16.4. Controlling The Graphical Configuration

This little tool allows you to change the video resolution of your screen, if the one you configured at installation time does not fit your needs. When something really goes wrong or if you could not manage to configure your graphical server at installation time, there is an expert mode allowing you to configure your hardware.

Tip

If you cannot get the graphical environment at boot time, and only the command-line interface, log in as root and launch the XFdrake command. You will get the exact same tool as described here, but in text mode.

16.4.1. Changing The Resolution of Your Display

This little tool allows you to change the video resolution of your screen, if the one you configured at installation time does not fit your needs.

Figure 16-5. Choosing a New Video Resolution

You get two choices on the window (figure 16-5): resolution (in pixels) and depth (number of colors) of your system. Simply choose the one you wish to use and click the OK button.

Figure 16-6. Test The New Video Mode?

Then a new dialog will ask you whether you wish to test the new choices or not (figure 16-6). It is highly recommended you test it, because if it does not work, it will be harder later to recover a working graphical environment. If the test fails, or if you are not happy with the proposed settings and choose No, you go directly to the X Configuration Expert Mode.

Figure 16-7. Text or Graphical Login?

If all goes well, you will be presented a new dialog offering to start the graphical server at boot time or not. Answer No if you prefer to have a text login at boot time. Selecting Yes will launch the graphical login manager.

The changes will be activated after you quit and restart your graphical environment.

16.4.2. X Configuration Expert Mode

You can access a more advanced tool with which you can even modify the screen or video card in use. Simply click the More button while in simple mode. You will be presented various options:

Change Monitor

This option displays a tree with all major monitor brands and models. First, expand the branch corresponding to your monitor brand, then choose the model you are using.

Change Graphic Card

Same principle as for monitors, choose your video card brand and model. Next, depending on the chosen video card, you may be proposed various X server versions, with hardware acceleration or not. Choose the one which best suits your video use.

Change Resolution

This choice simply presents resolution and color depth combo boxes.

Show Information

This is a simple window summing up the current hardware choices.

Figure 16-8. The X Information Window

Test Again

It is recommended that you make a final configuration test before closing xfdrake: this will ensure you have no problems when rebooting the graphical server.

When you have successfully tested your configuration, choose the Quit option. You will be presented a summary of the new configuration. Choosing Yes will activate the changes, No will discard them, keeping old configuration parameters.

You are then finally presented the figure 16-6 dialog.


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