The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resolution for Intel Chipsets

ramjet_1953

The Painless Way to Set-Up Widescreen Laptops
that have the Intel® 845-945 Graphics Chipets,
Using 915resolution.

A major complaint from many Ubuntu “virgins” is that they have a great deal of difficulty in changing both the screen resolution and colour depth of their widescreen laptops.

My own experience was one of frustration and despair, which took several days to resolve, even with the excellent and willing help of several people on the forums.

Unfortunately, some of the advice was not as accurate as it could have been and on two occasions, after fiddling with the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, my system was broken to the extent that I had to use software in my Windows partition to recover the backed-up file, as I couldn't even get in to recover it from a console.

As is often the case, the solution was so simple, that I was gob smacked, when I finally worked it out!

Here is what you need to do:

1.Enable the extra repositories in Synaptic.
2.Using Synaptic, download 915resolution
3.In a console, type in sudo 915resolution -l
4.You should get something like this:

roger@roger-laptop:~$ sudo 915resolution -l
Password:
Intel 800/900 Series VBIOS Hack : version 0.5.2

Chipset: 915GM
BIOS: TYPE 1
Mode Table Offset: $C0000 + $269
Mode Table Entries: 36

Mode 30 : 640x480, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 32 : 800x600, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 34 : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 38 : 1280x1024, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 3a : 1600x1200, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 3c : 1920x1440, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 41 : 1280x800, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 43 : 800x600, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 45 : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 49 : 1280x1024, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 4b : 1600x1200, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 4d : 1920x1440, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 50 : 1280x800, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 52 : 800x600, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 54 : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 58 : 1280x1024, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 5a : 1600x1200, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 5c : 1920x1440, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 60 : 512x771, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 61 : 512x771, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 62 : 512x771, 32 bits/pixel
roger@roger-laptop:~$

The ideal resolution and colour depth for my Acer TravelMate 4101 laptop is 1280X800 with a colour depth of 32 bits.

As you can see from the above, it is already listed as Mode 50. However in my case, if that mode is chosen in 915resolution, the system breaks badly. I'm not sure if this is universal, or not.

5.What you need to do is choose a mode which is further up the list and a resolution/depth that you'll never use (Mode 30 is ideal)
6.Type in a terminal the resolution and colour depth that you want. In my case I wanted 1280X800 at 32 bits/pixel. So I typed:
7. sudo 915resolution 30 1280 800 32
8.The program comes back with confirmation that the new resolution has been patched to Mode 30, in this case.
9.Now all you have to do is to modify your /etc/default/915resolution file to correspond to the above patch.
10.In a terminal type: sudo gedit /etc/default/915resolution. You should get a screen like the one below:
#
# 915resolution default
#
# find free modes by /usr/sbin/915resolution -l
# and set it to MODE or set to 'MODE=auto'
#
# With 'auto' detection, the panel-size will be fetched from the VBE
# BIOS if possible and the highest-numbered mode in each bit-depth
# will be overwritten with the detected panel-size.
MODE=AUTO
#
# and set resolutions for the mode.
# e.g. use XRESO=1024 and YRESO=768
XRESO=
YRESO=
#
# We can also set the pixel mode.
# e.g. use BIT=32
# Please note that this is optional,
# you can also leave this value blank.
BIT=

11.Now simply edit this file by changing MODE to the MODE that you selected. In this case it was MODE 30
12.Set XRESO=1280 (Or the Horizontal resolution that you selected)
13.Set YRESO=800 (Again set to whatever you selected earlier)
14.Set BIT=32 (Again to the colour depth you chose previously.)
15.Save the file and re-start.
16.The system should boot-up in the new mode and it should also appear as an option in the System>Preferences>Screen Resolution menu.

Enjoy!

i_dan · 10:15 AM

Thanks for a great post!

As a quick update, I installed 915resolution via
"sudo apt-get install 915resolution"
and it ran straight away, replacing some of the modes.
Then I killed X "<CTL><ALT><BKSP>".
When gdm started, it was in 1280x800 (much clearer) but the desktop
was still at 1024x768 (blury).
I then went to "system->preferences->screen resolution"
and now 1280x800 was an option. Chose it and all was well.

Just might be worth trying this first since it's abit cleaner.

Laptop: Amilo Pro v3205
intel 945GM chipset

emarkay

"This includes the 845G, 855G, and 865G chipsets, as well as 915G, 915GM, and 945G chipsets."

FYI, It apparently does not support the older I810 versions, like the I82810E DC-133 CGC.

dorcssa

Does it configure the frequency? A friend of my have this kind of laptop, and have this resolution problem (it will solved with this 915 resolution I hope), and there's only 60 Hz for frequency, no other options.

forrestgump

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=2113867

worked a charm for me

fi_

Thank-you so much for this thread!

My first ubuntu (and first linux) installation was only a couple of days ago and I've been using the book 'Beginning Ubuntu Linux' by Keir Thomas. Although otherwise very good, it encourages running the x.org config program without first suggesting a backup and as I tried rerunning the util and then editing the file itself my errors increased until I gave up & reinstalled ubuntu again to restart with a clean slate.

Using I_Dan's suggestion of "sudo apt-get install 915resolution" seemed a less daunting first option and did the trick right away on my machine. The (restarted) laptop resolution had automatically corrected to 1280x800. My only refresh option was 60 but I'm unsure the inbuilt screen can use any higher. (PB's website has no info on this).

Laptop: Packard Bell EASYNOTE GN45-032
Video Component: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (Chipset GMA950)

treesurf

Thanks for the heads up on 915resolution. I installed it on my new Gateway laptop using aptitude, and it ran automatically. I restarted and my resolution was set correctly for me. Sweet!

Intel 950, by the way.

j0sh0

Hi,
I've using a HiGrade MB02 notebook with 855gm graphics. When using 915resolution, it wont change the bpp when I select a different mode. For example, I've typed in "sudo 915resolution 3a 1024 768 32". As you can see from "915resolution -l", it changes the selected mode's resolution but not the bpp.

Intel 800/900 Series VBIOS Hack : version 0.5.2

Chipset: 855GM
BIOS: TYPE 2
Mode Table Offset: $C0000 + $3c3
Mode Table Entries: 21

Mode 30 : 640x480, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 32 : 800x600, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 34 : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 36 : 1024x600, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 38 : 1280x1024, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 3a : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 3c : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel
Mode 41 : 640x480, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 43 : 800x600, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 45 : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 47 : 1024x600, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 49 : 1280x1024, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 4b : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 4d : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel
Mode 50 : 640x480, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 52 : 800x600, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 54 : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 56 : 1024x600, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 58 : 1280x1024, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 5a : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel
Mode 5c : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel

Even editing /etc/default/915resolution makes no difference!

Please can someone help me, this resolution problem is the only thing keeping me from being completely satisfied with ubuntu!

Cheers,

j0sh0

ramjet_1953

Try re-mapping it to mode 30.

Regards

Roger

wat3r

This worked really well for me! Thank you so much for this howto

February 2nd, 2007	#1
ramjet_1953 May the Ubuntu Be With You! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Thailand Beans: 1,633 Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala	The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resolution for Intel Chipsets The Painless Way to Set-Up Widescreen Laptops that have the Intel® 845-945 Graphics Chipets, Using 915resolution. A major complaint from many Ubuntu “virgins” is that they have a great deal of difficulty in changing both the screen resolution and colour depth of their widescreen laptops. My own experience was one of frustration and despair, which took several days to resolve, even with the excellent and willing help of several people on the forums. Unfortunately, some of the advice was not as accurate as it could have been and on two occasions, after fiddling with the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, my system was broken to the extent that I had to use software in my Windows partition to recover the backed-up file, as I couldn't even get in to recover it from a console. As is often the case, the solution was so simple, that I was gob smacked, when I finally worked it out! Here is what you need to do: 1.Enable the extra repositories in Synaptic. 2.Using Synaptic, download 915resolution 3.In a console, type in sudo 915resolution -l 4.You should get something like this: roger@roger-laptop:~$ sudo 915resolution -l Password: Intel 800/900 Series VBIOS Hack : version 0.5.2 Chipset: 915GM BIOS: TYPE 1 Mode Table Offset: $C0000 + $269 Mode Table Entries: 36 Mode 30 : 640x480, 8 bits/pixel Mode 32 : 800x600, 8 bits/pixel Mode 34 : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel Mode 38 : 1280x1024, 8 bits/pixel Mode 3a : 1600x1200, 8 bits/pixel Mode 3c : 1920x1440, 8 bits/pixel Mode 41 : 1280x800, 16 bits/pixel Mode 43 : 800x600, 16 bits/pixel Mode 45 : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel Mode 49 : 1280x1024, 16 bits/pixel Mode 4b : 1600x1200, 16 bits/pixel Mode 4d : 1920x1440, 16 bits/pixel Mode 50 : 1280x800, 32 bits/pixel Mode 52 : 800x600, 32 bits/pixel Mode 54 : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel Mode 58 : 1280x1024, 32 bits/pixel Mode 5a : 1600x1200, 32 bits/pixel Mode 5c : 1920x1440, 32 bits/pixel Mode 60 : 512x771, 8 bits/pixel Mode 61 : 512x771, 16 bits/pixel Mode 62 : 512x771, 32 bits/pixel roger@roger-laptop:~$ The ideal resolution and colour depth for my Acer TravelMate 4101 laptop is 1280X800 with a colour depth of 32 bits. As you can see from the above, it is already listed as Mode 50. However in my case, if that mode is chosen in 915resolution, the system breaks badly. I'm not sure if this is universal, or not. 5.What you need to do is choose a mode which is further up the list and a resolution/depth that you'll never use (Mode 30 is ideal) 6.Type in a terminal the resolution and colour depth that you want. In my case I wanted 1280X800 at 32 bits/pixel. So I typed: 7. sudo 915resolution 30 1280 800 32 8.The program comes back with confirmation that the new resolution has been patched to Mode 30, in this case. 9.Now all you have to do is to modify your /etc/default/915resolution file to correspond to the above patch. 10.In a terminal type: sudo gedit /etc/default/915resolution. You should get a screen like the one below: # # 915resolution default # # find free modes by /usr/sbin/915resolution -l # and set it to MODE or set to 'MODE=auto' # # With 'auto' detection, the panel-size will be fetched from the VBE # BIOS if possible and the highest-numbered mode in each bit-depth # will be overwritten with the detected panel-size. MODE=AUTO # # and set resolutions for the mode. # e.g. use XRESO=1024 and YRESO=768 XRESO= YRESO= # # We can also set the pixel mode. # e.g. use BIT=32 # Please note that this is optional, # you can also leave this value blank. BIT= 11.Now simply edit this file by changing MODE to the MODE that you selected. In this case it was MODE 30 12.Set XRESO=1280 (Or the Horizontal resolution that you selected) 13.Set YRESO=800 (Again set to whatever you selected earlier) 14.Set BIT=32 (Again to the colour depth you chose previously.) 15.Save the file and re-start. 16.The system should boot-up in the new mode and it should also appear as an option in the System>Preferences>Screen Resolution menu. Enjoy! __________________ There are only two things in life that are mandatory. Birth and Death. Everything else is optional. Ubuntu User #10495

February 6th, 2007	#2
i_dan First Cup of Ubuntu Join Date: Apr 2006 My beans are hidden!	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Thanks for a great post! As a quick update, I installed 915resolution via "sudo apt-get install 915resolution" and it ran straight away, replacing some of the modes. Then I killed X "<CTL><ALT><BKSP>". When gdm started, it was in 1280x800 (much clearer) but the desktop was still at 1024x768 (blury). I then went to "system->preferences->screen resolution" and now 1280x800 was an option. Chose it and all was well. Just might be worth trying this first since it's abit cleaner. Laptop: Amilo Pro v3205 intel 945GM chipset Last edited by i_dan; February 6th, 2007 at 10:15 AM.. Reason: spelling

February 6th, 2007	#3
emarkay Grande Half-n-Half Cinnamon Ubuntu Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Indiana, USA Beans: 959 Ubuntu Development Release	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets "This includes the 845G, 855G, and 865G chipsets, as well as 915G, 915GM, and 945G chipsets." FYI, It apparently does not support the older I810 versions, like the I82810E DC-133 CGC.

February 6th, 2007	#4
dorcssa Gee! These Aren't Roasted! Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Hungary, Bp Beans: 150 Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Does it configure the frequency? A friend of my have this kind of laptop, and have this resolution problem (it will solved with this 915 resolution I hope), and there's only 60 Hz for frequency, no other options. __________________ One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them; One ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.

February 8th, 2007	#5
forrestgump 5 Cups of Ubuntu Join Date: Feb 2007 Beans: 17	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=2113867 worked a charm for me

February 11th, 2007	#6
fi_ 5 Cups of Ubuntu Join Date: Feb 2007 Beans: 19 Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Thank-you so much for this thread! My first ubuntu (and first linux) installation was only a couple of days ago and I've been using the book 'Beginning Ubuntu Linux' by Keir Thomas. Although otherwise very good, it encourages running the x.org config program without first suggesting a backup and as I tried rerunning the util and then editing the file itself my errors increased until I gave up & reinstalled ubuntu again to restart with a clean slate. Using I_Dan's suggestion of "sudo apt-get install 915resolution" seemed a less daunting first option and did the trick right away on my machine. The (restarted) laptop resolution had automatically corrected to 1280x800. My only refresh option was 60 but I'm unsure the inbuilt screen can use any higher. (PB's website has no info on this). Laptop: Packard Bell EASYNOTE GN45-032 Video Component: Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (Chipset GMA950)

February 21st, 2007	#7
treesurf Way Too Much Ubuntu Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hong Kong Beans: 236 Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Thanks for the heads up on 915resolution. I installed it on my new Gateway laptop using aptitude, and it ran automatically. I restarted and my resolution was set correctly for me. Sweet! Intel 950, by the way.

February 21st, 2007	#8
j0sh0 5 Cups of Ubuntu Join Date: Jan 2007 My beans are hidden!	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Hi, I've using a HiGrade MB02 notebook with 855gm graphics. When using 915resolution, it wont change the bpp when I select a different mode. For example, I've typed in "sudo 915resolution 3a 1024 768 32". As you can see from "915resolution -l", it changes the selected mode's resolution but not the bpp. Intel 800/900 Series VBIOS Hack : version 0.5.2 Chipset: 855GM BIOS: TYPE 2 Mode Table Offset: $C0000 + $3c3 Mode Table Entries: 21 Mode 30 : 640x480, 8 bits/pixel Mode 32 : 800x600, 8 bits/pixel Mode 34 : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel Mode 36 : 1024x600, 8 bits/pixel Mode 38 : 1280x1024, 8 bits/pixel Mode 3a : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel Mode 3c : 1024x768, 8 bits/pixel Mode 41 : 640x480, 16 bits/pixel Mode 43 : 800x600, 16 bits/pixel Mode 45 : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel Mode 47 : 1024x600, 16 bits/pixel Mode 49 : 1280x1024, 16 bits/pixel Mode 4b : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel Mode 4d : 1024x768, 16 bits/pixel Mode 50 : 640x480, 32 bits/pixel Mode 52 : 800x600, 32 bits/pixel Mode 54 : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel Mode 56 : 1024x600, 32 bits/pixel Mode 58 : 1280x1024, 32 bits/pixel Mode 5a : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel Mode 5c : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel Even editing /etc/default/915resolution makes no difference! Please can someone help me, this resolution problem is the only thing keeping me from being completely satisfied with ubuntu! Cheers, j0sh0

February 22nd, 2007	#9
ramjet_1953 May the Ubuntu Be With You! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Thailand Beans: 1,633 Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resoultion for Intel Chipsets Try re-mapping it to mode 30. Regards Roger __________________ There are only two things in life that are mandatory. Birth and Death. Everything else is optional. Ubuntu User #10495

February 22nd, 2007	#10
wat3r Just Give Me the Beans! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Finnsnes, Norway Beans: 66 Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron	Re: The PAINLESS way to set Screen Resolution for Intel Chipsets This worked really well for me! Thank you so much for this howto

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