Damon L. Chesser wrote:
Ron,
one of the few times I have to disagree with you: Yes this is 2008
and we are running Debian, however, Xorg -configure will still work.
"-configure
When this option is specified, the Xorg server loads
all video driver modules, probes for available hardware, and
writes out an initial xorg.conf(5) file based on what
was detected. This option currently has some problems on
some platforms, but in most cases it is a good way
to bootstrap the configuration process. This option is only
available when the server is run as root (i.e, with
real-uid 0)."
IIRC it will drop a test config into the PWD you then can test out
with startx -config /path/to/file/just/written to test (though I am
not sure about the startx option, it might be something all together
different). I have had to do this a few times to get X configured,
all though not in about two years.
FWIW, I no longer get asked about the monitor selection after the
first time I run dpkg-reconfigure xorg.conf either.
Run Xorg -configure to probe your hardware, then run X -config
/root/xorg.conf.new to test it. How ever, this also does not give you a
monitor selection field, it only probes your hardware and inserts
reasonable defaults. So as a test, I moved xorg.conf out of the way and
started X (with out an xorg.conf at all). For some reason X did not
start (complained about not being able to open the frame buffer device,
which I am running). Sometimes this worked in the past, sometime it did
not. I suspect that if I was not running a FB, it would have started
with out a xorg.conf.
I then ran dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (with no xorg.conf in place)
and no questions about my monitor were asked. I then started X. It
would not start due to not being able to find glx (I assume
dpkg-reconfigure "saw" I had nvidia-kernel-module loaded up, but don't
know why it did not find nvidia-glx). I ran it again, and choose not to
use a fb device. It started X just fine.
Next: I ran X -configure, then moved xorg.conf.new to
/etc/X11/xorg.conf and started gdm. It fired up with out a hickup (all
though it only used one monitor, but that was expected with out hacking
the xorg.conf file).
Conclusion: the OP is correct, for what ever reason, you get asked once
about monitor selection if you run dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (even
with -plow). I don't know if this is a bug or a design issue. Also for
what ever reason, if you get rid of my hand made xorg.conf,
dpkg-reconfigure is unable to make a working xorg.conf for me (using fb)
(YMMV) but X -configure makes one that will at least fire up (even
though it still needs to be hacked to give my my two monitors, and that
is almost understandable) and is very usable. I looked at the config
file made with both methods: X -configure has monitor freqs in it:
Section "Monitor"
#DisplaySize 410 260 # mm
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "DEL"
ModelName "DELL SE198WFP"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertRefresh values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
I can conclude that if you comment out the freqs, that xorg will probe
the monitor for the correct values (just like it says). From the
dpkg-reconfigure I have no info at all about the monitor or the freqs.
I can conclude that it is using DDC on the fly to get the correct
freqs. We can also conclude that you don't need to be asked for the
frequency any more based on the comment from the X -configure config file.
While it is true that X -configure is NOT a debian tool, it is a X tool
that comes with the package and in at least my case, works.
I am looking forward to the time when I don't have to use saved back up
of my xorg.conf file to get my two monitors working and xorg "just" gets
it right. Even with that "annoyance" it still beats the hell out of my
first time with Debian and testing (Woody) and the month it took to get
X working.
OP, you never said of your new monitor works or not? Do you get X
running on it? Is it configured to use the resolution you want? If you
check your xorg.conf does it contain the correct information? As I have
tested above, the fact that dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg does not ask
for the monitor parameters does not matter as xorg will probe your
monitor and use DDC to pull the correct settings. The only question
after that is are you using a FB device (if I choose yes, it will not
work, YMMV), what kind of mouse do you have, and what resolution do you
want to run. To fix the resolution, just edit xorg.conf (if you don't
have the correct resolution you desire).
HTH.
--
Damon L. Chesser
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.linkedin.com/in/dchesser
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