dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg fails on Dell PowerEdge 400sc with Samsung SyncMaster 570s

[Peter Belew]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-driver-all

The system is a Dell PowerEdge 400SC. It has been running properly with a 14" generic CRT monitor. A few days ago, I plugged in a Samsung SyncMaster 570S TFT 15" flat screen monitor, which initially worked well without a change in xorg.conf, at a 1024x768 screen resolution (which is the maximum that the Samsung monitor will handle).

I just tried to install some new cursor packages. After that, and a restart of X, the system reconfigured xorg.conf, failing to detect the display hardware properly, and ended up with a default xorg.conf, which only allows me to run at 600x800. Also trying to reconfigure the screen with dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg produced the same result (whether or not I selected using a frame buffer).

Ubuntu version and kernel version
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=8.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=hardy
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 8.04.1"
Linux dude 2.6.24-19-generic #1 SMP Fri Jul 11 23:41:49 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

I tried booting a Knoppix live CD, and Knoppix was able to use the proper screen resolution of 1024x768 automatically.

This is similar to bug #217004, to which I appended my problems with a gBox computer, which is connected to the same monitor, shared with a KVM switch.

lspci:
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage XL (rev 27)

lspci -vvnn:
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc Rage XL [1002:4752] (rev 27) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: ATI Technologies Inc Rage XL [1002:8008]
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping+ SERR- FastB2B-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
        Latency: 64 (2000ns min), Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 5
        Region 0: Memory at fd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
        Region 1: I/O ports at dd00 [size=256]
        Region 2: Memory at fe9de000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
        Expansion ROM at fe000000 [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: [5c] Power Management version 2
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

I am attaching the generic xorg.conf file that is running now, and also the xorg.conf file generated when running Knoppix.

[Gabriel Ruiz (anakron)]

You can cut the "screen" section and replace with it the on in your xorg.conf file. Erase the lower resolutions if you can. Then the problem could be solved.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I've tried essentially the same thing - copying and pasting from the Knoppix xorg.conf - that hasn't been too successful so far. But I'll try some more, given time - I won't have much time till the 12th of August.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This page has the specs of the Samsung monitor:

http://reviews.cnet.com/lcd-monitors/samsung-syncmaster-570s/4507-3174_7-1589730.html

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I was able to boot the Gentoo 2006 live CD (but not the 2007 version, which failed to identify the display).

The generated xorg.conf is attached.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Here is /var/log/Xorg.0.log - there is an explanation of why the higher resolutions weren't used - but I don't quite understand that.

Look at the man pages for xrandr, dexconf, xorg.conf, etc.

Ubuntu started using a new version of xorg software very recently.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This problem is in fact a severe usability problem - basically it makes Ubuntu essentially unusable for all but skilled computer geeks on the affected systems.

I can spend hours upon hours tracking this bug down, trying to see if my hand-edited xorg.conf file's directives will be overridden by the new software's constraints, or I can install another distro, which is known to work on my hardware.

I have to balance my current familiarity with Ubuntu's configuration files (at least as of 6.06), against unfamiliarity with, say, Gentoo or the lastest Fedora, and the time it will take to backup and re-create web sites and databases, etc. I'm inclined to take the latter route.

Ubuntu should at least create a better GUI configurator which will allow (gasp!) the user to specify screen scan rates and so on, when the automatic configuration fails to create a reasonable configuration.

Here's an interesting article:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/08/04/why_free_software_usability_tends_to_suck.html

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This is identical to my submissions to Bug report #217004, as is shown by the Xorg.0.log files I have attached in both bug reports. The 1024x768 mode is rejected on both systems for the same reason -

"(II) VESA(0): Not using built-in mode "1024x768" (width too large for virtual size)"

There really needs to be a way of overriding the automatic mode limitation - back to user-selected screen modes - in the configuration program. Older equipment may not conform to current standards, while still being very useable. Note that several other distros handle this monitor correctly.

At any rate, this should have the same priority as bug #217004, or be considered a duplicate.

[jacobS (jacsalomon)]

The problem is that Samsungs Syncmasters are not compatible with the new auto-conf of Xorg. I considered that Xorg 7.3 is unestable espacially for a LTS Ubuntu Ver. How is the "root" xserver o final user?: Repeat bug: #254708

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I suggest porting the old 6.06 LTS configurator to 8.04.1 LTS for cases like this; allowing the user to use that when the auto-conf fails to satisfy the user, or fails to work at all.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

This seems to be very similar to Bug #212510, which is reported fixed in 'intrepid'. Hopefully it will be also fixed in 8.04 LTS.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

1. The duplicate status is inappropriate, even though the linked report(s) is/are very similar. Each display controller/display combination behaves a bit differently from the others.

2. This is an update for "intrepid" 8.10, run from the desktop CD as a live CD. The boot proceeds properly, but only the 800x600 mode (or lower) works, as with earlier 8.x releases. It is necessary, again, to add the 7.10 xorg.conf, to attain 1024x768 resolution.

See also bug 294899, which describes a similar (but worse) situation with the same Samsung display but with an S3 display controller.

Here I have attached the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file generated by booting from the 8.10 desktop CD as a live CD.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Here is the corresponding xorg.conf file, generated when booting the 8.10 desktop CD on this system. With this xorg.conf file, the system will have a maximum resolution of 800x600. With the 7.04 version of the xorg.conf file, 1024x768 will be the default.

Again, even though this is very similar to other bugs, due to different problems with different controllers (and drivers), the bugs should be kept separate.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Although I originally reported this on a 'duplicate' bug thread, this should be separate as it is on different hardware from other reporters. That 'duplicate' was reported fixed - since this is still a problem on my Delll system, this really a different bug.

The main thing the 'duplicate' bug 212510 has in common is that the other user(s) are using the Samsung SyncMaster 570S monitor. I also use this monitor on another system - see bug # 294899. Some development is being done on the driver for that system's display controller by Tormod Volden.

I just tried this with a 9.04 'Jaunty' development disk, and the same problem occurs. Version info:

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=jaunty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu jaunty (development branch)"
Linux ubuntu 2.6.28-3-generic #4-Ubuntu SMP Fri Dec 12 22:48:15 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

Now when the disk is booted, the screen still comes up in 800 x 600 mode. Available modes shown by the Monitor Resolution Settings dialog are
   800x600, 640x480,400x300,320x240, all 60 Hz.

I have attached /var/log/Xorg.0.log

The xorg.conf file is just the generic file generated on boot, with no driver names.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Hold on, did I just read "kvm switch" - that's certainly the reason that the EDID transfer fails. These switches do often not route the DDC signals.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

The reason it works better in Knoppix is that it is more generous/reckless with the default sync ranges, note the "Warning: This may fry old Monitors" in its xorg.conf.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Oh, dear - I'll have to test without the kvm switch - quite an
inconvenience, but I should do that.

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Tormod Volden <email address hidden> wrote:
> *** This bug is a duplicate of bug 212510 ***
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/212510
>
> Hold on, did I just read "kvm switch" - that's certainly the reason that
> the EDID transfer fails. These switches do often not route the DDC
> signals.
>
> --
> dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg fails on Dell PowerEdge 400sc with ati and Samsung SyncMaster 570s
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255561
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I don't think the KVM switch has anything to do with the problem. The same monitor and KVM switch are used with the gBox computer for which bug # 294899 was reported, and I was able to get similar results for the initial resolution whether I was connecting the monitor through the KVM switch or connecting the monitor cable directly to the computer.

I am attaching the output of

  get-edid | parse-edid > edid.txt 2>&1

while the KVM switch is attached.

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I am attaching the output of

  get-edid | parse-edid > edid.txt 2>&1

while the KVM switch is NOT attached.

Note that there is no difference - the KVM does not affect the output.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

The EDID looks broken in any case. Have you ever had auto-configuration working with this monitor?

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

For your Debian machine, just starting a Bourne shell (sh) should work around any bash problems.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Can you please also attach the binary data returned by get-edid alone?

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

The gBox computer is a dual-boot between Windows XP and Debian 5.0.

I actually don't remember the exact procedure I followed when
installing Windows, but it was no problem. For Debian, after this
started happening, It was necessary to use an old xorg.conf file.

On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 1:12 PM, Tormod Volden <email address hidden> wrote:
> The EDID looks broken in any case. Have you ever had auto-configuration
> working with this monitor?
>
> ** Summary changed:
>
> - dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg fails on Dell PowerEdge 400sc with ati and Samsung SyncMaster 570s and using a kvm switch
> + dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg fails on Dell PowerEdge 400sc with Samsung SyncMaster 570s
>
> --
> dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg fails on Dell PowerEdge 400sc with Samsung SyncMaster 570s
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/255561
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

On the Debian 5.0 machine (gBox) it turns out that sh is just a symlink to bash, whereas on Ubuntu it's a symlink to dash.

Here's the screen output from running get-edid:

billy:~# get-edid > edid.bin
get-edid: get-edid version 1.4.1

        Performing real mode VBE call
        Interrupt 0x10 ax=0x4f00 bx=0x0 cx=0x0
        Function supported
        Call successful

        VBE version 300
        VBE string at 0xc087c "S3 Graphics ProSavage DDR Family BIOS"

VBE/DDC service about to be called
        Report DDC capabilities

        Performing real mode VBE call
        Interrupt 0x10 ax=0x4f15 bx=0x0 cx=0x0
        Function supported
        Call successful

        Monitor and video card combination does not support DDC1 transfers
        Monitor and video card combination does not support DDC2 transfers
        0 seconds per 128 byte EDID block transfer
        Screen is not blanked during DDC transfer

Reading next EDID block

VBE/DDC service about to be called
        Read EDID

        Performing real mode VBE call
        Interrupt 0x10 ax=0x4f15 bx=0x1 cx=0x0
        Function supported
        Call failed

The EDID data should not be trusted as the VBE call failed
Error: output block unchanged
billy:~#

But the supposed binary output file is empty.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Seems like the monitor returns broken EDID. Not sure if there is something the server can do better, other than maybe falling back to a higher resolution than 800x600, or provide a tool for the user to set sync ranges (WIP).

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I have tried the live CD for the 9.04 beta. This boots properly, but initially allows only screen resolutions 800x600 and below.

However, I can edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf, as attached below, to specify specific screen resolutions, including the desired 1024x768 resolution, log out, and log back in, and the screen will come up as 1024x768 resolution (allowing the lower resolutions in my xorg.conf to be set).

So there really needs to be a tool to allow this kind of setting.

[feedfish (anonymous4478)]

I have a problem which seems to be similar.
When I run sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
I have a default xorg.conf generated. I attached the xorg.conf.
I read that xorg isn't compatible with samsung synchmaster. I have one it could be the problem.
But why it works with knoppix?
Wheread my dpkg-reconfigure write a default xorg.conf not really compatible with my graphical card I could set resolutions.

--
Guillaume

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

Guillaume -

That's the default xorg.conf file generated by recent versions of X in Linux. Apparently the driver and display resolution is determined without regard to that xorg.conf file. However if settings for display resolution and the driver are put into xorg.conf by editing it or using an earlier version of Linux, then those setting are used, if they are compatible with the display hardware.

What I have done is to run an earlier version of Linux, such as the 5.04 version of Ubuntu, save the xorg.conf which is generated, and copy some display and monitor settings from that file into the default xorg.conf. In the older versions of Linux, the user manually makes some selection of the display type and desired resolution - but new versions are trying to make that selection automatically, which is a problem!

With the Samsung SyncMaster, it is apparently difficult for the software to detect the monitor's capabilities, so the driver has to set up some settings which work in most monitors. This much seems to be working in the 9.04 beta and RC releases, but not perfectly, since sometimes the resolutions chosen are too high or too low.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

[This is an automatic notification.]

Hi Peter,

This bug was reported against an earlier version of Ubuntu, can you
test if it still occurs on Lucid?

Please note we also provide technical support for older versions of
Ubuntu, but not in the bug tracker. Instead, to raise the issue through
normal support channels, please see:

    http://www.ubuntu.com/support

If you are the original reporter and can still reproduce the issue on
Lucid, please run the following command to refresh the report:

  apport-collect 255561

If you are not the original reporter, please file a new bug report, so
we can work with you as the original reporter instead (you can reference
bug 255561 in your report if you think it may be related):

  ubuntu-bug xorg

If by chance you can no longer reproduce the issue on Lucid or if you
feel it is no longer relevant, please mark the bug report 'Fix Released'
or 'Invalid' as appropriate, at the following URL:

  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/255561

[Peter Belew (peterbe)]

I just tried booting this system (which normally still runs Jaunty) from the 10.04 desktop CD. On selecting the 'Try Ubuntu' option, the system will start up in 800x600 mode. So the situation is as in comment #27 for the Jaunty live CD.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xorg-server (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]