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View Full Version : [ubuntu] GUI won't use full screen



CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 09:44 PM
i've installed 8.04 on both my laptop and my desktop. the desktop installation is a-0k, but the laptop installation fails to make full use of the screen. I can see the GUI, but there is a 3cm border of unused screen surrounding it.

I've looked into Systems-> preferences -> screen resolution, and have selected the largest size offered (800x600), but i still have this large border and a very small GUI to look at.

The laptop is a toshiba Satellite. Were I on a desktop, I would just use the monitor config tools built into the monitor to stretch the image out. But I'm not sure how to dot that on this laptop.

Casey

matt79
July 11th, 2008, 09:48 PM
You might have to update your vidoe card to see more options for screen size.

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 09:52 PM
thanks!

do you mean to say that I might have to get a new hardware videocard for mylaptop?!?! :confused:

matt79
July 11th, 2008, 10:16 PM
No, you have to find the software that tell the computer how to make full use of your installed video card. (I am assuming that is the problem). You might want to make sure your laptop is up to date. Sometimes it will correct the vidoe card.

Pumalite
July 11th, 2008, 10:17 PM
Memory? Graphics?

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 10:27 PM
how might i do that?

clw3388
July 11th, 2008, 10:33 PM
May not be a driver issue..
you can open a terminal and run sudo gedit /etc/apt/X11/xorg.conf
there should be a setting in there for your video card with supported resolutions, if i remember right it is called Section "Screen"
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"

Just add what you want in quotes and save the file then reboot...

Did i mention to backup your xorg.conf first? ya never know...

Pumalite
July 11th, 2008, 10:35 PM
Post:
sudo lshw

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 10:52 PM
returns:

grep-wock
description: Notebook
product: Satellite 1400
vendor: TOSHIBA
version: PS140A-039HGP
serial: 72111459P
width: 32 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3
configuration: administrator_password=disabled boot=normal chassis=notebook frontpanel_password=disabled keyboard_password=disabled power-on_password=enabled uuid=7AFE6B00-9B93-11D6-8010-B31072111459
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: Portable PC
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: Version A0
serial: $$T027A0BC
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: Version 1.30 (07/02/2002)
size: 128KiB
capacity: 448KiB
capabilities: isa pci pcmcia pnp apm upgrade shadowing vesa cdboot bootselect pcmciaboot edd int13floppytoshiba int13floppy720 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer acpi usb agp biosbootspecification netboot
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: Intel(R) Celeron(TM) CPU 1333MHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 4
bus info: cpu@0
version: 6.11.1
slot: uFC-PGA Socket
size: 1333MHz
capacity: 1333MHz
width: 32 bits
clock: 133MHz
capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse up
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 12
slot: CPU Internal
size: 32KiB
capacity: 32KiB
clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
capabilities: internal write-back
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 13
slot: CPU Internal
size: 256KiB
capacity: 256KiB
clock: 1GHz (1.0ns)
capabilities: internal write-back
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: 81
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 512MiB
capacity: 1GiB
*-bank:0
description: SODIMM SDRAM Synchronous
physical id: 0
slot: DIMM 0
size: 256MiB
width: 64 bits
*-bank:1
description: SODIMM SDRAM Synchronous
physical id: 1
slot: DIMM 1
size: 256MiB
width: 64 bits
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: M1644/M1644T Northbridge+Trident
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 01
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=agpgart-ali module=ali_agp
*-pci
description: PCI bridge
product: PCI to AGP Controller
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master
*-display UNCLAIMED
description: VGA compatible controller
product: CyberBlade XPAi1
vendor: Trident Microsystems
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: 82
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: agp agp-2.0 pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=8
*-usb
description: USB Controller
product: USB 1.1 Controller
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 03
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=64 maxlatency=80 module=ohci_hcd
*-ide
description: IDE interface
product: M5229 IDE
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 4
bus info: pci@0000:00:04.0
version: c3
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ALI15x3_IDE latency=64 maxlatency=4 mingnt=2 module=alim15x3
*-ide:0
description: IDE Channel 0
physical id: 0
bus info: ide@0
logical name: ide0
clock: 33MHz
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: IC25N020ATCS04-0
vendor: Hitachi
physical id: 0
bus info: ide@0.0
logical name: /dev/hda
version: CA2OA71A
serial: CSH206D9H4RLKB
size: 18GiB (20GB)
capacity: 18GiB (20GB)
capabilities: ata dma lba iordy smart security pm apm partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: apm=off mode=udma2 signature=3b7b3b7a smart=on
*-volume:0
description: EXT3 volume
vendor: Linux
physical id: 1
bus info: ide@0.0,1
logical name: /dev/hda1
logical name: /
logical name: /dev/.static/dev
version: 1.0
serial: 641e6d22-f99e-4647-9d14-e3588ae703ab
size: 17GiB
capacity: 17GiB
capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files recover ext3 ext2 initialized
configuration: created=2008-07-11 22:02:39 filesystem=ext3 modified=2008-07-11 22:46:14 mount.fstype=ext3 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,data=ordered mounted=2008-07-11 22:46:14 state=mounted
*-volume:1
description: Extended partition
physical id: 2
bus info: ide@0.0,2
logical name: /dev/hda2
size: 839MiB
capacity: 839MiB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
*-logicalvolume
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/hda5
capacity: 839MiB
capabilities: nofs
*-ide:1
description: IDE Channel 1
physical id: 1
bus info: ide@1
logical name: ide1
clock: 33MHz
*-cdrom
description: DVD reader
product: HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8081N
physical id: 0
bus info: ide@1.0
logical name: /dev/hdc
version: 0010
capabilities: packet atapi cdrom removable nonmagnetic dma lba iordy audio dvd
configuration: mode=udma2 status=nodisc
*-multimedia
description: Multimedia audio controller
product: M5451 PCI AC-Link Controller Audio Device
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 6
bus info: pci@0000:00:06.0
version: 01
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ALI 5451 latency=64 maxlatency=24 mingnt=2 module=snd_ali5451
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: M1533/M1535 PCI to ISA Bridge [Aladdin IV/V/V+]
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 7
bus info: pci@0000:00:07.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa pm bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
*-bridge
description: Bridge
product: M7101 Power Management Controller [PMU]
vendor: ALi Corporation
physical id: 8
bus info: pci@0000:00:08.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bridge
configuration: driver=ali1535_smbus latency=0 module=i2c_ali1535
*-pcmcia:0
description: CardBus bridge
product: ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support
vendor: Toshiba America Info Systems
physical id: 11
bus info: pci@0000:00:11.0
version: 32
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pcmcia bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=yenta_cardbus latency=0 maxlatency=5 mingnt=128 module=yenta_socket
*-pcmcia:1
description: CardBus bridge
product: ToPIC100 PCI to Cardbus Bridge with ZV Support
vendor: Toshiba America Info Systems
physical id: 11.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:11.1
version: 32
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pcmcia bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=yenta_cardbus latency=0 maxlatency=5 mingnt=128 module=yenta_socket
*-battery
description: Lithium Ion Battery
product: CG916A
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 1
version: 07/28/02
serial: 0900002224
slot: 1st Battery
configuration: voltage=10.8V
*-network
description: Wireless interface
physical id: 2
logical name: wlan0
serial: 00:1b:2f:37:d9:6f
capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes ip=10.0.0.3 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11g

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 10:57 PM
and sudo gedit /etc/apt/X11/xorg.conf returns a seemingly blank file in gedit

Pumalite
July 11th, 2008, 11:00 PM
The kernel is not recognizing your display:

*-display UNCLAIMED
description: VGA compatible controller
product: CyberBlade XPAi1
vendor: Trident Microsystems
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
version: 82
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: agp agp-2.0 pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=8
You might need to add different vga to your boot line:
vga=788 vga=789 vga=791

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 11:06 PM
how do i add that to my boot line?

Pumalite
July 11th, 2008, 11:08 PM
http://grumpymole.blogspot.com/2007/05/ubuntu-how-to-edit-grub-boot-parameters.html

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 11th, 2008, 11:52 PM
vga=788 and vga=789 made no difference but vga=791 resulted in many screens worth of output which actually made full use of the monitor before giving me options such as 'recovery mode resume noraml boot'. Afterwhich, I am back to a smaller GUI than my screen is capable of.

Pumalite
July 12th, 2008, 12:01 AM
Try this:
vga=0x317

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 12th, 2008, 12:11 AM
0x317 also generates the recovery menu as did 791. is the first letter to the left of 3 in the above case a zero or an upper case O? I used a zero. Will try the uppercase O now.

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 12th, 2008, 12:29 AM
still no joys :-(

upchucky
July 12th, 2008, 02:38 AM
i read something about Trident microsystems in the past few days, some special way of setting them up, be danged if i can remember where though, but i was googling vid cards when i found it.

there is a setting for a generic lcd display.

I have a question, did the live boot cd display properly before you installed? if yes , then use it to try to see the settings it used as they scroll by when booting from live cd.

Pumalite
July 12th, 2008, 02:39 AM
Investigate these links:
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/10-boot-time-parameters-you-should-know-about-the-linux-kernel.html
http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

CaseyCaseyCasey
July 12th, 2008, 11:19 PM
Thanks everyone, esp. Pumalite and upchucky!

I googled 'setting for a generic lcd display trident' and selecting the first listing (http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-763964.html) I was able to resize my screen to the correct resolution!

Yaaaaaaaaaay SOLVED! :-)
:popcorn: