GDM greeter resolution wrong wont fit on sceen

Somethig more I need to add is: I downloaded the Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop CD iso and could not update from that. Adept or Synaptic added the CD as a repository source, so that when I updated from Adept, KDE with Kubuntu, Gnome was also updated from the CD.

/etc/X11/xorg.conf file contains configuration items for the X server that kdm is using. Posting your copy here may help to diagnose the issue.

Here it is:
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section "InputDevice"
 Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
 Driver "kbd"
 Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
 Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
 Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
 Identifier "Configured Mouse"
 Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
 Identifier "Configured Video Device"
 Boardname "NVIDIA GeForce FX (generic)"
 Busid "PCI:2:0:0"
 Driver "nvidia"
 Screen 0
 Vendorname "NVIDIA"
 Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "Configured Monitor"
 Vendorname "Sony"
 Modelname "Sony MFM-HT75W (Digital)"
 Horizsync 28.0-64.0
 Vertrefresh 57.0-63.0
  modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
  modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
 Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 Device "Configured Video Device"
 Monitor "Configured Monitor"
 Defaultdepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
  Depth 24
  Virtual 1280 1024
  Modes "800x600@60" "1024x768@60" "640x480@60" "1280x768@60" "1280x960@60" "1280x1024@60"
 EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
 Identifier "Default Layout"
  screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
EndSection
Section "Module"
 Load "glx"
 Load "v4l"
EndSection
Section "device" #
 Identifier "device1"
 Boardname "NVIDIA GeForce FX (generic)"
 Busid "PCI:2:0:0"
 Driver "nv"
 Screen 1
 Vendorname "NVIDIA"
EndSection
Section "screen" #
 Identifier "screen1"
 Device "device1"
 Defaultdepth 24
 Monitor "monitor1"
EndSection
Section "monitor" #
 Identifier "monitor1"
 Gamma 1.0
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

In the section "screen", modes. I inserted "1280x768@60" because it wasn't put there by any driver and that is the native resolution and refresh of the monitor.

The problems solved. I used the command:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
gdm is now the correct resolution and every part of the greeter window is visible. I noticed at the top of the xorg.conf file were it says it was generated by failsafeDexconf for vesa mode and it said a real file needed to be generated.

One more thing that had to be done. I lost 3d acceleration after executing the command above. I had to go into Control Center, Hardware Drivers and tick the box beside "NVIDIA accelerated graphics drivers". to get it back.

Just filling in,
I edited my NVIDIA xorg.conf and removed all unwanted resolutions (I'm on a standard 4:3 LCD)
worked like a charm. No need to fix 3D acceleration and I have no problems accessing the Nvidia X Server Settings.

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder63) Mon May 19 00:33:37 PDT 2008

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "Default Layout"
    Screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
    InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
    InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "glx"
    Load "v4l"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver "kbd"
    Option "CoreKeyboard"
    Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Configured Mouse"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "CorePointer"
    Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
    Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "Failsafe Monitor"
    VendorName "Plug 'n' Play"
    ModelName "Plug 'n' Play"
    Gamma 1
    ModeLine "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
 #
    Identifier "monitor1"
    Gamma 1
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "Failsafe Device"
    Driver "nvidia"
    BoardName "vesa"
    BusID "PCI:4:0:0"
    Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
 #
    Identifier "device1"
    Driver "vesa"
    BoardName "vesa"
    BusID "PCI:4:0:0"
    Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "Default Screen"
    Device "Failsafe Device"
    Monitor "Failsafe Monitor"
    DefaultDepth 24
    SubSection "Display"
        Virtual 1280 1024
        Depth 24
        Modes "1280x1024@60"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 #
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

I used your reconfigure code and my log in screen is fine now, but my desktop is still oversized. I can't find the xorg.conf either, where am I supposed to find it?

How do you mean you're desktop is oversized? Do you mean it is oversized but is still fitting the screen area or the edges go outside the screen area?

Everything's on the screen, but expanded. The bottom taskbar's icon overlap and font everywhere is larger than normal. The folder icons on my desktop are also bigger than usual. Here's a screenshot of it:
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/SuicidalPete/Screenshot-2.png
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l147/SuicidalPete/Screenshot-1.png

Sam, if you go to Control Center, Hardware. Screen Resolution in the resolution drop down box are there any higher resolutions you can choose?
If there are not it would be good to see you're xorg.conf file. It can be opened like this in a Terminal:
gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Select all the text. Copy the text then past it here, but only if there are no higher resolutions for you to choose as explained.

This link might also help if resolutions are not available because you're monitor is not detected properly:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FixVideoResolutionHowto?action=fullsearch&value=linkto%3A%22FixVideoResolutionHowto%22&context=180

There wasn't any other resolution options before, but now there are a lot. I tried a few, but 800 x 600 seems to be the best so far. My taskbar fits better, but still isn't the size was before I think. The text on screens might still be a little big, but it is so much more manageable and workable now. Thank you.

Sam, glad it's working now. You still might need to adjust font sizes though if the text is too big.
Just something I was wondering is you're monitor the older CRT or the modern LCD flat panel type, because a LCD has a native resolution that is not normally changed from unlike a CRT.

I changed the screen resolution again to 1152x864, and now everything is back to normal. Thank you. It's a newer flat panel monitor, so I'm assuming it's LCD.

Thats great

ok my question is simple.. I hope:

8.04.1 Hardy i386 w GNOME using open-source default nv driver.

In GDM before logging in, my monitor reports the refresh rate to be 75Hz which works, but my preferred rate is 60Hz because the monitor (5:4 1280x1024 LCD) doesn't auto-center correctly with the nv driver at 75Hz

So when I'm logged in, it's at 60Hz as set using GNOME display properties... however when I'm at the GDM greeter it's at 75Hz...

Is there a way to set what the res and refresh rate will be, *before* some one is logged in??

I thought the greeter might be running under root with a different config file so I ran sudo gnome-display-properties... but that one is the same as my login.

I thought the xorg.conf file might have an effect on the monitor resolution, but I thought it was all automatic and xrandr based now...

Confused... how do I set the Xorg default monitor settings??

Found it... It does still use Xorg...

So I used the http://www.sh.nu/nvidia/gtf.php and generated a mode line and added it to my xorg.conf

it works.