After applying the most recent updates (on 10/13/13) the X server is suddenly ignoring the "PreferredMode" option in my xorg.conf file.
My monitor is attached through an 8-port KVM that doesn't pass the monitor EDID. This means the X server can't determine the monitor capabilities and defaults to a lowest common denominator, typically 1024x768. Until now I've successfully used the "PreferredMode" option to set the mode to values defined in the xorg.conf file.
After applying updates last weekend the X server is suddenly ignoring that option. Currently the only way I can get the correct (1920x1200) screen resolution is by logging in at 1024x768 and running the nVidia Settings program, which is a PITA because the system crashes about once a day now (reported seperately). I tried the nVidia tool option to create a new xorg.conf file. It includes a "metamodes" option, but it still doesn't work.
Description: Ubuntu 12.04.3 LTS
Release: 12.04
ii xserver-xorg 1:7.6+12ubuntu2 X.Org X server
ii xserver-xorg-core 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.13 Xorg X server - core server
ii nvidia-304 304.88-0ubuntu0.0.3 NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library
ii nvidia-common 1:0.2.44.2 Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
ii nvidia-current 304.88-0ubuntu0.0.3 Transitional package for nvidia-current
ii nvidia-settings-304 304.88-0ubuntu0.0.3 Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
I tried adding
Option "UseEDID" "false"
but that didn't seem to help any.