Screen resolution

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1

I have an old Dell Edge server in my network which is running well without any problems for more than 10 years. It has that squarish screen in the old format - I think it was something like 6:4 or similar. No that screen died and I bought a new screen which has the ratio 16:9 and now the images on the screen are distorted. The command xrandr gives the following output:

uli@fft:~> xrandr
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 1024 x 768, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1024 x 768
default connected primary 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768      76.00* 
uli@fft:~>

Is there any way to get a output e.g. 1280x720 or similar that the image on the screen in no longer stretched?
Any help is appreciated

2

Run from within an X session, what is the output from?:

inxi -Gxx

It will tell us which GPU you have, which driver is in use, and which driver(s) might be substituted. You probably will have to install inxi. It’s just a data collection script.

3

thank you mrmazda. Here is part of the output from lspci:

05:07.0 VGA compatible controller: XGI Technology Inc. (eXtreme Graphics Innovation) Z7/Z9 (XG20 core) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Subsystem: Dell Device 01ae
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-

your command:

fft:~ # inxi -Gxx
If 'inxi' is not a typo you can use command-not-found to lookup the package that contains it, like this:
    cnf inxi
fft:~ #

I tried:

fft:~ # lsmod | grep video
rc_flyvideo            16384  0
rc_core                36864  3 saa7134,rc_flyvideo
videobuf2_dma_sg       16384  1 saa7134
videobuf2_memops       16384  1 videobuf2_dma_sg
videobuf2_v4l2         28672  1 saa7134
videobuf2_core         40960  2 saa7134,videobuf2_v4l2
videodev              196608  5 tuner,v4l2_common,saa7134,videobuf2_core,videobuf2_v4l2
fft:~ #
4

OK - here it is:

fft:~ # inxi -Gxx
Resuming in non X mode: glxinfo not found. For package install advice run: inxi --recommends
Graphics:  Card: XGI (eXtreme Graphics Innovation) Z7/Z9 (XG20 core)
           bus-ID: 05:07.0 chip-ID: 18ca:0020
           Display Server: X.org 1.19.6
           drivers: fbdev (unloaded: modesetting,vesa)
           tty size: 77x24 Advanced Data: N/A for root
fft:~ #
5

Bad news for users of SLE12 and openSUSE, and most likely all current major distros (e.g. debian):
https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=952781
startx session exit puts display configuration out of range

You’re most likely stuck with the 1024x768 limitation (and sloth) of either FBDEV or VESA driver unless you can add another GPU (which is what I eventually did). FBDEV & VESA generally won’t support widescreen modes (e.g. 1280x800, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1600x900 & 1680x1050 AFAIK), but ISTR some 1920x1080 displays might work with one of them (though slowly). 1920x1080 was part of the original HDTV standard last century. AFAICT, all other widescreen modes are all newer and not part of VESA standards, unless maybe 1280x720 (720p) is also included.

The bug suggests you might be able to build the xf86-video-xgi driver from source if it’s important.

4:3 CRTs are plentiful free or very low cost. I junked 4 70 pounder IBMs & Dells (‘21"’) last month. :stuck_out_tongue:

6

Thanks mrmazda - looks like I am stuck then. OK this little server lasted for approx 14 years - that’s already something. I will keep it running with the distorted screen for what need doing on it.

7

Hi
Here you go, hopefully it works… the kernel driver will be dropped in kernel version5.1, so should be good for Leap 15.N (unless backporting drops the driver?)…

Download should show up in https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/malcolmlewis:/TESTING/openSUSE_Leap_15.0_Update/x86_64/

Does the new monitor have a menu option to select 4:3?

8

:frowning: Does not for me.

# rpmqa xf86-video # without specifying xgi DDX
xf86-video-fbdev-0.4.4-lp150.1.7.x86_64
xf86-video-vesa-2.4.0-lp150.1.1.x86_64
xf86-video-xgi-1.6.1+git20181207.979e4ce-lp150.1.1.x86_64
# ll /dev/fb*
crw-rw---- 1 root video 29, 0 Apr 14 23:50 /dev/fb0
# ll /dev/dr*
ls: cannot access '/dev/dr*': No such file or directory
# inxi -GxxS
System:    Host: g5eas Kernel: 4.12.14-lp150.12.58-default x86_64 bits: 64 Console: tty 3 Distro: openSUSE Leap 15.0 
Graphics:  Device-1: XGI Z7/Z9 vendor: Gigabyte driver: N/A bus ID: 0a:03.0 chip ID: 18ca:0020
           Display: server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: fbdev unloaded: modesetting,vesa resolution: 1024x768~76Hz
           OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 5.0 128 bits) v: 3.3 Mesa 18.0.2 compat-v: 3.0 direct render: Yes
## /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf
Section "Device"
    Identifier "DefaultDevice"
	Driver	"xgi"
EndSection

Without specifying use of xgi driver, X works using fbdev @1024x768:
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/SUSE/Xorg/xorg.0.log-xgi-fbdev
With specifying, X won’t start:
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/SUSE/Xorg/xorg.0.log-xgi-mlewis
Without specifying, but with nomodeset boot, still fbdev @1024x768:
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/SUSE/Xorg/xorg.0.log-xgi-nomodeset
With nomodeset and specifying xgi, no X:
http://fm.no-ip.com/Tmp/SUSE/Xorg/xorg.0.log-xgi-xgi-nomodeset
A ton of Dazed and confused, but trying to continue; Uhhuh. NMI received for knknown reason 31 on CPU 0; Do you have a strange power saving mode enabled? lines in dmesg and journal.

Any suggestions?

9

Hi
I probably need to add the PCI ID and patch the driver. I’ll see what I can do later today.

10

Hi
Have you tried the xf86-video-sisusb driver as this appears to support the Z7/Z9 device?

11

Long time ago it failed. Haven’t had any indication since that it’s worth another try. For me the GeForce PCI card does better than the XGI ever could have.

12

Hi
I think any gpu would be better :wink:

@OP, did you try the driver at all? Or as mrmazda indicates, get a cheap PCI card…

13

… or get a cheap 4:3 monitor. 15" LCD will be a good choice.