[Solved] New installation of KDE- only 640x480

[katie]

640x480 is all that I am seeing on the screen-- and when I went into <Configure Your Computer>, that was the only option available to me.  My guess is that it is not picking up my onboard video properly.

The older version of KDE, prior to this failed [on my part] upgrade, gave me higher resolution. My monitor is a Dell Model M782p--- according to Dell website the following:

Horizontal scan range
30 - 85 kHz (automatic)

Vertical scan range
50 - 160 Hz (automatic)

Optimal preset resolution
1024 x 768 at 85 Hz

Highest preset resolution
1280 x 1024 at 75 Hz

Highest addressable resolution*
1600 x 1200 at 65 Hz

Your help would be appreciated in getting back my resolution
katie

[Old-Polack]

Have you configured your video card to load the proper driver?

[agmg]

In addition to that, how is your monitor recognized? Maybe you can "force" a higher resolution?

My laptop's monitor is capable of 1366x768 pixels but after installation showed only 1024X768. Then I set it as flat panel 1366x768 (instead of 1024x768) under PCC -> Configure Video Card and after reboot the maximum resolution was achieved.

[menotu]

After making sure the correct video driver is installed, another place to check resolution is in:

Config Your Desktop > Hardware > Display & Monitor > Size & Orientation

Should see something similar to this:

[katie]

Have you configured your video card to load the proper driver?

I went into PCLinuxOS Control Center and it detects my video card as ATI Radion x1950
it tells me my monitor is 1280x1024 @60

But when I went to <Configure Your Desktop it says my monitor is set for VGA 640x480 @59.9

I don't know if my card is actually ATI Radeon as it is onboard-- but that would certainly be more in line with what I was thinking this should be capable of

I guess I don't know how to proceed, so any help would be appreciated
katie

[Old-Polack]

Have you configured your video card to load the proper driver?

I went into PCLinuxOS Control Center and it detects my video card as ATI Radion x1950
it tells me my monitor is 1280x1024 @60

But when I went to <Configure Your Desktop it says my monitor is set for VGA 640x480 @59.9

I don't know if my card is actually ATI Radeon as it is onboard-- but that would certainly be more in line with what I was thinking this should be capable of

I guess I don't know how to proceed, so any help would be appreciated
katie

In PCC, first set the monitor to what is the correct natural display and sync rate. Then setup the proper driver for the video card. Last choose the resolution and color depth. When done, log out and back in, or reboot. You should then have the monitor displaying properly.

[katie]

The machine is dual-booted with XP, so I booted into XP and the Control Panel tells me the onboard video is Radeon 9200 Series--- but that is not one of the options listed under Radeon.  PCC selected Radeon x1950 and earlier-- but that hasn't worked so far.
Any suggestions
katie

[Old-Polack]

The machine is dual-booted with XP, so I booted into XP and the Control Panel tells me the onboard video is Radeon 9200 Series--- but that is not one of the options listed under Radeon.  PCC selected Radeon x1950 and earlier-- but that hasn't worked so far.
Any suggestions
katie

Manually choose one that appears closer in number to the actual card. I don't have any ATI cards, (last one was pre Radeon) so am not familiar with the various drivers first hand. T6 has a better knowledge of ATI cards, their designations, and drivers for each.

[sling-shot]

Have you configured your video card to load the proper driver?

I went into PCLinuxOS Control Center and it detects my video card as ATI Radion x1950
it tells me my monitor is 1280x1024 @60

But when I went to <Configure Your Desktop it says my monitor is set for VGA 640x480 @59.9

I don't know if my card is actually ATI Radeon as it is onboard-- but that would certainly be more in line with what I was thinking this should be capable of

I guess I don't know how to proceed, so any help would be appreciated
katie

From the information you have given in the first post, the correct and best resolution for your monitor is 1024x768 at 85 Hz.
In PCC > Hardware > Configure Video, first you need to select this and then in another selection box below, set the resolution to Auto.
Now if you reboot, you may get correct settings.
-SS.

[Old-Polack]

Have you configured your video card to load the proper driver?

I went into PCLinuxOS Control Center and it detects my video card as ATI Radion x1950
it tells me my monitor is 1280x1024 @60

But when I went to <Configure Your Desktop it says my monitor is set for VGA 640x480 @59.9

I don't know if my card is actually ATI Radeon as it is onboard-- but that would certainly be more in line with what I was thinking this should be capable of

I guess I don't know how to proceed, so any help would be appreciated
katie

From the information you have given in the first post, the correct and best resolution for your monitor is 1024x768 at 85 Hz.
In PCC > Hardware > Configure Video, first you need to select this and then in another selection box below, set the resolution to Auto.
Now if you reboot, you may get correct settings.
-SS.

That setting applies to Windows. For Linux 1280 x1024 @60 wold be more suitable.

[katie]

I finally got it to stick--- I think I was a bit confused that PCC & <Configure Your Desktop> give different readouts.  But PCC definitely says 1280X1024 now.
Two follow-up related questions, if I may:
Is there a way to make the Icons smaller?  They are huge- probably 1/6 of vertical height of the screen.
Are there fonts that are smoother/more readable at smaller sizes? Things look better now in 1280x1024, but not as smooth as I remember.

And thank you for your help.  I set up the original PCLinuxOS installation quite awhile ago and probably have forgotten some things.
katie

[trustytrev]

Hello,
       Just in case people don't realise.Settings for video etc can only be set to the limits of the settings in PCC.Those in the kde settings wont overide what is set in PCC.
trustytrev.

[Old-Polack]

I finally got it to stick--- I think I was a bit confused that PCC & <Configure Your Desktop> give different readouts.  But PCC definitely says 1280X1024 now.
Two follow-up related questions, if I may:
Is there a way to make the Icons smaller?  They are huge- probably 1/6 of vertical height of the screen.
Are there fonts that are smoother/more readable at smaller sizes? Things look better now in 1280x1024, but not as smooth as I remember.

And thank you for your help.  I set up the original PCLinuxOS installation quite awhile ago and probably have forgotten some things.
katie

Right click the desktop and choose Folder View Settings.



You can set the icon size with the slider.

[katie]

Icons are changed- but not until after much "playing around".  On my screen the <OK> button does not appear as it does in your example.  I was able to "scrunch" things up in the left lower corner until it did finally appear in that corner-- but does not appear in the bottom of the page where it should.  Widgets are still locked- so that is not the problem-- but it still appears I might be in the lower resolution.

PCC does show the higher resolution-- but that resolution doesn't appear as one of the options in the <Configure Your Desktop> for some reason [only choices there are 640x480 and 720x400].

As a side note, I wondered if the on-monitor buttons [degauss, menu, select, etc.] might adjust the height so that I could see the <OK> button on the monitor screen of PCC.  The menu informed me that the resolution was 640x480 and it should be changed to 1024x768.  Have tried that- hoping to see the full height of the screen, but without the proper resolution I am not able to see the <Apply> or <OK> buttons of the PCC screen
katie

[Old-Polack]

Icons are changed- but not until after much "playing around".  On my screen the <OK> button does not appear as it does in your example.  I was able to "scrunch" things up in the left lower corner until it did finally appear in that corner-- but does not appear in the bottom of the page where it should.  Widgets are still locked- so that is not the problem-- but it still appears I might be in the lower resolution.

PCC does show the higher resolution-- but that resolution doesn't appear as one of the options in the <Configure Your Desktop> for some reason [only choices there are 640x480 and 720x400].

As a side note, I wondered if the on-monitor buttons [degauss, menu, select, etc.] might adjust the height so that I could see the <OK> button on the monitor screen of PCC.  The menu informed me that the resolution was 640x480 and it should be changed to 1024x768.  Have tried that- hoping to see the full height of the screen, but without the proper resolution I am not able to see the <Apply> or <OK> buttons of the PCC screen
katie

Have you rebooted since setting the resolution in PCC?