If you’re running Ubuntu 9.10 and want to tweak your display settings, adjusting the screen resolution is a quick fix. Whether you’re trying to match your monitor’s native resolution or just make things look sharper, Ubuntu 9.10 has tools to help you get it done. Let’s walk through the steps to change the screen resolution, troubleshoot common issues, and customize your display for a better experience.
Table of Contents
Accessing Display Settings
The first step to change your screen resolution is to access the Display Settings. Here’s how:
- Click on System in the top menu bar.
- Navigate to Preferences and select Display.
- The Display Preferences window will open, showing your current resolution and other options.
From here, you’ll be able to pick a resolution that works best for your screen.
Choosing the Right Resolution
- Native Resolution: For the best clarity, choose the native resolution of your monitor (usually noted in the manual or on the manufacturer’s website).
- Lower Resolutions: If your system feels sluggish, dropping the resolution can improve performance, but it may make things look less crisp.
Adjusting Screen Resolution via Terminal
If the graphical interface doesn’t show the resolution you need, you can use the terminal to make adjustments. Follow these steps:
- Open a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
- Type the following command to list available resolutions:
xrandrThis will display a list of supported resolutions for your current setup. - To set a new resolution, use the following command:
xrandr --output [display-name] --mode [resolution]Replace[display-name]with the name of your display (e.g., VGA1 or HDMI1) and[resolution]with your desired resolution (e.g., 1920×1080). - If the desired resolution is not listed, you may need to add it manually:
cvt [width] [height] xrandr --newmode "custom-resolution" [output] xrandr --addmode [display-name] "custom-resolution" xrandr --output [display-name] --mode "custom-resolution"Replace[width]and[height]with the resolution dimensions you want.
Fixing Common Problems
Sometimes, you might run into issues when changing the resolution. Here are a few quick fixes:
- Resolution Missing in Settings: Use the terminal method to manually add the resolution.
- Changes Revert After Reboot: Add the xrandr command to your startup applications. Open System > Preferences > Startup Applications, click Add, and enter your xrandr command.
- Display Not Detected: Check your cable connections, update your graphics drivers, or try switching to a different cable type (like HDMI or VGA).
Customizing Your Display for the Best Experience
After setting your resolution, you might want to tweak other display settings to optimize your experience:
- Adjust the refresh rate for smoother visuals.
- Configure dual monitors under the Display Preferences if you’re using more than one screen.
- Change the font size or scaling settings for better readability on high-resolution displays.
Wrapping Up
Changing the screen resolution in Ubuntu 9.10 can make a big difference in how your system looks and feels. Whether you’re using the graphical interface or terminal commands, you have plenty of options to get things just right. Don’t forget to experiment and find the setup that works best for your hardware. Once you’ve adjusted the resolution, everything from text to images should look sharper and more aligned with your preferences.
Actually, to find this way of changing the screen does not need this article. My Ubunto offers 600×400 and 800×600 screen resolution. No more!
I would rather be happy to get back my resolution of 1600×1200.
Wolfgang,
I am working on part II of this article that will explain how to add custom resolutions that do not appear in the drop-down list. Stay tuned, I hope to have it out in a couple of days at the most.
Hi 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, 🙂
Hey Guys,
Sorry for the delay, but I am having more trouble than anticipated getting custom resolutions to function properly on Ubuntu 9.10. I am not sure when I’ll be able to post the second part of the article. Once again, I am sorry for the lack of usefulness of this part of the article.
Sood
i installed ubuntu 9.1
and screen resolution is automatically selected (16:9).
i dont need such a big resolution and the frequency as 85hz.
it is not possible to change it, why is it so?
now its a very big screen and i am not able to operate on it.
please help me.
actually my monitor support only 60hz, then how it automaticaly selects 85 and not changable also.
and in my windows os i have 1024×768, i need that one.
but thats also is not changable when i click on that tab.
i am totaly confused, please help me to sort it out.
if anyone knows how to deal it please mail me
Fixed it on my Toshiba Portege 2000 running Xubuntu 9.10
Had to do this manually (info gleaned from https://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 https://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!
Hi,
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 (https://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.
Sorry, this is a more relevant link:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution
xrandr –newmode “1024×768 75Hz” 75 1024 1072 1176 1328 768 771 775 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr –addmode VGA1 1024×768
and set new res in pref> display
What up.
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:
https://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.