Driver for old video card <SOLVED>

[wscheyer]

That is not present but, when I checked display in control center before rebooting 1280x1024 was present but not present after rebooting. Setting 1280x1024 for the display before re-booting lead to an error message upon rebooting and after a while the computer booted up and the 1280x1024 was missing. Could it be that if I re-run the terminal commands I simply enter gksudo xed /etc/X11/xorg.conf and then close the editor without making and entries?

[austin.texas]

So you are at Step 3 where you still have to create the xorg.conf file. Those instructions are a bit overcomplicated.
You don't have to manually stop mdm - you can simply press Ctrl+Alt+Backspace which will kill your current session (close your programs first).
That will take you to the login screen, where you press Ctrl+Alt+F2 to get the console login. Log in there and run the command

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sudo X -configure

Then enter

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startx

to restart your x session, and follow the tutorial from there. You can see from the example how to add your modeline to xorg.conf

[wscheyer]

Thanks Austin.Texas:

Here is what happened when I followed your instructions. I pressed Ctrl+Alt+Backspace, when I got to the login screen I pressed Ctrl+Alt+F2 and then logged in successfully. I then ran the command sudo X -configure and then the command startx. I did get the error message as mentioned in the tutorial but ignored it as the tutorial advised. Then I tried to switch back to graphical mode by entering the command sudo service mdm start which failed to do anything. So, I restarted by using the Magic SysRq Key Alt+SysRQ+b which successfully restarted the computer. After the computer restarted, nowhere could I find the file xorg.conf.new despite viewing hidden files.

So, what now. I feel I'm so close but still no cigar!

[austin.texas]

Try

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sudo updatedb && locate xorg.conf.new

[wscheyer]

Austin.Texas

When I did that below is what I got.

bill@bill-MS9317E ~ $ sudo updatedb && locate xorg.conf.new
[sudo] password for bill:
bill@bill-MS9317E ~ $

While I am admittedly persistent but, you are unbelievably patient. Hopefully this will get solved to the benefit to me and others who I see looking at this post.

[austin.texas]

Thank you. Sorry I have to leave. This may be my last post until about March 25 - leaving town...

[wscheyer]

No problem. This can wait 'till your return. Have a nice time where ever you're going. Again, thank you for your help so far.

[roblm]

wscheyer,

To make the new resolution persistent after each restart, it may be easier to add the 3 xrandr commands to the /etc/mdm/Init/Default file. Use this command to open it:

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gksudo xed /etc/mdm/Init/Default

Add these 3 xrandr commands at the bottom, just above the last line that says "exit 0".

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xrandr --newmode "1280x1024_60.00" 109.00 1280 1368 1496 1712 1024 1027 1034 1063 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA-1 1280x1024_60.00
xrandr --output VGA-1 --mode 1280x1024

The GeForce4 MX440 graphics card is too old and underpowered to run Mint efficiently, even the MATE and Xfce editions, without some noticeable slowdown. Check the link below. In the Select a page menu, click Low End Videocards. Type MX 440 in the browser search window. Your card has been given a ranking of 5 out of a range from 0 to 95 for Low End cards and 0 to 13473 for all cards.

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/low_end_gpus.html

[wscheyer]

Thanks ROBLM:
That worked like a charm. I now have what I want. Thanks also to Austin.Texas and the guy who wrote tutorial #877. I somehow knew there had to be a solution and now I have it. I love Linux it is much better than winXP.
About the age of my video card yes I know it is old but, so am I (72), I don't play computer games in fact I don't even load them and, only use this computer to read and write e-mails using Thunderbird or white letters and do spreadsheets using LibreOffice. So, it is good enough for me. I hope this helps others who have been following this post.