Ubuntu Resolution Problem
A few months have passed since the last time I used Ubuntu and started using Windows XP. Sounds like a confession, right? Why I did that? Because imediately after I upgraded to Ubuntu 8.10 I got myself a brand new version of the popular distribution and as a bonus I got a low resolution, of 800×600, which really loves to be here, on my computer. It can’t be changed. I went through all the known methods and it’s still there. I manually edited xorg.conf, ran the already famous “sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg” command and still got nothing.
I admit it, I’m not as good as many other Linuxists but this thing made me use XP for a few months because I didn’t want to change my resolution from the NVidia Xserver Settings application every time I logged in. I asked on Ubuntuforums.org but I got the usual answers. And the problem is that this thing is happening to some other persons too.
If you have any idea on how to fix this, please leave a comment. I really need to get back on Ubuntu.
sudo nvidia-settings
It gives you the NVidia Xserver Settings in root…so it keeps the configuration.
But maybe you have already tried.
Thank you for the reply, Pierre. I tried that also but it seems that the configuration isn’t kept. Another thing that I noticed when I run NVidia XServer Settings as a normal user is that it displays an error message that says xorg.conf.backup can not be removed. I removed it manually as root but things didn’t change.
Just as a strategy. Can you please try a Live CD of Ubuntu 9.04. If that immediately sets the correct resolution than it might be worth the upgrade.
I guess many people have suggested this before but for me on an ATI card it helps to remove the driver completely, delete all associated files including the dri stuff, restart to runlevel 3 and reinstall the thing.
I guess however trying a few live CDs will narrow it down to being a hardware or configuration issue. What about the vesa driver. Does it give higher resolutions (as a test)
Oh my god, do you believe in the OpenSource movement or you’re a member of the Compiz Generation?
If your choice has been XP, the answer maybe …. CG?
Why do not use another distro opensource, for example?
Leo.
Thanks for the idea, Sebastian! I will try it out as soon as I get home.
I’m a “journalist-geek” who had a hard time upgrading his favorite distribution. You’re ranting and that doesn’t help with anything the “OpenSource” movement. 
@Leo no, I’m not a member of the Compiz Generation as you call it.
Hey Daniel, I’m talking about your jump from a OpenSource distro to a closed System, due a Xorg fails.
It’s not allowable if you know and hug the open source philosophy.
@Leo, I’m not jumping.
I have Windows XP and Ubuntu on my home computer because I need a backup OS when I tinker with Ubuntu. I used to have Vector Linux, Ubuntu, Foresight and XP on the same computer and I think they got along pretty well. I understand your point of view and my jump, as you call it, it’s a temporary thing.
Just want to say it should come as no surprise that dpkg-reconfigure didn’t help. That command hasn’t done anything since Feisty or Gutsy. All it does is backup your current xorg.conf and exit without asking you any of the questions about how you want to configure it, let alone writing the proper configuration.
Hi!
Try installing the latest drivers from nvidia from repository (I think the latest is nvidia-glx-180). If that doesn’t help, remove them and get the drivers from nvidia website (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=122606).
#CTRL+ALT+F1 – to switch to console
#stop the xserver (gdm)
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
#list + remove the old stuff related to nvidia
sudo dpkg -l | grep nvidia
#”apt-get remove” on whatever comes out of the line above.
#remove all the kernel objects currently installed.
export k=`uname -r`
sudo rm -f `find /lib/modules/$k -iname nvidia.ko`
#chmod 777 on the file below if necessary.
sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-*
#restart gdm
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
Maybe this will work.
Hi Viorel. I’ll try your advice too. At first look, it seems that i have nvidia-glx-96 installed. My last resort will be a clean install of Ubuntu 9.04.