Unknown monitor in Display Preferences

[danno3]

I have a Gateway GT5224 that uses onboard video Intel 950 GMA. When I go to Display Preferences, Monitor is Unknown and only 800x600 or 640x480 appears under Resolution and Refresh rate only shows 60hz (I'm using an old 17" CRT monitor - hey, don't laugh;)).

It appears that only a generic VGA video driver is being used an I'm unable to install the Intel GMA 950 driver - in fact, I can't even find the option to install it. I tried following the Ubuntu Pocket Guide, but when I went into Hardware Drivers, it shows "No proprietary drivers are in use..." and nothing shows. I tried searching online for Intel 950 video drivers for Linux, and didn't find anything.

[danno3]

I have a Gateway GT5224 that uses onboard video Intel 950 GMA. When I go to Display Preferences, Monitor is Unknown and only 800x600 or 640x480 appears under Resolution and Refresh rate only shows 60hz (I'm using an old 17" CRT monitor - hey, don't laugh;)).

It appears that only a generic VGA video driver is being used an I'm unable to install the Intel GMA 950 driver - in fact, I can't even find the option to install it. I tried following the Ubuntu Pocket Guide, but when I went into Hardware Drivers, it shows "No proprietary drivers are in use..." and nothing shows. I tried searching online for Intel 950 video drivers for Linux, and didn't find anything.
In addition to reading the Pocket Guide, I checked with Communitity Docs. I tried to edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf, but it doesn't exist. I also ran lscpi | grep VGA and Ubuntu detects the video as Intel 82945G/GZ IGC (rev 02). Not sure if that confirms what I read online, that the specs for this box is onboard Intel 950 GMA. Not sure what else to try.

[albert s]

no doubt I'll be corrected, but I think you need something like restricted extras, its in one of the package managers I think, if you poke about the desktop you will find it.

[albert s]

system>admin>software sources

[danno3]

In Software Sources, under the Ubuntu tab, all were checked (except for Source code), including Proprietary drivers for devices. I even checked the Ubuntu cd-rom. In the other Software, I checked the non-source options (I believe they were previously enabled).

I also checked Synaptic Package Manager and all the xserver-xorg-video drivers are installed, including the '-intel' (Intel i8xx, i9xx display driver).

[sandyd]

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.confstick this inside, and save it


# 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 "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "intel"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16 #depth of monitor
Modes "1024x768_75.00"
EndSubSection
EndSection


"1024x768 " deals with the resolution, the "75.00 " does the refresh rate

change it to whatever you wish.
and restart

[danno3]

Thanks for the suggestion carlee, but unfortunately that didn't work. I copied/pasted your text into xorg.conf and restarted, but still no choices exist (as before) under Display Preferences.

It appears that Ubuntu is using a minimal VGA driver, so I looked again under Synaptic Package Manager and found that the xserver-xorg-video-vesa is installed which is the 'minimal' video driver. I figured that maybe that was causing the problem, so I removed it. No such luck.

[danno3]

I did some more research and determined that I needed to view /var/log/Xorg.0.log. Xorg.0.log contained endless lines for each resolution and refresh rate combination, all of them showing "intel(0): Not using default mode "<hor>x<vert>" hsync out of range and "...vrefresh out of range". The only modelines recognized were the 800x600_60 and 640x480_60.

I tried using cvt 1024 768 75 and copied/pasted the results as described in https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution, but attempts to use "xrandr --newmode..." always failed with something like "output mode not found", so I gave up on that and edited /etc/X11/xorg.conf and added modelines there (under Section "Monitor", add lines starting with Modeline "1024x768_75".... Now I was able to select 1024x768 and 75 for Refresh Rate under Display Preferences.

Unfortunately, it appears that cvt was improperly calculating scan frequencies, because when I attempt to select that new mode, the display is badly malformed and I know this mode is good because I've successfully used it in WinXP and the display was properly sized via the monitor buttons. Bummer.