[i830] after upgraded to 9.10, 1024x768 mode disappeared although it was on 9.04

[jason wang]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-intel

I upgraded from Ubuntu 9.04 to 9.10 on my laptop, Sony PCG-R505GL with Intel 830M(82830) video card and found the screen resolution became 800*600 only.

I've tried reinstalling xserver-xorg-video-intel(2.9) several times, doesn't work;
I've tried dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg, doesn't work either and there is even no new xorg.conf generated in /etc/X11 if i delete my old one.

There is a X/KernelModeSetting, by creating /et /modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf( options i915 modeset=1) to enable kernel probing, but this has no effect at all.

I finally had to give up and believe this is an intel video driver bug, can you please help?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The only resolution i can have is 800*600 and below is the output from xrandr:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 800 x 600, maximum 2048 x 2048
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS1 connected 800x600+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   800x600 85.1 72.2 75.0 60.3* 56.2
   640x480 85.0 72.8 75.0 59.9
   720x400 85.0
   640x400 85.1
   640x350 85.1

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Below is my manually modified xorg.conf so that LVDS1 can not find an entry, but it doesn't help:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
 #Identifier "Intel Corporation 82830 CGC [Chipset Graphics Controller]"
 Identifier "Intel 82830"
        Driver "intel"
        #Option "MigrationHeuristic" "greedy"
        #Option "AccelMethod" "UXA"
        #Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "Configured Monitor"
        HorizSync 30-70
        VertRefresh 30-100
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "LVDS1"
        HorizSync 30-70
        VertRefresh 30-100
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 Monitor "Configured Monitor"
 Device "Intel 82830"
        Subsection "Display"
            Depth 24
            Modes "1024x768"
        EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "LVDS1 screen"
 Monitor "LVDS1"
 Device "Intel 82830"
        Subsection "Display"
            Depth 16
            Modes "1024x768"
        EndSubsection
EndSection

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Nov 1 01:38:29 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
Lsusb:
 Bus 003 Device 002: ID 054c:0069 Sony Corp. Memorystick MSC-U03 Reader
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: Sony Corporation PCG-R505GL(UC)
Package: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=a0d74eae-c1fd-4f85-b16e-f033ae6298bd ro xforcevesa quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_AU.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_AU.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-intel
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic i686
dmi.bios.date: 07/08/02
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: R0227C1
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 652L00000000318351D556913742
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvrR0227C1:bd07/08/02:svnSonyCorporation:pnPCG-R505GL(UC):pvrR2961638:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: PCG-R505GL(UC)
dmi.product.version: R2961638
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: i686kernel: 2.6.31-14-generic

[lspci]
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 82830 CGC [Chipset Graphics Controller] [8086:3577] (rev 04)
     Subsystem: Sony Corporation Device [104d:8100]

[EricT (et-27)]

Wish I had seen this posting earlier. I have the same problem with my machine, which happens to be the same hardware as the op (Sony Vaio PCG-R505GL).

[jason wang (tsjwang)]

I figured out dpkg-reconfigure doesn't work on Karmic anymore, the equivalent is Xorg -configure; However even a new xorg.conf is generated, nothing changed. I've searched the Internet for a whole day today, have not found anything to fix or walkaround this.

[jason wang (tsjwang)]

I've walked around this by passing in Kernel boot parameter i915.modeset=0

I understand this disables Kernel from probing monitor modes and allows Xorg to do the work; However I still don't understand why this parameter causes the issue, does this indicate a Kernel issue as according to the doc this became enabled as default since Kernel 2.6.30-10.12 (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/KernelModeSetting )?

[EricT (et-27)]

I can confirm that setting the kernel boot parameter described by jason restored my display as well. This doesn't really seem like a good long-term solution, so more information would be good.