[SOLVED] Can't set X server display resolution

Question

Hello all,
I'm trying to set X Server display resolution to my monitor native 1366x768. I'm running Arch in a VMWare virtual machine. I have installed xf86-video-vmware drivers.
Here's the contents of my 10-monitor.conf file
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
DisplaySize 410 230
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "vmware" #Choose the driver used for this monitor
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0" #Collapse Monitor and Device section to Screen section
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24 #Choose the depth (16||24)
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1366x768" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" #Choose the resolution
EndSubSection
EndSection
And here's the log file where the resolutions get rejected:
2831.766] (II) vmwlegacy(0): Not using mode "1366x768" (no mode of this name)
2831.766] (II) vmwlegacy(0): Not using mode "1024x768" (no mode of this name)
Is this a consequence of the vmlegacy drivers? This is up high in the log file, where the legacy drivers eventually get loaded:
[ 2829.987] (II) LoadModule: "vmware"
[ 2829.988] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so
[ 2829.988] (II) Module vmware: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 2829.988] compiled for 1.8.0, module version = 11.0.1
[ 2829.988] Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[ 2829.988] ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[ 2829.988] (II) LoadModule: "vmwgfx"
[ 2829.988] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module vmwgfx
[ 2829.988] (II) UnloadModule: "vmwgfx"
[ 2829.988] (EE) Failed to load module "vmwgfx" (module does not exist, 0)
[ 2829.996] (EE) vmware: Please ignore the above warnings about not being able to to load module/driver vmwgfx
[ 2829.998] (II) vmware: Using vmwlegacy driver everything is fine.
[ 2829.998] (II) LoadModule: "vmwlegacy"
[ 2829.998] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmwlegacy_drv.so
[ 2829.998] (II) Module vmwlegacy: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 2829.998] compiled for 1.8.0, module version = 11.0.1
[ 2829.998] Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[ 2829.998] ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[ 2829.998] (II) vmwlegacy: driver for VMware SVGA: vmware0405, vmware0710
[ 2829.999] (--) using VT number 7
[ 2830.043] (II) Primary Device is: PCI 00@00:0f:0
[ 2830.043] (--) vmwlegacy(0): VMware SVGA regs at (0x10d0, 0x10d1)
[ 2830.043] (II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
[ 2830.043] (II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
[ 2830.044] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/libvgahw.so
[ 2830.044] (II) Module vgahw: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 2830.044] compiled for 1.8.1.902, module version = 0.1.0
[ 2830.044] ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 7.0
[ 2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): caps: 0x001FC3E2
[ 2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): depth: 24
[ 2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): bpp: 32
[ 2831.763] (--) vmwlegacy(0): vram: 18022400
Am I stuck to 800x600 in X Server when running Arch as a VMWare guest, or can I improve my situation?
EDIT: I have open-vm-tools installed and started through /etc/vmware-tools/poweron-vm-default.
Last edited by marfig (2010-08-05 02:40:23)

Answer 1

Ok. Finally it's working. This is why I love Arch. It forces me to learn.
The solution:
Step 1.
I followed the instructions in X.Org Wiki about obtaining modelines. Sadly, the log file didn't produce anything (probably because I was using the vesa vbe driver). But I followed the next option and got the modeline from Windows tool, Powerstrip.
"1366x768" 85.476 1366 1436 1579 1792 768 771 774 798 -hsync +vsync
Step 2.
Went to the web and fetched all the technical information about this monitor (a Acer X193HQ, that I use as my third monitor). I wanted hsync and vsync ranges, and display size in mm.
Step 3.
Edited my configuration file (/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-monitor.conf) making sure to comment out the last part of the modeline, since I was going to manually add the hsync and vsync ranges.
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
DisplaySize 410 230
HorizSync 30-80
VertRefresh 55-60
ModelName "X193HQ"
Option "DPMS"
VendorName "Acer"
ModeLine "1366x768" 85.476 1366 1436 1579 1792 768 771 774 798 # -hsync +vsync
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1366x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Step 4.
Success! X is started in 1366x768 with the vesa drivers with a 60Hz refresh rate.
Final thoughts
- With the vmware display drivers (xf86-driver-vmware) I don't get ideal results. For some reason it starts in 1368x768 (yes, 1368!). However xrandr reveals it supports 1366x768, and once I xrandr --size into it, all is fine. Dunno why this happens.
- It only works in 16 bit depth. 24 or 32 corrupt the screen. I don't know exactly why either. But for the use I plan to give the X server, 16 bit is fine.
Last edited by marfig (2010-08-06 00:02:24)