Damon L. Chesser wrote:
Run Xorg -configure to probe your hardware, then run X -config /root/xorg.conf.new to test it. How ever, this also does not give you a monitor selection field, it only probes your hardware and inserts reasonable defaults. So as a test, I moved xorg.conf out of the way and started X (with out an xorg.conf at all). For some reason X did not start (complained about not being able to open the frame buffer device, which I am running). Sometimes this worked in the past, sometime it did not. I suspect that if I was not running a FB, it would have started with out a xorg.conf. I then ran dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (with no xorg.conf in place) and no questions about my monitor were asked. I then started X. It would not start due to not being able to find glx (I assume dpkg-reconfigure "saw" I had nvidia-kernel-module loaded up, but don't know why it did not find nvidia-glx). I ran it again, and choose not to use a fb device. It started X just fine.Ron,one of the few times I have to disagree with you: Yes this is 2008 and we are running Debian, however, Xorg -configure will still work."-configureWhen this option is specified, the Xorg server loads all video driver modules, probes for available hardware, and writes out an initial xorg.conf(5) file based on what was detected. This option currently has some problems on some platforms, but in most cases it is a good way to bootstrap the configuration process. This option is only available when the server is run as root (i.e, with real-uid 0)."IIRC it will drop a test config into the PWD you then can test out with startx -config /path/to/file/just/written to test (though I am not sure about the startx option, it might be something all together different). I have had to do this a few times to get X configured, all though not in about two years.FWIW, I no longer get asked about the monitor selection after the first time I run dpkg-reconfigure xorg.conf either.
Next: I ran X -configure, then moved xorg.conf.new to /etc/X11/xorg.conf and started gdm. It fired up with out a hickup (all though it only used one monitor, but that was expected with out hacking the xorg.conf file).
Conclusion: the OP is correct, for what ever reason, you get asked once about monitor selection if you run dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (even with -plow). I don't know if this is a bug or a design issue. Also for what ever reason, if you get rid of my hand made xorg.conf, dpkg-reconfigure is unable to make a working xorg.conf for me (using fb) (YMMV) but X -configure makes one that will at least fire up (even though it still needs to be hacked to give my my two monitors, and that is almost understandable) and is very usable. I looked at the config file made with both methods: X -configure has monitor freqs in it:
Section "Monitor"
#DisplaySize 410 260 # mm
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "DEL"
ModelName "DELL SE198WFP"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertRefresh values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
While it is true that X -configure is NOT a debian tool, it is a X tool that comes with the package and in at least my case, works. I am looking forward to the time when I don't have to use saved back up of my xorg.conf file to get my two monitors working and xorg "just" gets it right. Even with that "annoyance" it still beats the hell out of my first time with Debian and testing (Woody) and the month it took to get X working.
OP, you never said of your new monitor works or not? Do you get X running on it? Is it configured to use the resolution you want? If you check your xorg.conf does it contain the correct information? As I have tested above, the fact that dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg does not ask for the monitor parameters does not matter as xorg will probe your monitor and use DDC to pull the correct settings. The only question after that is are you using a FB device (if I choose yes, it will not work, YMMV), what kind of mouse do you have, and what resolution do you want to run. To fix the resolution, just edit xorg.conf (if you don't have the correct resolution you desire).
HTH. -- Damon L. Chesser damon@damtek.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/dchesser