my screen resolution was better in xp, ubuntu offers at most 1024x768

First, backup your xorg.conf file - sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old

then open it up and take a look at it:

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Look for this section - and here's a couple of examples:

Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "Configured Monitor"
 Vendorname "NEC"
 Modelname "NEC MultiSync LCD1760NX (Digital)"
 Horizsync 31.0-69.0
 Vertrefresh 56.0-75.0
  modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "640x480@72" 31.5 640 664 704 832 480 489 491 520 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "640x480@75" 31.5 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "800x600@72" 50.0 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "800x600@75" 49.5 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "832x624@75" 57.284 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "1024x768@75" 78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
  modeline "1024x768@70" 75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
  modeline "1152x864@75" 108.0 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync
  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
  modeline "1400x1050@60" 122.61 1400 1488 1640 1880 1050 1051 1054 1087 -hsync +vsync
 Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 Device "Configured Video Device"
 Monitor "Configured Monitor"
 Defaultdepth 24
 SubSection "Display"
  Depth 24
  Modes "1280x1024@60" "1400x1050@60" "1280x960@60" "1152x864@75" "1024x768@60" "1024x768@70" "1024x768@75" "832x624@75" "800x600@60" "800x600@75" "800x600@72" "800x600@56" "640x480@75" "640x480@72" "640x480@60"
 EndSubSection
EndSection

Example 2:

Section "Monitor"
 Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
 Identifier "Default Screen"
 Monitor "Configured Monitor"
 Device "Configured Video Device"
        DefaultDepth 24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport 0 0
                Depth 24
                Modes "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

You need to add the desired resolution/s and save the file - restart gdm: sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

Should x-window fail, and all you can get is root terminal - simply restore your previous xorg.conf file with this command:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old /etc/X11/xorg.conf

save, and restart gdm again.

neither of them work. so?

Yeshara's reply was very comprehensive and probably took a lot of time to put together.

You could state what kind of graphics card you are using or what kind of graphics chip. That would be really helpful information for someone trying to provide an answer for you.

What resolution do you want?

Okay Please paste the ouput of the below command here (fire up a terminal.. (applications -> accessories -> terminal and execute the below command)

lspci

Regards

Neither of them work sounds like you copied and pasted the examples - of course they didn't work - they were examples for you to edit your own - not code to use.

i am really sorry, but it's been just 2 two days that i passed completely from xp to linux and i have no terminal knowledge. hopefully i am learning. i think you need this information from 'lspci' :

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)

and i want to have 1280*1024 resolution.

thanks

make sure you have "xserver-xorg-video-intel" installed,

sudo aptitude xserver-xorg-video-intel.

 If that's installed, and you still don't have that option from system, preferences, screen resolution - they you'll have to manually edit your xorg.cof adding a line for 1280x1024

firstly, how can i find out if it is installed or not with "sudo aptitude xserver-xorg-video-intel".
and if it is not installed where can i find manual configurations

thanks

Which release of Ubuntu are you using...?

Thank you

i guess it is the latest, 8.04.1

at displayconfig-gtk step, this happened:
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7861/screenshotec1.png

Always when a command require administrative permission you must use sudo or gksudo prefix to the command.

So now you can type into the terminal:

sudo displayconfig-gtk

give your user password when requested, you don't see nothing when you type it, then press enter.

hope this helps

i have changed it to 1280 x 1024 but the screen size expanded.
i think my laptop supports at most 1024x768.
but somehow i remember from my xp experience
the resolution was better.

anyway thanks for the help

Thanks marcobra, that solved my question.