Large font in the GDM login text field after installing xserver-xorg-video-intel which report monitor having 289x21 millimiters

[Maciej Strzelecki]

Binary package hint: gdm

[I have summarised info for this bug in https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/107320/comments/39 ,
big summary: intel driver reporting physical scrren size of 289x21 millimiters ]

After installing xserver-xorg-video-intel and change graphics driver to 'intel' in xorg.conf, when logging in, I type in my username and password for my machine. It shows up as very large characters in the login text field, larger then the field itself.

I have Intel GMA 950 card (in Intel 945GM chipset).
xserver-xorg-video-intel: 2:1.9.94-1
xserver-xorg: 1:7.2-0ubuntu11
gdm: 2.18.1-0ubuntu1

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

It probably just miscalculates the dpi-values. Please attach your Xorg.0.log.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

yep:

(==) intel(0): DPI set to (75, 75)

Gnome resets that though, so it only affects the login screen.

[Laurent Bigonville (bigon)]

Same issue with radeon driver (see bug #91042)

[Laurent Bigonville (bigon)]

Ihave backported the debian version of xserver-xorg-video-ati(6.6.3-2) to gutsy and I don't have this issue, should be introduced by some ubuntu patch

[Laurent Bigonville (bigon)]

I've reinstalled my laptop with a fresh gutsy and on the first boot and on the first boot the fonts in gnome were huge. Gnome seems to use the informations given by the driver to set the fonts DPI initial value

[Matthew Nuzum (newz)]

I've got this same problem... the login screen for GDM shows the problem. Not only the text in the username and password fields, but also the list of options when you click the "Options" button on the bottom left. It fills the whole screen and scrollbars appear so that you can see the list of options.

Is it possible this bug is caused by the same problem? #127613

[oli (oli23)]

I got the same problem om my fresh Tribe 3 installation. The font size, in skype (qt?) is also to big, so that you can not use the programm.

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

I expect bug #127827 to be a duplicate (in XFCE -XUBUNTU- I am asking /var/log/Xorg.0.log to verify).

[Artemis3 (artemis3)]

I have this same bug in a laptop Acer Aspire 1640Z, just after installing xserver-xorg-video-intel on Feisty. I also get (==) intel(0): DPI set to (75, 75) but if i enter a custom value in xorg.conf say, DisplaySize 338 211 in the monitor section; the DPI becomes: intel(0): DPI set to (96, 154) but the fonts in gdm still look huge.

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

I have mark bug #127827 as a duplicate of this bug.
Now, this means that the symptoms of this bug, probably make Xubuntu almost unusable for GMA 950 owners.
As such, I would suggest this bug have priority normal rather than low.

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

bug #118745 may be related to this one.

[Matt (ragnarok416)]

I am having the same problem as well, only with a different driver (I posted it here since the others were marked as duplicates, and I'm almost certain these issues are related to mine) and with both kubuntu and ubuntu. It's only a minor annoyance for ubuntu, since it only happens at logon, but it renders kubuntu totally unusable gui-wise (it doesn't reset once you're past the login screen like Gnome does).

I'm using fglrx for ubuntu and whatever kubuntu defaulted to for the live cd... I didn't really check because it was fairly unusable, so I just installed ubuntu without worrying too much about it. I'll attach both the kubuntu and the ubuntu x logs.

[Matt (ragnarok416)]

Sorry, I forgot to post which is which... the first is ubuntu, the second is kubuntu.

[Etienne (etienne-rebetez)]

I just got the same problem, after an Update and a Resart. The Graphic Card is an ATI. In XFCE it also affect the wohle Desktop as discribet for KDE.
I post the logfile for more Information.

[Donc (zaber1)]

I have the same issue on an HPdv6149us laptop. Video is an Intel 945GM. The same issues occurred in Feisty under the Intel driver but not the 810 driver.

Some output of xdpyinfo that may help:

screen #0:
  dimensions: 1280x800 pixels (289x21 millimeters)
  resolution: 112x968 dots per inch

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Can someone check if this issue is still occurring on gutsy-beta?

[pixelman (jasonpickern)]

Hi all I'm a complete newbie with linux, just installed Gutsy gibbon (ubuntu) to see if I could actually change OS, & Yes to your answer, the text at login is HUGE, but once i'm logged in it's ok, apart from the fact that sometimes the window bar becomes gigantic, (like 1/3 of the screen), can't rectify it until reboot, any answers in simple tech talk would be nice .

I'm am using a toshiba satellite laptop with Intel : Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller

[Matteo Z (matteozandi)]

Same problem here, fonts in login field in gdm are huge, I have tribe5 fully upgraded. The problem occurred for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

$ grep DPI /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(==) RADEON(0): DPI set to (100, 100)

I'm using ati driver 6.7.194.

Sometimes this happens in X as well (see pic). This also causes me problems when reading pdf files and producing charts with R (says that figure is too large -> because of huge fonts).

Any hints in how to fix this?

[Marcelo Boveto Shima (marceloshima)]

I fixed this by following steps https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libgnome/+bug/118745/comments/30 and https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libgnome/+bug/118745/comments/71

Didn't try them alone.

[Zadkiel (miloxreloaded-gmail)]

I don't speak English, but I'll try to tell you my problem

I installed Gutsy Stable yesterday, and I've the same problem.

Firts, GDM shows up as very large characters in the login text field, larger then the field itself.
In the desktop some times the fonts are huge and I can't see anything, then with a Ctrl+Alt+backspace I did reloggin and only the fonts in the title window of all programs are huge.
In the Attachment you can see it.

[thewaker (chris-wakefield)]

I can confirm this bug affects both of my Toshiba Satellite comptuers on Gutsy 7.10 Stable. (As an aside, it also affects Kubutnu 7.10 stable as well)

The first of the Laptops has an ATi X1600 Mobile graphics chip, and the other has an Intel i915.

I first noticed the glitch when I ran the installer from the live CD. All of the dialog boxes had window borders that took up 1/3 of the screen. KDE seems far worse than Gnome. Every piece of text in KDE is too large, and it is 100% unusable. I found that in Gnome if the extra graphics settings for the window manager are turned off, then turned back on again it seems to resolve the problem.

Glad to see that others are experiencing the same glitch.

[collinbeck (beckcollin)]

I am running the stable Gutsy 7.10 as well and have this same issue. I have a Toshiba Satellite A105 with the Intel 945 chipset.

If I turn the affects off and then on again it seems to resolve the issue for me as well.

I still haven't figured out how to get the login screen problems resolved though. The options on the login screen are almost unusable because I have to scroll through several screens to get to where I want.

I hope this is fixed soon.

[grybba (grybba)]

I can confirm the same bug on a fresh install of Gusty on HP Compaq nx7400 with Intel chipset. Changing the settings in Gnome (effects off and then back on) fixed the issue while running Ubuntu, the login screen is still affected though.

[gutocarvalho (gutocarvalho)]

Some problem here, huge fonts on gdm login field.

Toshiba Satellite A105-S4334

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
        Subsystem: Toshiba America Info Systems Unknown device ff10
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
        Latency: 0
        Region 0: Memory at dc180000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
        Capabilities: [d0] 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-

[Paresh (pareshpaul)]

I use kubuntu gutsy 7.10 stable on a Toshiba Satellite Pro laptop. I also have the same problem. The entire text in the login screen is huge - to the point that its unreadable. But only in the login screen. After kdm is started, it shows as normal. I have attached my log file.

[gutocarvalho (gutocarvalho)]

this suggestion works for me...

https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libgnome/+bug/118745/comments/30

[]'s
Guto

[puccha (yuri-schaeffer)]

I confirm.
fresh 64bit gutsy on packard bell MX45, intel GMA945, using the experimental drivers.
the i810 dont seem te be affected.

[John (john-lobrutto)]

Seems to be fixed in Pre-Released Updates. mine is fine now.

[Frédéric Petit (fraiddo)]

hello,

when the bug was corrected, because there is nothing in the proposed repository..

thanks

[John (john-lobrutto)]

Dude all i did was check off pre-released updates from the sources app and the ran a software update and all was fixed.

[puccha (yuri-schaeffer)]

unfortunatly enabling the pre-released updates did not work for me although it seem to have downloaded lots of gnome stuff.
I havent tried booting while desktop effects are on but the login screen still has insanely large fonts on my machine.

[Frédéric Petit (fraiddo)]

i have the same situation puccha, the update on proposed repository have not fixed the bug...

[Frédéric Petit (fraiddo)]

hi,

i try to make

Section "Monitor"
  DisplaySize x y
EndSection

in xorg, and the bug was apparently corrected but.... i have no 3D acceleration :/ please, help us!

[Frédéric Petit (fraiddo)]

the bug is fixed:

add
Option "DDC" "no"

in xorg.conf :)

[puccha (yuri-schaeffer)]

@mets.tes.chaussettes, thank you.

> add
> Option "DDC" "no"
> in xorg.conf

This worked for me. More specificly (I had to do some trail and error) add this line to your monitor section:

Section "Monitor"
       ... #whatevert was in already.
        Option "DDC" "no"
EndSection

I had more monitor sections so make sure you pick the right one (or maybe all?).
I now found out that this is caused because my monitor reports a wrong physical size:
about 300mm width and just 20mm heigth.
This gives me an insane vertical resolution of 980 DPI! and thus to compensate gnome uses HUGE fonts.

The command used to find this info was 'xdpyinfo'.

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

I am summarising info for the bug here.

This bug is mostly about intel driver reporting physical screen size of 289x21 millimiters.

mets.tes.chaussettes have found a new workaround, confirmed by puccha, for /etc/X11/xorg.conf file:
Section "Monitor"
       ... #whatevert was in already.
        Option "DDC" "no"
EndSection

For ATI driver extract from Laurent:
I have backported the debian version of xserver-xorg-video-ati(6.6.3-2) to gutsy and I don't have this issue, should be introduced by some ubuntu patch

According to john on 2007-10-31:
Seems to be fixed in Pre-Released Updates. mine is fine now.
But puccha, and mets.tes.chaussettes say it does not fix.

bug #128745 is about bad DPI detection too, seems to have been fixed with a hack in gconf (I feels lost with it)
libgnome (2.20.0-1ubuntu1) gutsy; urgency=low
  * debian/libgnome2-common.gconf-defaults:
    - set dpi to 96 rather than fonts to 11 (LP: #118745)

Maciej, servaas, Donc, paresh,gutocarvalho have 289x21 milimiters screen on their intel chipset!

Maciej (original poster):
(==) intel(0): DPI set to (75, 75)
(II) intel(0): Setting screen physical size to 289 x 21
X Window System Version 7.2.0
Release Date: 22 January 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.2
Current Operating System: Linux maciej-laptop 2.6.20-15-generic #2 SMP Sun Apr 15 07:36:31 UTC 2007 i686

servaas-xubuntu-user (Problem in XUbuntu in general, not just GDM)
X Window System Version 1.3.0
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 1.3
Current Operating System: Linux ubuntu 2.6.22-8-generic #1 SMP Thu Jul 12 15:59:45 GMT 2007 i686
(==) intel(0): DPI set to (75, 75)
(II) intel(0): Setting screen physical size to 289 x 21

Donc:
Intel 945GM
Some output of xdpyinfo that may help:
screen #0:
  dimensions: 1280x800 pixels (289x21 millimeters)
  resolution: 112x968 dots per inch

Paresh:
(II) intel(0): Setting screen physical size to 289 x 21
(==) intel(0): DPI set to (100, 100)
X Window System Version 1.3.0
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 1.3
Build Operating System: Linux Ubuntu (xorg-server 2:1.3.0.0.dfsg-12ubuntu8)
Current Operating System: Linux pareshlap 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 23:05:12 GMT 2007 i686

gutocarvalho:
(II) intel(0): Setting screen physical size to 289 x 21
(==) intel(0): DPI set to (100, 100)
X Window System Version 1.3.0
Release Date: 19 April 2007
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 1.3
Build Operating System: Linux Ubuntu (xorg-server 2:1.3.0.0.dfsg-12ubuntu8)
Current Operating System: Linux defiant 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 23:05:12 GMT 2007 i686

collinbeck:
Intel 945, problem exist in stable Gutsy (7.10)

Artemis3
I also get (==) intel(0): DPI set to (75, 75) but if i enter a custom value in xorg.conf say, DisplaySize 338 211 in the monitor section; the DPI becomes: intel(0): DPI set to (96, 154) but the fonts in gdm still look huge.

Matt: Surely bad display dimensions!
(--) fglrx(0): Display dimensions: (40, 30) mm
(--) fglrx(0): DPI set to (812, 866)
X Window System Version 7.2.0
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.2
Current Operating System: Linux matt-desktop 2.6.20-16-generic #2 SMP Fri Aug 31 00:55:27 UTC 2007 i686

nzk ...

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

I believe this bug is a duplicate of bug #151311, which is in progress.

Also affects Arch Linux:
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/7129

[Matthew Nuzum (newz)]

The Option "DDC" "no" workaround fixes the problem for me, but I'm curious if anyone can explain what this does?

[puccha (yuri-schaeffer)]

Matthew Nuzum schreef:
> The Option "DDC" "no" workaround fixes the problem for me, but I'm
> curious if anyone can explain what this does?

(quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_Data_Channel)

"The Display Data Channel or DDC is a digital connection between a
computer display and a graphics adapter that allows the display to
communicate its specifications to the adapter. The standard was created
by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA)."

What in my opinion happens is that either:
- your monitor reports the wrong physical dimensions
- your graphics driver doens't interpret the DDC information correctly.

My guess it is the latter happens as switching to another driver also
fixes the problem for me (i810, although I think that driver has no 3D
hardware capabilities). But maybe the i810 driver is simply incapable of
reading DDC and therefor the error doesn't occur (ergo: it's your
monitor hardware's fault)?

Anyway, by telling xorg not to use the DDC information it probably
assumes some default dimensions of your hardware which are more accurate
than what DDC reports.

//puccha

BTW: This workaround not only fixed problems with the login screen, gdm
for me but also:

mythtv (video and live tv where squized)
compiz-fusion (would boot up with HUGE titlebars)
teamspeak (menu scaling was incorrect to the point it was unuseable.)

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

The most funny one up to now seems from bug #120480:
(--) RADEON(0): Display dimensions: (10, 10) mm
[You should think to buy a monitor with more than 1 square cm :-) ]
(--) RADEON(0): DPI set to (2600, 1950)

Thinking aloud how I would fix this:
If DPI.width<MIN_REASONABLE_WIDTH
  if DPI.height<MIN_REASONABLE_HEIGHT
    /* both screwed up */
    Log 'screen report to be too small to be true, ignoring screen size reported by monitor'
    DPI.width and DPI.height = 17 inch monitor values
  else
    DPI.width=4/3 * DPI.height
    Log 'screen width reported by monitor seems too small, adjusting with height.
else if DPI.height<MIN_REASONABLE_Height
  DPI.height=3/4 * DPI.width
  Log 'screen height reported by monitor seems too small, adjusting with width'
end if
return DPI.width and DPI.height

[Paul Dufresne (paulduf)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular bug has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug #151311, so it is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Feel free to continue to report any other bugs you may find.

[puccha (yuri-schaeffer)]

Paul Dufresne schreef:

> Thinking aloud how I would fix this:
> If DPI.width<MIN_REASONABLE_WIDTH
> if DPI.height<MIN_REASONABLE_HEIGHT
> /* both screwed up */
> Log 'screen report to be too small to be true, ignoring screen size reported by monitor'
> DPI.width and DPI.height = 17 inch monitor values
> else
> DPI.width=4/3 * DPI.height
> Log 'screen width reported by monitor seems too small, adjusting with height.
> else if DPI.height<MIN_REASONABLE_Height
> DPI.height=3/4 * DPI.width
> Log 'screen height reported by monitor seems too small, adjusting with width'
> end if
> return DPI.width and DPI.height

I'm not capable enough to fix these thing but this solution could cause
lots of trouble:

- small screens DO exists. There is no reason to assume a heigth or
width is unreasonble as well as DPI.
- This problem infact occured on my laptop that has a wide screen, this
fix works only for 4x3 monitors. Even the common resolutions 1024x768
and 1280x1024 dont have the same aspect ratio.

I'm not sure where exactly this bug occurs. Is it the monitor hardware,
monitor driver, video hardware or video driver?

In case it is the monitor hardware I think it is better to blacklist
some troubles models and over write its values. I'm confident the models
are detectable (but have no clue how or where this should happen, video
driver?).

If it's a driver issue, well, it should be fixable.

[s.a.top (s.a.top)]

so it works !

option ddc off

servaas

[anespor (alois-nespor-gmail)]

Hello guys!

First sorry of my bad english.

This problem is fixed in the Xorg xserver 1.4.1 (comming soon).
- "Option" "DDC" "Off" is really not solution
- Displaysize is first part of solution.

Complet solution of this problem is:

xorg-server 1.4.1 + Xrandr 1.2.2+ (and maybe new xf86-video-intel 2.2 driver) and right set xorg.conf

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "LCD 1280x800"
        Option "DPMS" "true"
 VendorName "LPL"
 DisplaySize 338 211 # first part solution
 Option "Monitor-LVDS" "LCD 1280x800 # second part solution <- option for Xrandr (see: man xrandr)
EndSection

I test it and works fine.

Regards,
Alois Nespor
reporter and tester
distro Archlinux x86_64

[PJSingh5000 (pjsingh5000)]

Since this bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 151311, see if my solution/work-around for 151311 helps. Note that if you are using a laptop screen, and xrandr reports other "connected" monitors, you propably want to ignore the other monitors in xorg.conf, and not LVDS, as in the the example....

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/151311/comments/38

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

The fix for 151311 is to add quirks to xorg-server for each of the problematic monitors. These quirks are very hardware-specific by design (they apply to a particular vendor and product ID). This information is reported in the Xorg.0.log file. Quirks for several monitors were added in the fix for 151311, but it's likely this misses monitors from a lot of other people. In particular, this does not cover:

Matt:

(II) fglrx(0): Manufacturer: DMI Model: 0 Serial#: 66
(II) fglrx(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 4 vert.: 3
(II) fglrx(0): clock: 108.0 MHz Image Size: 4 x 3 mm

4, 3 sounds like aspect ratio data.

Etienne:

(II) RADEON(0): Manufacturer: TRL Model: 610 Serial#: 5989
(II) RADEON(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 32 vert.: 24
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 107.0 MHz Image Size: 4 x 3 mm
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 25.3 MHz Image Size: 4 x 3 mm

I don't know that we have a quirk available for these two cases, though.
Maybe these should be forwarded upstream.

[Jimmygoon (jimmygoon)]

This bug is still a problem in hardy.

Upon launching the installer the installer renders in a HUGE window, the titlebar looks wrong and the text is huge. When I specify i810 as the driver and restart Xorg then it is fine.
This prevents users from being able to install successfully.

[Frédéric Petit (fraiddo)]

i have the same problem with a fresh install of hardy beta.

[Stephen (sawjew)]

Just to confirm that this is still a problem with Hardy. I have had the same issue with Feisty, Gutsy, Hardy and Sidux and the DDC off fix has worked every time.

[Zadkiel (miloxreloaded-gmail)]

I can't believe it...
If Hardy keeps the bug, I will just can't use Ubuntu anymore til the next version...

[finux (afinnon)]

I can confirm that the problem is present in 8.04 with the Intel Driver, i have had the issue form at least 7.04 it's not until now that i found the DCC fix and it worked fine for me. I also run Debian Etch and Lenny and it's the same for them too, so i imagine it's an issue with the driver, but it would be nice if there where some better documentation on fixing this bug.