ATI Rage IIC video card & Xorg give me display problems

[Morlok8k]

I normally wouldn't post, but this has me at my wits end.

My main issue is my login screen. it's displayed at 1152x864, which my monitor cant display correctly (it displays the screen tearing and overlapping itself line by line). My monitor is supposed to be able to display 1280x1024 @60hz. (I know it does on a different computer with ubuntu and a more modern video card)

I've set my desktop to 1024x768 (@75hz) so i can actually use the computer, but I would like to use my flat panel's native resolution.

inxi gives me this:

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System:    Host minty Kernel 3.2.0-4-486 i686 (32 bit) Distro Linux Mint Debian Edition
CPU:       Single core Intel Pentium 4 (-UP-) cache 256 KB flags (sse sse2) bmips 3589.31 clocked at 1794.657 MHz 
Graphics:  Card Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI 3D Rage IIC 215IIC [Mach64 GT IIC] X.Org 1.12.4 Res: 1024x768@75.0hz 
           GLX Renderer Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 0x209) GLX Version 2.1 Mesa 8.0.4 Direct Rendering Yes
Audio:     Card Intel 82801BA/BAM AC'97 Audio Controller driver snd_intel8x0 at ports d800 dc40 BusID: 00:1f.5
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Version 1.0.24
Network:   Card 3Com 3c905C-TX/TX-M [Tornado] driver 3c59x at port e880 BusID: 02:0c.0
Disks:     HDD Total Size: 30.1GB (0.0% used) 1: /dev/sda WDC_WD300BB 30.0GB 
           2: USB /dev/sdb USB_2.0_FD 0.1GB 
Partition: ID:/ size: 27G used: 5.9G (24%) fs: rootfs ID:/ size: 27G used: 5.9G (24%) fs: ext4 
           ID:swap-1 size: 1.07GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Info:      Processes 120 Uptime 47 min Memory 384.7/1009.9MB Runlevel 2 Client Shell inxi 1.4.23 

Ubuntu 12.04 also had this issue.
I've used the Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 on this computer before, which is based off Gentoo, with no display problems.

I'm running Linux Mint Debian Edition (UP6). 32bit. running MATE. It is a new install of LMDE, after wiping off Windows Xp.
I've tried mdm and lightdm.
I've also tried using xrandr to set the screen resolution in both mdm's and lightdm's startup scripts. (the scripts run, but the screen resolution doesn't change)

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xrandr --newmode "1024x768_60.00"   63.50  1024 1072 1176 1328  768 771 775 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode default 1024x768_60.00
xrandr --output default --primary --mode 1024×768_60.00

and i've tried this as well:

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xrandr --output default --primary --mode 1024x768

these work just fine when i'm logged in, but have no effect when called from the startup scripts.

I also cannot create a new mode in xrandr of 1280x1024 @60hz (I even tried down to 57hz to see if that helped.)

So... I decided to see if i could create an xorg.conf file to force my own settings.
using "X -configure" (when X isnt running of course) creates a strange xorg.conf file, and X fails to load when i try to use it (blank screen, no error messages)

generated xorg.conf:

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Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
	FontPath     "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
	FontPath     "built-ins"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "record"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "dri2"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "extmod"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor1"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
        ### <percent>: "<f>%"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "probe_sparse"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "accel"              	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "crt_display"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "composite_sync"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "hw_cursor"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "force_pci_mode"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "dma_mode"           	# <str>
        #Option     "agp_mode"           	# <i>
        #Option     "agp_size"           	# <i>
        #Option     "local_textures"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "buffer_size"        	# <i>
        #Option     "tv_out"             	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "tv_standard"        	# <str>
        #Option     "mmio_cache"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "test_mmio_cache"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "panel_display"      	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "reference_clock"    	# <freq>
        #Option     "shadow_fb"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "sw_cursor"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "AccelMethod"        	# <str>
        #Option     "RenderAccel"        	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "mach64"
	BusID       "PCI:2:7:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
        ### <percent>: "<f>%"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultRefresh"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ModeSetClearScreen" 	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card1"
	Driver      "vesa"
	BusID       "PCI:2:7:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen1"
	Device     "Card1"
	Monitor    "Monitor1"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

I only have one monitor in my setup, and only one video card (with one VGA port). here it says i have 2 of each, and the first time i did it, it said i had 3 of each! (I would have posted that, but i've since deleted it)

anyways... I did a search and found this:
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=17848
which is the same problem but with a different ATI video card, and an older version of Mint (also KDE). I wasn't able to follow the discussion either, as I have no idea what "Envy" is, and "displayconfig-gtk" cannot be found.

Something is very very wrong with my X server / video drivers / (or something)

I like mint, and I like it on this computer. It was a pain to install, as this computer only has a CD drive, and cant boot to USB!

[eanfrid]

Your card is more than 15 years old (!) when 800x600 was still a big desktop size. It seems not to be able to display such a large image as 1280x1024.

[Morlok8k]

Your card is more than 15 years old (!) when 800x600 was still a big desktop size. It seems not to be able to display such a large image as 1280x1024.

yes, the computer is a bit old, but still totally functional. I had Windows Xp on it until recently, and was able to get 1280x1024. Also, as i mentioned, i used the kaspersky rescue disk 10 on it, which is based on Gentoo Linux, and had no display issues.

Also i should mention that i can get GRUB and the initial boot messages to display 1280x1024. (maybe its a partially a color depth issue?)

I would test more distros, but i like my Mint setup that i have, and its a pain to install stuff on this, if the installer doesn't fit on a CD like LMDE... I had to use Plop boot manager to boot to USB drive, as there is no native USB booting... I also had to dig up an old PS2 keyboard as plop doesnt like USB keyboards, but anyways, i'm getting sidetracked.

The point is, I'm not going to put any money into this old computer. (no new video card)

I only have this one issue with the login screen, where i cant change the resolution to one that works.

I'm asking for a hack that will either just fix my login resolution to 1024x768 like my desktop,
OR
fix the underlying problem that causes xorg to not read the monitors EDID information and not generate a correct xorg.conf file, which eventually causes xrandr to fail at changing resolutions at the login screen.



I've tried for days to fix this myself, scouring the internet for other people that have the same or similar issue, and have tried every fix that i came across. everything has failed.


tl;dr:
fixing the incorrect resolution info has failed
attempting to get the login screen to show a lower resolution has failed.
1280x1024 is possible on this computer, but xorg fails...