How do I fix my resolution for X?

[blackbelt_jones]

I've got a 22 inch LCD inch monitor, and after installing Ubuntu, I have been give the choice of the two smallest resoultions, rending everything on my desktop caroonishly large and crowded. How can I fix this?

[Calipso]

Edit your xorg.conf file and make sure you have decent video drivers installed.

[nikodell]

$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg


did you do this yet?

[happybunny]

using a supported card and driver?

[blackbelt_jones]

http://www.linux.com/feature/118108

Here's a good article on xserver-xorg editing basics.

As I've done so many times before, I've said to hell with it, wiped Ubuntu and installed Debian, but I still appreciate the guidance. Thanks very much.

I have recurring problems with this old computer and its somewhat less old video card. Some distros detect the original onboard card, which doesn't work, and ignore the nvidia card added by the former owner. I solve the problem by installing the proprietary (legacy) nvidia driver, and installing and running nvidia's application for automatically editing xorg.conf. It usually works, but sometimes there are resolution problems. When I look at the xorg.conf, it looks like the original card is listed as the device. I think I need to bring this up sometime soon in the hardware forum.

Incidentally, the distro that works best with this is Vector Linux, which actually manages to detect the card, install the proprietary driver, and compile the kernel module... all automatically. Damned impressive! If only it had the huge amounts of easy-to-grab software the deb-based distros have.