Monitor with Useless Resolution

[BrightSky]

I have this week started a determined effort to use Linux. It has taken me a little while to download and create a boot CD (after not using NERO). I now have it installed but with only 800 by 600 screen resolution which as far as I am concerned is a waste of time. I have struggled for about 4 hours now trying to found how to get a driver for my screen following a number of help routes. I can't solve it without help and at the moment this is as far as my linux experience will go

I have a flat screen which is best 1280 by 1060 60hz. The graphics card is an ATI 3D rage LT Pro which I believe conforms to the 9200 series. I can find a driver on the ATI site but where do I download it to. There appears to be an install screen for available drivers! The detect monitor option doesn't work. Some of the help files talk about modifying a file called xorg.conf whilst in other places it is advised to throw it away with verion 10.04. At the moment, Bill Gates doesn't seem all bad. Can someone help me.

[TeoBigusGeekus]

Can you enable desktop effects?
Right click on Desktop, select Change Background and go to Visual Effects.
Select Extra and Ubuntu will try to find the best available driver for your system.

[Morten ML]

Pretty newbie myself but ill give it a shot:

First make sure the graphics card is what you say:

lspci

in concole/terminal

and see what it says about your graphics card.

Secondly - i am not sure it is a good idea to use a "third party" driver - i think some driver from ubuntu repo should be able to make this work. but as said I am a newbie myself.

And welcome to ubuntu

EDIT: First do what TeoBigusGeekus says

[BrightSky]

Thanks but I've already done that on gone through the next stages on that help route

[BrightSky]

I have tried your recommendation. After a while with the screen greyed I receive the reply, Desktop effects could not be enabled.

[halitech]

the ATI 3D rage LT Pro does not conform to the Radeon 9200 series. It has long been in the Legacy category and there are no drivers other then what Ubuntu has by default. You could try creating an xorg.conf file and editing it by hand to see if it helps.

sudo touch /etc/X11/xorg.conf

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

paste this info in

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Option "DPMS" "true"
HorizSync 30.0-60.0
VertRefresh 50.0-70.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600"
EndSubSection

EndSection

reboot and hopefully you will have 1024x768

[BrightSky]

Yes, that does work. A number of other lower resolutions have also appeared. Under Windows XP I run @ 1280 x 1060. What do I have to change to get that option. Thanks so far and also in anticipation.

[halitech]

in the line where it says "1024x768" "800x600" add the resolutions you want to be able to use. Make sure you put "" around them or they won't work.

[cascade9]

the ATI 3D rage LT Pro does not conform to the Radeon 9200 series. It has long been in the Legacy category and there are no drivers other then what Ubuntu has by default.

Yes, its a 1997 card with no hardware T&L (transform and lighting). Pretty old, very 'legacy' these days.

Yes, that does work. A number of other lower resolutions have also appeared. Under Windows XP I run @ 1280 x 1060. What do I have to change to get that option. Thanks so far and also in anticipation.

I think you mean 1280 x 1024. I havent ever seen a monitor that does 1280 x1060.

You should be able to just add the resolution you want in the 'mode' line, like this-

Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600"

[Silent Warrior]

Brings back memories... I think the Rage LT Pro was what was in my first computer - new in '98, now retired. And then I got a Voodoo 2 with 12 Mb VRAM to show that sucker who's boss! I-War and Wing Commander: Prophecy were suddenly that much more fun... But I digress - I need to keep this topic around for reference for adding some resolution to my other computer.