Screen resolution limited after use of external monitor

[fspade]

When I first attached an external monitor to my HP 550 (running ubuntu 9.4 with all updates applied), turned it on in the screen settings and told it to apply the settings, I got the message "Method invoked for ApplyConfiguration returned FALSE but did not set error".

When I changed the resolution of the external monitor to 800x600 I got the message "Monitor Resolution Settings has detected that the virtual resolution must be set in your configuration file in order to apply your settings.

I said okay and then told it to mirror the screen, which resulted in the same message as above.

$lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile GME965/GLE960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 0c)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GME965/GLE960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0c)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GME965/GLE960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0c)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82562GT 10/100 Network Connection (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
10:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g (rev 01)

$cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 2384 768
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

$sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

$cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
...
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

# I installed envy, but it doesn't show a recommended or compatible driver.

# When I logoff and logon again, the external monitor is activated, and external and desktop have the same resolution. When I turn mirroring of, I no longer can choose the optimal resolution for my desktop.

# In the top left corner of my screen I have permanently the icon "Laptop 15" displayed, even though the screen settings utility is closed.

# Is there a permanent solution for these issues? Please advise.

[fspade]

May I kindly ask, if my problem doesn't have a known solution or if my question is so dump that it doesn't deserve an answer?

[fspade]

Some problems get solved just by waiting.

Today's updates seem to have fixed the problem.

Thanks for your attention ...