[SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

marfig · 2010-08-04 17:23:56

Hello all,

I'm trying to set X Server display resolution to my monitor native 1366x768. I'm running Arch in a VMWare virtual machine. I have installed xf86-video-vmware drivers.

Here's the contents of my 10-monitor.conf file

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Monitor0"
        DisplaySize     410 230
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Device0"
    Driver        "vmware"              #Choose the driver used for this monitor
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"             #Collapse Monitor and Device section to Screen section
    Device        "Device0"
    Monitor       "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth  24                    #Choose the depth (16||24)
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth     24
        Modes     "1366x768" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"     #Choose the resolution
    EndSubSection
EndSection

And here's the log file where the resolutions get rejected:

2831.766] (II) vmwlegacy(0): Not using mode "1366x768" (no mode of this name)
2831.766] (II) vmwlegacy(0): Not using mode "1024x768" (no mode of this name)

Is this a consequence of the vmlegacy drivers? This is up high in the log file, where the legacy drivers eventually get loaded:

[  2829.987] (II) LoadModule: "vmware"
[  2829.988] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so
[  2829.988] (II) Module vmware: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[  2829.988]    compiled for 1.8.0, module version = 11.0.1
[  2829.988]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[  2829.988]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[  2829.988] (II) LoadModule: "vmwgfx"
[  2829.988] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module vmwgfx
[  2829.988] (II) UnloadModule: "vmwgfx"
[  2829.988] (EE) Failed to load module "vmwgfx" (module does not exist, 0)
[  2829.996] (EE) vmware: Please ignore the above warnings about not being able to to load module/driver vmwgfx
[  2829.998] (II) vmware: Using vmwlegacy driver everything is fine.
[  2829.998] (II) LoadModule: "vmwlegacy"
[  2829.998] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmwlegacy_drv.so
[  2829.998] (II) Module vmwlegacy: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[  2829.998]    compiled for 1.8.0, module version = 11.0.1
[  2829.998]    Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[  2829.998]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[  2829.998] (II) vmwlegacy: driver for VMware SVGA: vmware0405, vmware0710
[  2829.999] (--) using VT number 7

[  2830.043] (II) Primary Device is: PCI 00@00:0f:0
[  2830.043] (--) vmwlegacy(0): VMware SVGA regs at (0x10d0, 0x10d1)
[  2830.043] (II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
[  2830.043] (II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
[  2830.044] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so
[  2830.044] (II) Module vgahw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[  2830.044]    compiled for 1.8.1.902, module version = 0.1.0
[  2830.044]    ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[  2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): caps:  0x001FC3E2
[  2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): depth: 24
[  2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): bpp:   32
[  2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): vram:  18022400

Am I stuck to 800x600 in X Server when running Arch as a VMWare guest, or can I improve my situation?

EDIT: I have open-vm-tools installed and started through /etc/vmware-tools/poweron-vm-default.

Last edited by marfig (2010-08-05 02:40:23)

nTia89 · 2010-08-04 19:11:12

have you already watch in VMWare options ?

marfig · 2010-08-04 19:34:53

I have the VM's Display Settings set to "use the host setting for monitors". The host (Windows 7) recognizes this monitor native resolution of 1366x768.

nTia89 · 2010-08-04 20:59:22

tried to run ''lxrandr'' utils to change resolution ?

marfig · 2010-08-04 21:41:25

Should I? I don't see how xrandr can help.
I've manually set DisplaySize in 10-monitor.conf -- as you can see above -- and the log file clearly stated the display driver doesn't support anything above 800x600.

Last edited by marfig (2010-08-04 21:43:26)

marfig · 2010-08-05 00:51:52

I've been more successful with the vesa drivers. Many modes are recognized although it now insists in displaying my screen in 1280x720. I can't change it to 1366x768 in 10-monitor.conf despite Xorg.0.log saying it is available.

I just can't understand what I'm doing wrong.

marfig · 2010-08-05 02:31:19

Ok. Finally it's working. This is why I love Arch. It forces me to learn.

The solution:

Step 1.
I followed the instructions in X.Org Wiki about obtaining modelines. Sadly, the log file didn't produce anything (probably because I was using the vesa vbe driver). But I followed the next option and got the modeline from Windows tool, Powerstrip.

"1366x768" 85.476 1366 1436 1579 1792 768 771 774 798 -hsync +vsync

Step 2.
Went to the web and fetched all the technical information about this monitor (a Acer X193HQ, that I use as my third monitor). I wanted hsync and vsync ranges, and display size in mm.

Step 3.
Edited my configuration file (/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf) making sure to comment out the last part of the modeline, since I was going to manually add the hsync and vsync ranges.

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier          "Monitor0"
    DisplaySize         410 230
    HorizSync           30-80
    VertRefresh         55-60
    ModelName           "X193HQ"
    Option              "DPMS"
    VendorName          "Acer"
    ModeLine            "1366x768" 85.476 1366 1436 1579 1792 768 771 774 798 # -hsync +vsync
EndSection

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

Section "Screen"
    Identifier          "Screen0"
    Device              "Device0"
    Monitor             "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth        16
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth           16
        Modes           "1366x768"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Step 4.
Success! X is started in 1366x768 with the vesa drivers with a 60Hz refresh rate.

Final thoughts
- With the vmware display drivers (xf86-driver-vmware) I don't get ideal results. For some reason it starts in 1368x768 (yes, 1368!). However xrandr reveals it supports 1366x768, and once I xrandr --size into it, all is fine. Dunno why this happens.

- It only works in 16 bit depth. 24 or 32 corrupt the screen. I don't know exactly why either. But for the use I plan to give the X server, 16 bit is fine.

Last edited by marfig (2010-08-06 00:02:24)

Arch Linux

#1 2010-08-04 17:23:56

[SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#2 2010-08-04 19:11:12

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#3 2010-08-04 19:34:53

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#4 2010-08-04 20:59:22

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#5 2010-08-04 21:41:25

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#6 2010-08-05 00:51:52

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

#7 2010-08-05 02:31:19

Re: [SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

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