How to set resolution higher than 800x600 on HP HDX18 laptop?

  • maarten
Posted: Tue, 08/11/2009 - 08:16
Hi all, I can't get my resolution higher than 800x600 on a nvidia GT130. I have a HP HDX 18 laptop. I couldn't install 64studio 2.1 because it didn't recognize my BlueRay/DVD/CD-ROM player. So I installed 3.0beta3. Installation was smooth, except that 64studio runs in a 800x600 resolution, while the in-build nvidia GT130 graphics chip can go up to the display's native full HD resolution of 1920x1080 (binary nvidia driver on Kubuntu 9.04). By reading these forums I understand that the binary driver can cause problems (which might explain why UbuntuStudio 9.04 is unstable on this laptop: random crashes of Rosegarden). And since I want to use this laptop for music (MIDI and audio) I don't need fancy 3D effects. Just a higher resolution and 2D accelleration would be great. So I would like to use the "nv" open source driver. I don't know how to install that, even after reading this and Ubuntu's forum and Googling. I tried to install nv by using Envy, but Envy only gives me options to install the binary drivers. I tried xrandr to add a new mode and setting the resolution to this mode, but xrandr says it cannot find the new mode. Help would be much appreciated, since I would love to give 4studio 3.0 beta 3 a try. TIA, Maarten
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hybrid "nv" xorg.conf

  • skullnotions
  • 09/29/07
  • Tue, 08/11/2009 - 09:29
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Hi Maarten, This hybrid xorg.conf might help to get you started in the right direction. Download as .txt and experiment. If my memory is right I played around with these tools to find the modes. $ xrandr Find the modelines required for xorg.conf $ gtf 1280 1024 60 or $ gtf 1280 1024 75 GUI Monitor & Card settings $ sudo displayconfig-gtk Cheers! Dave. PS: BackUp your default xorg.conf first.

Nope, doesn't work...

  • maarten
  • 08/11/09
  • Thu, 08/13/2009 - 17:23
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Hi Dave, thanks for your quick reply. I find the xorg.conf file a bit too daunting for me, so I opted for $ sudo displayconfig-gtk This looks like a great tool: all the options, but now with a GUI! Here I selected my monitor ("LCD panel 1920 x 1080 (wide screen)") and my video card/driver ("nv"). The native resolution 1920x1080 was not available, but hey, anything more than 800x600 is a gain. I selected 1680x1050, pressed "Test" and my screen changed into the test screen. Looked like the correct resolution, so I pressed "Keep current configuration". My screen turned back into the 64Studio screen, however, back in the 800x600 resolution. Hmmm, well, I pressed "OK" and displayconfig-gtk disappeared. I logged out, pressed Ctrl-Alt-Backspace, the X server restarted and... I got the same 800x600 resolution back. I logged in again, ran sudo displayconfig-gtk again and saw that my settings were mysteriously set to an LCD with 1024x768 and a resolution of 800x600. To cut a long story short: I tried several drivers (vesa, nv and nvidia), tried several general LCD panels, even an HP one, and even if they test OK, and I press Keep and OK and start displayconfig-gtk again, my settings are apparently not saved and I get to see these above mentioned settings. Any help is much appreciated! Maarten