Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-video-mga package

Another "monitor unknown"

Asked by Chris Bedford

After searching for solutions to this issue, I have found only help for Intel, ATI, SiS... anything but Matrox graphics chipsets.

I tried following and amending one recipe, posted by actionparsnip for the Intel, but not completely understanding all the details I obviously got something wrong.

According to lshw this is my hardware:
---<snip>---
cb@cb-ML110:~$ sudo lshw -C display
[sudo] password for cb:
  *-display UNCLAIMED
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: MGA G200e [Pilot] ServerEngines (SEP1)
       vendor: Matrox Graphics, Inc.
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:0d:00.0
       version: 02
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm pciexpress msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list
       configuration: latency=0
       resources: memory:ee000000-eeffffff memory:ec100000-ec103fff memory:ec800000-ecffffff memory:ec110000-ec11ffff
---<snip>---

So I created xorg.conf like this:
---<snip>---
Section "Device"
Identifier "MGA G200e [Pilot] ServerEngines (SEP1)"
Driver "matrox"
BusID "PCI:0:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 31.5-48.5
VertRefresh 40-70
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "MGA G200e [Pilot] ServerEngines (SEP1)"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 32
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
EndSection
---<snip>---

(My screen is an LG 1720B LCD - have been using it for years at 1280 x 1024 in Windoze. It is also capable of 1152 x 864 - currently the highest res available in 10.10 - but that's just a detail right?)

However when I reboot after saving this file, Gnome won't start at all! I get an 80x25 text screen.

Apologies if this has been answered before - just wasn't able to find it... :-( Any help appreciated...

edit: same result if I change the BusID line to
     BusID "PCI:d:0:0"
which I figured (incorrectly, it appears) followed from lshw output line
     bus info: pci@0000:0d:00.0

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

If you run:

less /var/log/Xorg.0.log

You will see what is going on (use Q to exit less), you can then tweak your xorg.conf file (if you simply rename the file and reboot, you will get a desktop again and you can re-research the xorg.conf file and rename it BACK in to then re-edit)

If your system needs the xorg.conf file then you will spend a fair deal of time getting one so all is well, this is usually caused by a cheap monitor or one which simply doesn't report EDID when the OS probes it.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask Chris Bedford for more information if necessary.

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