old hardware, new LXDE, how to fix video, in memory of Joe

[caieng]

The untimely death of Joe Goble affects different folks in different ways.

Me, I  was insulted that he checked out, without helping me solve my problem, so I was obliged to fix it myself, and did so, thinking of Joe.

Problem:  newest (but not the old) version of LXDE refuses to permit 1280 x 1024 x 16, as I have used on this computer, with both XP, and older versions of PCLinuxOS, going back to Mandrake.

Yes, it is a computer from 12 years ago.  Works fine.  Uses very little current, therefore inexpensive to operate, perfect for the task of internet radio station receiver, as I have described elsewhere (at linux questions dot org).  In another thread, on this forum, many in the Sandbox pay tribute to Joe in another fashion, by listing various musical compositions.  That's good, but with internet radio reception, one can play music all day and all night, without changing CD's etc....

So, back to the problem:  It is really a trivial issue, because the OS works just fine, with 1024 x 768, but, I am dissatisfied looking at such a miserable screen resolution, and I want to continue looking at PCLOS as I always have, or with an even sharper resolution, not with an inferior screen resolution.

If one accesses the Drake control center, one is disappointed to learn that the old method:  which permitted the user to choose, and then test, various parameters, IS GONE.  All one can do is assign to the monitor, the proper resolution, but not the card.

Then, we need a different approach, since good old reliable Drake had preceded Joe onto the pyre:  We have to jury rig the xorg.conf file in /etc/X11.

1.  click on the terminal icon.  Type su
then, enter the password
2.  type cd  /etc
3.  type cd  /X11
4.  type ls and the user should see a file called "xorg.conf"
5.  edit that file by typing nano xorg.conf  <--"enter"
6.  in that file, change the default depth from 24 to 16--> this step, formerly accomplished with Drake, is no longer permitted.
7.  in that file, change the "preferred mode" to 1280 x 1024, again, no longer permitted using Drake, in the newest version of LXDE.
8.  in the subsection "display" under modes, add: "1280x1024"
9.  To save, type CNTRL O, letter o, not zero.
10.  To exit, type CNTRL X, or x both work.

Reboot, and now, computer will display 1280 x 1024, just as it did, ten years ago.

Thank you Joe.  You will be missed.

CAI ENG

[Neal ManBear]

His name was Joe Gable, not Joe Goble. And you are insulted that he checked out? He did not check out. Damn it, he was murdered. You are mad that he died without taking the time to help you first? Unbelievable! Why don't you go tell his murderer how you are pissed at her for inconveniencing you.     

[pags]

6.  in that file, change the default depth from 24 to 16--> this step, formerly accomplished with Drake, is no longer permitted.

Joe will be missed, there is no doubt.  However, why can't you accomplish this in Drake?

I just ran drakconf, went to "Hardware", then "Configure Video Card".  Click on "Resolution", and the resulting screen has drop-downs for resolution and colors...

Can you confirm that on your end?

[Texstar]

The untimely death of Joe Goble affects different folks in different ways.

Me, I  was insulted that he checked out, without helping me solve my problem, so I was obliged to fix it myself, and did so, thinking of Joe.

Come again on this please and I hope your English isn't very good in reference to the above statement.

[caieng]

@neal:
apologies for the typo.

I think you didn't understand my post.

Obviously, I wrote that I was offended at Joe's having departed prematurely, intending folks to interpret that sentence as a method of expressing dismay because of his untimely death.

There  are only so many ways to write the same message.
 
You misunderstood my intent, sorry for expressing my sorrow with too much opacity.

@pags:

the drop downs no longer, as in the past include "test", and no longer, as in the past, permit the user to assign 16 bit, instead of 24 bit.  32 bit is also not an option.  The user has no option, it is 24 bits, end of story, with the current version of Drake.

With 24 bits, the computer shuts down, no image.  I don't know why.  The video card works fine with XP 32 bit color, and worked fine, last year, with LXDE (October 2010), but now, it will only display 1024 x 768 and 24 bit color.  To achieve 1280 x 1024, one must manually configure the config file to limit color depth to 16 bits.

CAI ENG

[pags]

I have, under the "colors" drop-down:

65 thousand colors (16 bits)
16 million colors (24 bits)

Perhaps it's a limitation of the driver you're using (and as it pertains to how it interfaces with the APIs the drakconf exploits).

[caieng]

Perhaps it's a limitation of the driver you're using (and as it pertains to how it interfaces with the APIs the drakconf exploits).

I simply installed the default version, I didn't choose any particular drivers.  I am reasonably confident that LXDE from last year, and the version from this year, would have employed the same driver.  The video card is a dozen years old, it just doesn't make sense to change drivers from 2010 to 2011. 

Maybe I am wrong, and the newer LXDE does not have the same S3 driver for Savage 4 as the version from 2010.  I really have no idea.

I suppose I could reinstall the former version, if that would be helpful, but, what would I look for?  I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that the newer version made changes to Drake Configure, because of an inability in the newest version of LXDE to TEST, after changing resolution.  That's clearly not a driver concern.

CAI ENG

[daniel]

No change by setting PCC>Hardware>Video>Resolutions>Others>1280 x 1024.
Reboot?

[caieng]

crash, resets to 1024 x 768.