Setting Screen Resolution?

I am using windows XP and am looking to try linux for the first time (total newbie!).

On my XP laptop, I had many years ago lowered the display to 1024 x 768 to suit my eyesight.

I have tried a few linux distros (without installing) and just now Zorin. So I go to monitor resolution and it is automatically set to 1280 x 800 in Zorin (just like others). I changed it to 1024x768. The result is the screen shrinks and there is large black borders on the right and left sides - not what I was expecting (in windows xp, the entire screen still displays and everything is just a bit larger).

Am I missing a step, or is the way linux handles this? Does it behave differently with an actual instsall?

The larger resolution is really only noticeable in a browser, where everything just looks noticeably smaller to me. Not a huge deal, but wanted to see if I am doing this correctly to get the lower resolution without losing the full screen size.

Thanks for any advice.

Hi,

open System Settings > Hardware > Screen Displays > Detect Displays and see what it offers in screen sizes by clicking on resolution!.

Have you installed any graphic card drivers?.

Open a terminal and paste the following command so we can see what graphics card you have:

Code:

lspci

Paste the feedback here, you will end up with something like this and we are looking for (the highlighted line below) info about your graphics card:

wolfman@fred:~$ lspci
00:00.0 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:01.1 SMBus: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
00:01.2 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)
00:02.0 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 USB 1.1 Controller (rev a3)
00:02.1 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 USB 2.0 Controller (rev a3)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1)
00:05.0 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
00:07.0 Bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 Ethernet (rev a2)
00:08.0 IDE interface: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:08.1 IDE interface: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:09.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:0c.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor HyperTransport Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Miscellaneous Control
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 10h Processor Link Control
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 [GeForce GT 430] (rev a1)
02:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF108 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
wolfman@fred:~$

Thanks for your response. I am assuming the part about seeing what resolutions it offers means Zorin and not xp? I could not find that pathway you gave (this is 6.2 lite), but preferences -> monitor settings offers 1280x800, 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480

I have not installed any graphic card drivers. I am a newbie and wouldn't even know how to do that.

Here's the readout I got from terminal

live@live:~$ CODE:SELECT ALL
CODE:SELECT: command not found
live@live:~$ CODE: SELECT ALL
CODE:: command not found
live@live:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) SATA Controller [IDE mode] (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 02)
05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
07:06.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
07:06.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCIxx12 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
07:06.2 Mass storage controller: Texas Instruments 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)
07:06.3 SD Host controller: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller
07:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation PRO/100 VE Network Connection (rev 02)
live@live:~$

That is the first time I ever used a terminal so I hope that is correct.
Thanks again for the response.

Hi,

you have an Intel graphics chip (Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)) and if you running a live CD, you can only adjust the screen res as you have already done!.

If you really need reading help (depending on how bad your eyesight is) with reading, use Orca:

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/orca.html

I cannot really say much more apart from intall Zorin and see how you get on!.

if you running a live CD, you can only adjust the screen res as you have already done!.

Are you saying that the issue I am having is because of the live cd and it should work more as I expected when installed? Is the intel graphic chip I have not good for linux?

Sorry to bother you, but this is quite new to me. Thanks for the link too, I don't have serious eyesight problems, I am just used to the lower resolution and was trying to understand why it was acting so differently in linux than Windows. Also, I am still figuring out how I want to install (i.e. dual boot) so I wanted to get as much info before installing.

thanks again for your patience.

Hi,

I cannot really say how well your PC will function once Zorin OS is installed, all I can say is that there is really only one way to find out and that is by doing a complete install!.

The Intel graphic card drivers should install with the system when you do a complete install and then you can see how well or badly the OS performs!.