Why is xorg.conf blank?

[RPORT]

I would assume this has something to do with the fact that this is a live CD (I have BT4 installed on a USB with 'save changes'), but my real question is that I want to change the resolution to something higher, how do I accomplish this?

I've tried running dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg & it generates an xorg.conf file, but it's very minimal.

How can I tell if the system using Xorg.conf-vesa instead & if not, how can I make it use that file?

This will probably be viewed as a stupid question, but I've googled various tutorials on changing the display settings in Ubuntu & none seem to quite match up with what I am seeing here.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks much!

edit:

I tried running 'fixvesa' to copy xorg.conf-vesa to xorg.conf and when I attempt to start the xserver again I get a parse error on line 87 of xorg.conf which states 'RgbPatch is not a valid keyword in this section' & then 'Fatal server error: No screens found'.

Any thoughts?

[bofh28]

As for why it is blank, the xserver is supposedly smart enough to figure out which video card driver, proper resolution, keyboard, etc on its own without any user intervention. This means you are stuck with whatever resolution the developers thought you might like.

In my case my hardware is old enough that this process doesn't work and I have to have a xorg.conf with the 2 resolutions that my monitor supports. I just change my xorg.conf and restart x when I need to change resolutions. Switching inside X is a good way to freeze my PC.

You might be able to fix it by adding something like the following into your xorg.conf
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Good Luck

[purehate]

I'm not sure why its not there. It has something to do with ubuntu. There must be a overriding file. You can generate a new one like this

root@bt~#X -configure

that will make a test file in root. If the test works then move it to the proper location like this..

root@bt~#mv xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Then next time you startx you should be using the new one.

[steve_baker]

the configuration process has been taken over by HAL.


hxxp w w w .glokal.eu/content/hal-takes-over-xorg-now-less-restarting

perhaps this will help

hxxps ://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution

[RPORT]

Thanks for the help guys, a couple notes:

It seems I don't have x-configure for whatever reason (odd..) xrandr however shows that I am at 1400x1050 (the maximum reso allowed according to xrandr) which is also odd as it doesn't seem that high given the size of the menus & xterm boxes, but maybe it's just the look and feel being a bit different from BT3.

At any rate, I suppose I can try the xorg.conf suggestions in the Ubuntu wiki, I'll let you know how that turns out.

Edit: I just booted into WinXP & 1400X1050 is the max on that side, so apparently it must be in my head, KDE on Ubuntu doesn't seem to look as 'tight' as it did on BT3, but like I said it must be in my head, lol

[secure_it]

you can also use fixvesa which will create a new xorg.conf for you and also go to etc/X11/ and there should be xorg.conf.paste the different xorg.conf files name you found there.

[KMDave]

It seems I don't have x-configure for whatever reason (odd..)

Did you make sure to use a capital X <space> -configure?

[hawaii67]

You may also use the tool krandrtray

[barbsie]

edit:

I tried running 'fixvesa' to copy xorg.conf-vesa to xorg.conf and when I attempt to start the xserver again I get a parse error on line 87 of xorg.conf which states 'RgbPatch is not a valid keyword in this section' & then 'Fatal server error: No screens found'.

Any thoughts?

Just comment out the RgbPatch line from your xorg.conf.

[jon207703]

Hi guys

I solved the problem on my Toshiba Portege 4010 by using the same fix as in the Ubuntu forums -

Download an older version of Ubuntu that gives you the correct resolution (for me it was 7.10), copy out the xorg.conf file to a thumbdrive and then copy it in to the Backtrack install, probably after deleting the xorg.conf that is already there in /etc/X11.

Worked like a charm in Ubuntu, and works like a charm in BT too.

I know that doesn't answer the question about why xorg.conf is blank, but you can see it on the screen during boot that it is using xorg.conf, so I figure that if the correct thing is there, it doesn't bother trying to configure it.