Max resolution too low after upgrading to 9.10 on laptop with intel graphics

[HappyCamper]

Binary package hint: xorg

The bug reporter selected xorg, I don't know if that is where the problem is. Is it selecting the right thing for me, or just the first option? The info you requested after the text box, is at the end because I had already typed out the description before I got to that bit.

My old Sony laptop has a max resolution of 800x600 since I upgraded to 9.10 on release day. It doesn't fill the screen though, it just uses the top left 800x600 section, and below is the top of the display again; with just black down the right hand side. I believe I have the unfortunate Intel graphics.

Even further info: When I installed and initially rebooted it did this, but this morning when I came back to it, I just got a blank screen after I logged in (I tried the recovery mode, but that was no help). I tried going back to the previous kernel and that displayed correctly at 1024x768, but the touchpad no longer worked.

I fiddled with a few setting, changed the resolution to 800x600 and back, etc. and tried again with the new kernel. It displayed again, but still with max of 800x600 in the top left corner.

On the up side at least the font characters don't gradually disappear the more I use the computer like they used to.

Requested info:

ubuntu-bug -p xorg --> Apparently '-p' is deprecated. It appears to have brought me right back to the same place. So I'll carry on with what I have already started filling in.

1)
Description: Ubuntu 9.10
Release: 9.10

2)
I don't know if the bug is in xorg or not, but incase it is I did this bit:

xorg:
  Installed: 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
  Candidate: 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
  Version table:
 *** 1:7.4+3ubuntu7 0
        500 http://ca.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

3) I expected to be able to run at 1024x768 like I could before. Also, at 800x600 I would expect it to fill the screen.

4) It offers a max resolution of 800x600. This displays in an 800x600 section of a 1024x768 display, not across the whole screen.

Idea:
Why don't you put this guidelines above the area for writing this stuff in, rather than let me type out a whole load of stuff and then tell me what you want and how you want it?

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
CheckboxCommand: resolution_test
CheckboxDescription:
 This display is using the following resolution:

 $output

 Is this acceptable for your display?
CheckboxTest: resolution
Date: Fri Oct 30 11:01:44 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 045e:0039 Microsoft Corp. IntelliMouse Optical
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 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
MachineType: Sony Corporation PCG-R600HMPD(GB)
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   3.3V 32-bit PC Card
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=a429ae5a-8d47-4a6c-a7ed-069bc4161fd6 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
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: xorg
Tags: checkbox-bug
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: 651M5B4475283200000000000000
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvrR0227C1:bd07/08/02:svnSonyCorporation:pnPCG-R600HMPD(GB):pvr01:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: PCG-R600HMPD(GB)
dmi.product.version: 01
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation
fglrx: Not loaded
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 architecture: i686kernel: 2.6.31-14-generic

[Paul Stevens (pstevens)]

This appears to be same issue as Bug #459547.

[HappyCamper (colin-conway)]

Yes it does. I didn't see that one when I filed my bug report. The other seems to be worded better.

Is this likely to be fixed in this release or is it another case of waiting 6 months for the next version?

[Paul Stevens (pstevens)]

From Bug report #459547.

This problem seems to be based in Kernel Mode Select and the hardware involved. Bug report 288807 talks about some hardware issues with Sony laptops and that may be in effect here. I believe KMS is now on by default in Karmic for Intel devices.

To get the system fixed was fairly simple in the end and only requires updating Grub to turn off KMS. I am using Grub2 on this install.

On a live cd boot, use F6 to edit grub.
Remove “splash” and replace with “nomodeset”.
I included “--xdriver=intel” on my system as bootup seemed smoother with this added.
Splash does not work with nomodeset so it needs to be removed.

On an installed system, edit /etc/default/grub to remove splash and add the ‘nomodeset xdriver=intel” line and then update grub.

gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

Change the line:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=”quiet splash”

To this:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=” nomodeset xdriver=intel”

The “quiet” option may work but I did not use it. The “xdriver=intel” was correct for my system.

Then run:
Sudo update-grub

Note, I did not need to have any xorg.conf in the system to get it working. There did not seem to be any difference whether it was there or not.

[HappyCamper (colin-conway)]

This worked for me. I'm using GRUB V1, so I just had to make the change to the current (first in my case) entry in /boot/grub/menu.lst, and I didn't need to run 'sudo update-grub'.

I tried with quiet splash in there, and that just kept the screen blank until near the end of the boot period (without it the boot information text is displayed).

Many thanks,
Colin

[Douwe Zwiers (douwe28jan)]

Editing the grub file doesn't work for me.
The first time i changed it into "nomodeset xdriver=intel"
And after i restarted ubuntu started loading but you could see the text and once that was done the screen just turned black.
The second time i changed it just into "quiet splash xdriver=intel and nothing happened.