you've made that edit, click on "Enter", then "b" on the keyboard. This will write the edit and then boot the new GRUB entry. 6) Ubuntu will boot up with a text only interface. Login with your username and password.7) This is where enabling Ubuntu's root account is helpful, but not needed... Navigate to the directory where you downloaded the Nvidia driver script. clutter@cluttermagnet~$ cd /home/clutter/downloads (or wherever you put it) 8) As a superuser, run the script: clutter@cluttermagnet:~$ sudo sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-64-<your downloaded version numbers>-pkg1.runPassword: ********** The script will begin to run. Just click "Yes", "Yes", "Yes" all the way through. If it goes all the way through and finishes, you can then reboot your system normally. The latest Nvidia drivers for your particular hardware will now be installed and running at boot up on your system. Note: As Urmas mentions, each time Ubuntu upgrades/updates/modifies their kernel, you'll need to re-run the Nvidia script. That's always a good time to go to Nvidia site and download the updated driver script. It changes relatively regularly, also.Easy as baking an award-winning 1st place pie for the Pillsbury bake-off, huh? If you're not comfortable with the command line, don't even attempt this. Stick with Urmas' Synaptic/Ubuntu repos method. Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 (edited) Wow, great tutorial, Eric. Well, I'm not terrified of the command line- I have actually done quite a lot with it already. Heck, Bruno even showed me some powerful dd commands to wipe a hard drive & MBR a while back, and I have used that repeatedly since then. So I probably could follow your instructions and get through this.For now, I'm going to leave things as is, but I'm carefully saving this thread for later reference, on page 46 or so of "Clutter Learns Linux". I have a bunch of dynamite threads which have really helped me, and I'm trying to salt them away in one place where I can find them again later. Oh, and I also have a spiral notebook I keep a lot of Linux crib sheet notes in.I'm not up to compiling my own stuff just yet, but I do use the Terminal from time to time, and I think I will progress and get a little more daring in the coming months and years. 'Deprecated'. Heh. :whistling:Yeah, I have reread your post and everything seems to make sense. I think I could handle this. So maybe I will try this method 'soon' on one of my 8 or so best active machines. Just for the practice, eh? Edited July 20, 2009 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Myeh... *shrugging* You know the old saying... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If all's working as you like thanks to assistance from Urmas and others, leave it be. If you want to experiment, do it on something other than your primary system. :)Have FUN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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