[SOLVED] Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:07 pm

My final conclusion is you may have installed the Nvidia driver when the laptop’s screen was still working, but it was not loading. The inxi output is sometimes confusing; the Xorg.0.log file needs to be checked. The vesa driver was probably loading but was able to deliver the laptop’s 1280x800 native resolution. That driver can get higher resolutions than 1024x768, depending on the display or video port connection.

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 7:33 am

Even after a clean install and trying a lot of kernels, the problem insists. If I select the nvidia 304 driver through the Driver Manager, I can not log in after the restart, I have to purge them and then log in with low resolution.

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inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G73M [GeForce Go 7600] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: vesa (unloaded: fbdev) FAILED: nouveau
           Resolution: 1024x768@61.00hz
           GLX Renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 128 bits)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

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xrandr --verbose
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 640 x 480, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected primary 1024x768+0+0 (0x26f) normal (normal) 0mm x 0mm
	Identifier: 0x26e
	Timestamp:  5589064
	Subpixel:   unknown
	Clones:    
	CRTC:       0
	CRTCs:      0
	Transform:  1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
	           filter: 
  1024x768 (0x26f) 47.972MHz *current
        h: width  1024 start    0 end    0 total 1024 skew    0 clock  46.85KHz
        v: height  768 start    0 end    0 total  768           clock  61.00Hz
  800x600 (0x270) 29.280MHz
        h: width   800 start    0 end    0 total  800 skew    0 clock  36.60KHz
        v: height  600 start    0 end    0 total  600           clock  61.00Hz
  640x480 (0x271) 18.432MHz
        h: width   640 start    0 end    0 total  640 skew    0 clock  28.80KHz
        v: height  480 start    0 end    0 total  480           clock  60.00Hz

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cat /var/log/gpu-manager.log
log_file: /var/log/gpu-manager.log
last_boot_file: /var/lib/ubuntu-drivers-common/last_gfx_boot
new_boot_file: /var/lib/ubuntu-drivers-common/last_gfx_boot
can't access /run/u-d-c-nvidia-was-loaded file
can't access /run/u-d-c-fglrx-was-loaded file
Looking for fglrx modules in /lib/modules/4.10.0-38-generic/updates/dkms
Looking for nvidia modules in /lib/modules/4.10.0-38-generic/updates/dkms
Is nvidia loaded? no
Was nvidia unloaded? no
Is nvidia blacklisted? no
Is fglrx loaded? no
Was fglrx unloaded? no
Is fglrx blacklisted? no
Is intel loaded? no
Is radeon loaded? no
Is radeon blacklisted? no
Is amdgpu loaded? no
Is amdgpu blacklisted? no
Is nouveau loaded? yes
Is nouveau blacklisted? no
Is fglrx kernel module available? no
Is nvidia kernel module available? no
Vendor/Device Id: 10de:398
BusID "PCI:1@0:0:0"
Is boot vga? yes
Error: can't access /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:01:00.0/driver
The device is not bound to any driver. Skipping...
Error : Failed to open /dev/dri
Error : Failed to open /dev/dri
Error : Failed to open /dev/dri
Error : Failed to open /dev/dri
Does it require offloading? no
I couldn't open /var/lib/ubuntu-drivers-common/last_gfx_boot for reading.
Create /var/lib/ubuntu-drivers-common/last_gfx_boot for the 1st time
last cards number = 1
Has amd? no
Has intel? no
Has nvidia? no
How many cards? 0
The number of cards has changed!
Has the system changed? Yes
main_arch_path i386-linux-gnu, other_arch_path x86_64-linux-gnu
Current alternative: /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/mesa/ld.so.conf
Current core alternative: (null)
Current egl alternative: /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/mesa-egl/ld.so.conf
Is nvidia enabled? no
Is nvidia egl enabled? no
Is fglrx enabled? no
Is mesa enabled? yes
Is mesa egl enabled? yes
Is pxpress enabled? no
Is prime enabled? no
Is prime egl enabled? no
Is nvidia available? no
Is nvidia egl available? no
Is fglrx available? no
Is fglrx-core available? no
Is mesa available? yes
Is mesa egl available? yes
Is pxpress available? no
Is prime available? no
Is prime egl available? no
System configuration has changed

Roblm I'd like to thank you again very much for your help. I give up.

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:06 pm

If you look at this article on vesa modes and at the chart under the section: Linux video mode numbers, you will see that your monitor’s 1366 x 768 resolution is not supported by the vesa driver, so the next highest one was selected, which is 1024x768.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BIOS ... de_numbers

The laptop display’s 1280x800 resolution is also not listed, but under that chart is this line:

vga=864 [ 352 (0160h)] also appears to select 1,280×800 (8-bit) for various laptops' displays.

If you wanted to keep using the laptop, I think your best choice would be to get a used older monitor with a 1280x1024 native resolution and a 5:4 aspect ratio. Higher resolutions up to 1920x1600 are listed but I’ve never seen them used by the vesa driver in any topic I’ve been involved in or read, but have seen the 1280x1024 resolution used many times, so you would be safer with that resolution.

The second choice would be a newer wide screen monitor with a 1440x900 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio.

Keep in mind that the vesa driver is very basic and does not provide for video hardware acceleration, so expect some slowdown and other glitches in desktop performance and trying to run full window videos.

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:13 pm

roblm, I followed your advice and found by chance a used Dell 190PS monitor (1280x1024 , aspect ratio 5:4). The problem insists, the vesa driver is loaded

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inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G73M [GeForce Go 7600] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: vesa (unloaded: fbdev) FAILED: nouveau
           Resolution: 1024x768@61.00hz
           GLX Renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 128 bits)
           GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

I tried using commands cvt, xrandr --newmode , -addmode to add the "1280x1024_60.00" resolution but when I try to apply it through the Monitor Preferences (Displays), I get en error that it could not set the configuration for the CRTC 621. It only accepts 1024x768.

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xrandr --verbose
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 640 x 480, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1280 x 1024
default connected primary 1024x768+0+0 (0x26f) normal (normal) 0mm x 0mm
	Identifier: 0x26e
	Timestamp:  177927
	Subpixel:   unknown
	Clones:    
	CRTC:       0
	CRTCs:      0
	Transform:  1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
	           filter: 
  1024x768 (0x26f) 47.972MHz *current
        h: width  1024 start    0 end    0 total 1024 skew    0 clock  46.85KHz
        v: height  768 start    0 end    0 total  768           clock  61.00Hz
  800x600 (0x270) 29.280MHz
        h: width   800 start    0 end    0 total  800 skew    0 clock  36.60KHz
        v: height  600 start    0 end    0 total  600           clock  61.00Hz
  640x480 (0x271) 18.432MHz
        h: width   640 start    0 end    0 total  640 skew    0 clock  28.80KHz
        v: height  480 start    0 end    0 total  480           clock  60.00Hz
  1280x1024_60.00 (0x286) 109.000MHz -HSync +VSync
        h: width  1280 start 1368 end 1496 total 1712 skew    0 clock  63.67KHz
        v: height 1024 start 1027 end 1034 total 1063           clock  59.89Hz

I don't know what else to do.

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:08 pm

Changing monitors will not allow the nouveau or nvidia driver to be used; it was to hopefully allow for the monitor’s maximum resolution to be used. I’m convinced you were using the vesa driver when the laptop’s screen was working. This was verified when running the Live Mint USB and re-installing Mint. It appears your hardware, probably the video BIOS of the GeForce 7600, is not compatible with the Linux nouveau or Nvidia drivers.

At the GRUB boot menu select the correct line but don’t press Enter. Press the “E” key to edit. Go down to the line:
linux /boot/vmlinuz.............ro quiet splash $vt_handoff

Go to the end of the line. Add a space and then type this parameter: vga=795
Press F10 to start your system.

If that fails to give a 1280x1024 resolution, then repeat the steps and use vga=794

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:28 pm

Go to the end of the line. Add a space and then type this parameter: vga=795
Press F10 to start your system.

If that fails to give a 1280x1024 resolution, then repeat the steps and use vga=794

None of these 2 settings worked.

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:57 pm

Use this command to create an xorg.conf file: sudo touch /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Open the file for editing: gksudo xed /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Add these lines:

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       24.0 - 94.0	   
   VertRefresh     24.0 - 76.0
   Modeline "1280x1024_60.00"  109.00  1280 1368 1496 1712  1024 1027 1034 1063 -HSync +VSync
   DisplaySize  380 300
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
   BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
   Option "Monitor-default" "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection     "Display"
      Depth       24
      Modes "1280x1024_60.00" 
   EndSubSection
EndSection

Log out and back in. If there is a problem getting back to the desktop, then press Ctrl+Alt+F1 to enter the virtual console tty1. Use this command to remove the xorg.conf file and reboot: sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf; reboot

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:18 pm

I tried it my friend, but after the restart, I get the following message attached and I can't switch to terminal tty1 in order to remove the xorg.conf file and reboot. I'm replying from another laptop. I restarted with REISUB but I am also getting the same message.

https://imgur.com/a/tLQhUhO

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:25 pm

At the grub boot menu, select Recovery Mode. In the menu, select “root - drop to root shell prompt ” and press ENTER. When asked for the root password, just type your user password.

Type this command to change the file permissions to read and write: mount -o remount,rw /

Then type this command to remove the xorg.conf file and reboot: rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf; reboot

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 4:59 pm

OK, I logged in following your instructions!

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:29 pm

I suspect your particular GeForce 7600’s video BIOS does not support the 1280x1024 vesa mode. It’s up to the manufacturer as to what vesa modes are supported. At least the 1024x768 mode will look a lot better on the Dell monitor because the 4:3 aspect ratio is very close to 5:4. On the Acer, the image is distorted because it has to be stretched out excessively horizontally to fill it’s 16:9 aspect ratio. You can decrease the fonts size in the Fonts program and use Ctrl+Alt+minus key in firefox to decrease it.

If you want to, you can test these last 3 configurations in an xorg.conf file. Some of the values were changed from the info I got in this Dell P190S user guide. I'm out of ideas after this:
https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all- ... _en-us.pdf

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0	   
   VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Modeline "1152x864_75.00"  104.00  1152 1224 1344 1536  864 867 871 905 +HSync +VSync
   DisplaySize  376 301
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
   BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
   Option "Monitor-default" "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection     "Display"
      Depth       24
      Modes "1152x864_75.00" 
   EndSubSection
EndSection

Log out and back in.

Before testing these two configurations, open the grub file: gksudo xed /etc/default/grub

Change this line: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

To this: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash vga=795"

Then update grub: sudo update-grub

Create the xorg.conf file and reboot this time:

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0	   
   VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Modeline "1280x1024_59.89"  108.00  1280 1368 1496 1712  1024 1027 1034 1063 +HSync +VSync
   DisplaySize  376 301
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
   BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
   Option "Monitor-default" "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection     "Display"
      Depth       24
      Modes "1280x1024_59.89" 
   EndSubSection
EndSection

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0	   
   VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Modeline "1280x1024_55.00"   98.75  1280 1360 1488 1696  1024 1027 1034 1060 +hsync +vsync
   DisplaySize  376 301
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
   BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
   Option "Monitor-default" "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection     "Display"
      Depth       24
      Modes "1280x1024_55.00" 
   EndSubSection
EndSection

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:50 am

Roblm, with your first suggestion-configuration, after the restart I encounter the same problem as described earlier

https://imgur.com/a/tLQhUhO

I'll try the other 2 and I'll revert to you. I'm also experiencing problems with the wifi, it is very slow.

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:55 am

With your second configuration

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0	   
   VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
   Modeline "1280x1024_59.89"  108.00  1280 1368 1496 1712  1024 1027 1034 1063 +HSync +VSync
   DisplaySize  376 301
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
   BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
   Option "Monitor-default" "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth   24
   SubSection     "Display"
      Depth       24
      Modes "1280x1024_59.89" 
   EndSubSection
EndSection

I can log in without any problems. In Monitor Preferences (Displays), the 1280x1024 is the active one but the resolution problem insists.

https://imgur.com/a/EYFywVO

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:01 pm

I decided to make a clean install of Linux Mint Mate 18.3 (kernel 4.4.0-143) with the new Dell monitor connected. I get the following message each time after the login.

I'll try your configurations and post back. I'm also having problems with the wifi connection.

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Mon Mar 18, 2019 10:40 am

seleoo wrote: I can log in without any problems. In Monitor Preferences (Displays), the 1280x1024 is the active one but the resolution problem insists.

I don’t understand what the problem is. Looking at the picture in your link (size of panel and Display program window), it looks like a 1280x1024 resolution is being used.

After doing some testing, I suggest making these changes. Use this command to remove the fbdev driver:
apt remove xserver-xorg-video-fbdev

Open the grub file and add the kernel parameters nomodeset and vga=283, so the line will look like this:

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset vga=283"

Update grub: sudo update-grub

Use this xorg.conf file:

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Section "Monitor"
   Identifier    "Monitor0"
   HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0	   
   VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
 EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "Device0"
   Driver   "vesa"   			
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Screen0"
   Device   "Device0"
   Monitor   "Monitor0"
   DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Reboot.

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:10 pm

roblm, once again I'd like to thank you for your invaluable help. During the last days, I've tried a lot of configurations, with the proposed last one, the resolution is set to 1280x1024 at last!

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inxi -Gx
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G73M [GeForce Go 7600] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 driver: vesa Resolution: 1280x1024@76.00hz
           GLX Renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 6.0, 128 bits) GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 18.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes

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 xrandr --verbose
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 400, current 1280 x 1024, maximum 1280 x 1024
default connected primary 1280x1024+0+0 (0x26f) normal (normal) 0mm x 0mm
	Identifier: 0x26e
	Timestamp:  76210
	Subpixel:   unknown
	Clones:    
	CRTC:       0
	CRTCs:      0
	Transform:  1.000000 0.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
	            0.000000 0.000000 1.000000
	           filter: 
  1280x1024 (0x26f) 99.615MHz *current
        h: width  1280 start    0 end    0 total 1280 skew    0 clock  77.82KHz
        v: height 1024 start    0 end    0 total 1024           clock  76.00Hz
  1024x768 (0x270) 59.769MHz
        h: width  1024 start    0 end    0 total 1024 skew    0 clock  58.37KHz
        v: height  768 start    0 end    0 total  768           clock  76.00Hz
  800x600 (0x271) 35.040MHz
        h: width   800 start    0 end    0 total  800 skew    0 clock  43.80KHz
        v: height  600 start    0 end    0 total  600           clock  73.00Hz
  640x480 (0x272) 22.426MHz
        h: width   640 start    0 end    0 total  640 skew    0 clock  35.04KHz
        v: height  480 start    0 end    0 total  480           clock  73.00Hz
  640x400 (0x273)  0.000MHz
        h: width   640 start    0 end    0 total  640 skew    0 clock   0.00KHz
        v: height  400 start    0 end    0 total  400           clock   0.00Hz
  320x400 (0x274)  0.000MHz
        h: width   320 start    0 end    0 total  320 skew    0 clock   0.00KHz
        v: height  400 start    0 end    0 total  400           clock   0.00Hz

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 12:15 pm

The reason why the nouveau driver is not loaded may be due to the following warning I get just after the beginning of the live cd Mate 18.3 session:

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[   15.382325] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: bios: 00B 4 000020b8 000020b8 
 
[   15.386744] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: preinit failed with -22

[   15.386792] nouveau: DRM:00000000 : 00000080: init failed with -22

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:14 pm

Looking forward to your advice regarding the colour stripes

roblm · Post by **roblm** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:29 am

seleoo wrote: ⤴Tue Mar 19, 2019 1:14 pm Looking forward to your advice regarding the colour stripes

Are you seeing the stripes only in some open program windows? The two images you posted of firefox and nemo don’t look like screenshots.

The Displays program picture you posted is a screenshot and looks normal.

Get the Dell P190S user guide here:
https://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all- ... _en-us.pdf

Open the monitor’s On-Screen display menu.

1. First use the Auto Adjust setting.
2. Under Image Settings, adjust the Phase and Pixel Clock controls.
3. Under Color Settings, try selecting Normal Preset first. Then Blue Preset and Red Preset. Then change the color to "User Preset" and manually adjust the R/G/B values.
4. Use the Factory Reset setting.

seleoo · Post by **seleoo** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 9:37 am

I see these stripes when I open any folder or program only on coloured items. The imgur images were taken using a mobile.

I've already downloaded, studied the manual (especially common problems, pages 25-26) and tried a lot of configurations using monitor’s On-Screen display menu but with no result. I also did a factory reset. I have also tried with another VGA cable.

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[SOLVED] Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution

Re: Laptop External Monitor - Low resolution