I usually have to add the horiz vertfresh range(which I found online) for my monitor to the xorg file in order to get the proper resolutions. I’ve never had to add a modeline, but you can do that too,except in 9.10 you now have to generate an xorg.conf file. After I did that, my normal edits worked as usual.

I add the last two lines in this section.
Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0″
VendorName “Monitor Vendor”
ModelName “Monitor Model”
horizsync 30-60
vertrefresh 50-120

Did that after generating the xorg.conf with help from here:
http://www.osguides.net/operation-systems/217-how-to-create-xorgconf-in-ubuntu-910.html

I found this function, cvt 1024 768 70 , which creates modeline, in this case 1024×768 refresh rate 70 -interesting.

It’s helpful to turn on the alt+tab+backspace reset for the xserver when working on this stuff, System>Preferences>Keyboard>Layouts tab>layout options button>toggle kill the x server sequence. Then you don’t have to completely reboot to test.

Also helpful to set up the Super_L button using the command gconf-editor navigating the gui that pops up to App>Metacity>Global Key Bindings>Panel Main Menu and type in Super_L there, all seven characters; for anybody just setting their system up. This is another recent change. Used to be part of the keyboard shortcuts. Then you don’t have use Alt>F1 for the menu.

Thanks all!

Be real, be sober.

and set new res in pref> display

I finally got back my previous resolution and am now able to have my monitor configured so it display 1280×1024@75Hz (its max resolution). I don’t know what I really did… I tried a lot of things since xorg.conf modifications seemed to have no effects. My guess is that it worked after I played with xrandr (http://www.x.org/wiki/Projects/XRandR).
Hope this can help other getting their resolution back or you Sood, writing the Part II.

Have a nice day.

Had to do this manually (info gleaned from http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/x-config.html).

First, shut down X server
# sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

Have Xorg create a ~/xorg.conf.new file for your computer
# Xorg -configure

Start X server back up
# sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

Now edit the generated file using the tutorial on http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/x-config.html . I only used the steps after “Next, tune the xorg.conf.new configuration file to taste”.

I think the important settings are the HorizSync and VertRefresh values under the Monitor section. Once these are set, X server will give you more display options.

Finally, copy your new configuration to the right place and restart X server
# cp ~/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

Hope this helps!

Sood

I also am eager to read the Part II. I was stucked with a 640×480/800×600 resolution with Ubuntu 9.10. I tried adding stuff in xorg.conf but it seems not to have any effects. I’ve read in forums that xorg.conf is no longer necessary and is in fact missing after Ubuntu installation so… I deleted it and restarted. There are now more resolution available but I still can’t get to the 1280×1024@75Hz I was before, the maximum resolution I can set is 1152×864@60Hz. It is not comfortable and I experience serious issues with XP in VirtualBox.

Thanks a lot for your upcoming article,

I would rather be happy to get back my resolution of 1600×1200.