desktop is to big - resolution cannot change

[anglerdk]

hi

I have just installed Vector Linux 6.0 Light Final - but the dekstop is to big for my laptop. I can see something of the startmenu, but not all. I have tried to run vasm as root. But xconf says there is an error and I cannot save.

my laptop is an very old Toshiba Protege 7010ct with an 800x600 resolution.

what to do ?

[stretchedthin]

You need to get into a text mode, so if you can not launch to text mode then press Ctrl+Alt+f5 when in gui mode and you will change to a text mode run-level.
Sign in.

type...
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Your xorg.conf file will open.
Cursor down until you see resolutions being listed. 1024x780, 800x600 etc.

Delete the larger resolutions including the " that surround them from all lines that have them. 

Press ctrl+x to exit nano.  Then y to save changes, then press enter to confirm.

Press control-alt-backspace to restart x.

You should be good.
Ken

[anglerdk]

it seems like it will not run 800x600 , since If I delete the "640x480" modes in xorg.conf , then if I try to run startX , I am told X cannot start..

could it be my neomagic 256 which is not installed correctly ?

[stretchedthin]

Here is a couple ideas.

1. Get into a text mode, either by launching the tui desktop or opening a terminal. Become a super user [su then password]
and run vxconf.  Then choose the vxconf option..When choosing resolution in vxconf choose 800x600
2.Can you run a live cd, of any other distro on this machine.  If so you could pop it in, copy the xorg.conf to a flash drive then use that configuration on your Vector set up.

it seems like it will not run 800x600 , since If I delete the "640x480" modes in xorg.conf , then if I try to run startX , I am told X cannot start..

You should not have to delete the "640x480" the xorg.conf will run the best resolution of the group by default.  You need only delete the higher numbers.  Also the lines for 8bit, 16bit and 24bit color should be exactly the same I believe.

xorg.conf is finiky, it will not start if you have accidently deleted or left in an extra " ie ""800x600" instead of "800x600"
Try idea 1. first this should rewrite your xorg, hopefully fix it, but at worst you will be back where you started.

[anglerdk]

You need to get into a text mode, so if you can not launch to text mode then press Ctrl+Alt+f5 when in gui mode and you will change to a text mode run-level.
Sign in.

type...
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Your xorg.conf file will open.
Cursor down until you see resolutions being listed. 1024x780, 800x600 etc.

Delete the larger resolutions including the " that surround them from all lines that have them. 

Press ctrl+x to exit nano.  Then y to save changes, then press enter to confirm.

Press control-alt-backspace to restart x.

You should be good.
Ken

thanx for the help - after deleting the "1024x768" it helped...

[aboniup75]

I went into fxdrake or something like that and set the screen resolution there to 800 x 600. After loging in again, there is nothing on the desktop but wallpaper, and only the browser which opens up because I never shut it down.

After I shut down the browser, it looks like its "lights-out" ... scratch time.

[stretchedthin]

I went into fxdrake or something like that and set the screen resolution there to 800 x 600. After loging in again, there is nothing on the desktop but wallpaper, and only the browser which opens up because I never shut it down.

After I shut down the browser, it looks like its "lights-out" ... scratch time.

XFdrake is a tool to reconfigure X on Mandriva or PCLos.   This might seem like an odd thing for me to ask but, what are the chances  you are posting to the wrong forum.