[SOLVED] Dell Optilex SX280 Graphics

[bobw]

Thanks a lot sysdrum & Jerry - it works!


I'd tried using Application Autostart, but I got the command wrong.

[Jerry]

Following on from what sysdrum has said, make sure your script is enclosed in quotes, example:

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bash -c "sleep 2; /path/to/script/myscript"

[sysdrum]

Settings manager>Session and Startup> Select the tab Application Autostart
From there select Add
In the command field select the script you wish to run.
Name it and then reboot and see if it works.

[bobw]

I have now sorted out this problem, apart from one small issue.

Thanks again to sysdrum,for pointing me to the info I needed at:  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution .  The commands that succeeded in giving me a 1280*1024 display are:

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xrandr --newmode "1280x1024_60.00"  109.00  1280 1368 1496 1712  1024 1027 1034 1063 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1280x1024_60.00
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1280x1024_60.00
This solution sets the display for the current session.  What I have not managed to do is set it automatically when the system boots.  However, I have the three commands in a shell script which is run from a launcher on the desktop, so it only requires one click after booting.  Infinitely better than what I had before.

I've tried various ways of automating it as suggested in the page at the above link.  I've also tried running the script and the individual commands from the root and user crontabs at reboot, and running the script from the Application Autostart tab in the Session and Startup menu window, but I haven't got it to work.
I know that it must be possible to do it - the problem is my lack of knowledge.  It's not important now, because I have a solution that works, but if anyone wants to tell me how to automate it I would certainly be interested.

[bobw]

Thanks for the suggestions Jerry and gold_finger.

xrandr -q should give you a list of capable resolutions. Start with that.

does not show 1280x1024

Is monitor directly connected to the computer?  Or are you using a KVM switch or adaptor of some sort?

It is directly connected.

I still haven't been able to test the possible solutions in the ubuntu wiki page that sysdrum referred me to, but I will do tomorrow.

[gold_finger]

Is monitor directly connected to the computer?  Or are you using a KVM switch or adaptor of some sort?

[sysdrum]

xrandr -q should give you a list of capable resolutions. Start with that.

His system is not detecting his display correctly so xrandr -q may still fail to list 1280x1024.

[Jerry]

xrandr -q should give you a list of capable resolutions. Start with that.

[bobw]

Thanks sysdrum - I think the ubuntu wiki page you pointed me to may be exactly what I'm looking for.

My initial attempt:

xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1280x1024

returns the error:

xrandr: cannot find mode 1280x1024

However, there's lots of stuff further down the page that looks like it may provide a solution.  I haven't time to look at it and try the options properly at the moment, but I will do later and post back, probably tomorrow.

[sysdrum]

I am not quite sure if this is what you are asking for?
But you can manually select a resolution beyond what is detected.



https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution


The dell could have UPP issues with 915L. I have seen a GMA 950 (Dell Inspiron 1504) as it happen there was a bug in dell's hardware specs that required a driver to detect the external displays (on top of that you had to install Dell's drivers you could not use Intel's).


Have you tried using a different Monitor on the Dell to see if the VGA/DVI port detects the monitor?
As you said you did use the Samsung on a different box. With good results.

[bobw]

Is there any way of setting the computer's graphics output to 1280x1024, even though the system doesn't recognise that the monitor is capable of handling it?

[bobw]

Hi sysdrum & Wirezfree.  Thanks for your replies - sorry I couldn't respond earlier.

Was it able to run in anything higher than 1024 x 768 when run from a liveUSB/livecd-dvd?

No, it's exactly the same.


As I think you expected, sysdrum, your command:

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-intel

returned a message that the newest version is already installed.

I couldn't get your process to work, Wirezfree - it seemed to hang, but if I understand the above posts correctly it shouldn't be necessary anyway.

By the way, I've tried a couple of other Ubuntu-based distros and they have the same problem.

On the Dell machine, if I go to Menu/Settings/Display/Identify Displays it returns "Monitor - Resolution 1024x768".  When I do the same thing on another (more modern) machine using the same monitor, I get "Samsung Electric Co 17 inch - 1280x1024" - I have no display problems on that machine using any of the distros.  This seems to suggest that the monitor isn't being recognised by the Dell, but that the problem isn't caused by LL or the monitor.

Any more suggestion would be welcome.

[Wirezfree]

Hi sysdrum,

O.K, so if I understand, there is no need to use the Intel Driver install package
because eventually they will be incorporated into LL via Ubuntu package updates.

I did a sys-info and have:

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ii  xserver-xorg-video-intel                    2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1.3                 amd64        X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9xx display driverIf I look in Launchpad Link there is Trusty Tahr = 14.04.?:

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2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1.3Which appears to match

There's a .914 Utopic Unicorn I guess Ubuntu 14:10.?
Which I guess will come through at some stage.

Thanks - Dave

[sysdrum]

Yes
But linux lite comes with xserver-xorg-video-*(which covers many drivers)
for the i8xx, i9xx the best driver is the xserver-xorg-video-intel.

Please refer to this:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel


LL 2.0 and 2.2 are based on (X)Ubuntu 14.04. So any relevant data regarding open source (non binary) AMD/Nvidia/Intel drivers are recursive from the upstream branch.


In simple terms when Ubuntu updates a driver support package tailered to kernel 3.13 we see the effects in LL 2.0 and 2.2

[Wirezfree]

Hi bobw & sysdrum,

Early this year when I started with Linux, I also installed the Intel Linux Driver 1.0.3 (I think).
But when I first tried, I encountered an issue when I ran the installer "Distribution Not Supported"
I discovered at that time it was expecting vanilla Ubuntu. So unless they have changed it, I'm surprised it worked.?

The only way I could install at that time, from my notes:

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gksu leafpad /etc/lsb-releaseFile looks like:
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=14.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=trusty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Linux Lite 2.0"

Change it to:
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=14.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=trusty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 14.04 LTS"

Then:
wget --no-check-certificate https://download.01.org/gfx/RPM-GPG-KEY-ilg -O - | sudo apt-key add -
wget --no-check-certificate https://download.01.org/gfx/RPM-GPG-KEY-ilg-2 -O - | sudo apt-key add -
echo "deb https://download.01.org/gfx/ubuntu/14.04/main trusty main #Intel Graphics drivers" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/intellinuxgraphics.list

Then:
Goto Synaptic Package Manager
find/add Intel Graphics Installer
Install it

Then Run the "Intel Graphics Installer"

Then undo the changes to the lsb-release file.

Even then, I wasn't sure how to confirm the actual Intel Drivers where in use.??

bobw, I never found the information you posted on doing the:

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sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
Also,, sysdrum
The command you posted:

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sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-intel
Are you saying that you do not need to use the Intel Graphics installer, you just that.??

Thanks... Dave