Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => TCB Q&A Forum => Topic started by: 3guesses on August 15, 2015, 05:47:49 AM

Title: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 15, 2015, 05:47:49 AM
Hi,

I'm a newbie to TinyCore (and no Linux expert, either), so apologies if this is a simple problem to overcome.

I have installed TC on my laptop (Lenovo N500) which has an external display connected via VGA.  This display supports 1920x1080x32 @60Hz (on Windows, anyway) but TC does not seem to recognise this - here is the output when I run Xvesa from the control panel:

Code: [Select]
Tiny Core Linux - Xvesa Resolution Setup

         1. 640x480x16
         2. 640x480x24
         3. 800x600x16
         4. 800x600x24
         5. 1024x768x16
         6. 1024x768x24
         7. 1280x1024x16
         8. 1280x1024x24
         9. 1280x800x16
        10. 1280x800x24
        11. 1600x1200x16
        12. 1600x1200x24
        13. 1920x1440x16
        14. 1920x1440x24
        15. 1920x1440x8

Enter selection ( 1 - 15 ) or (q)uit:

I am currently running at 1600x1200x24 (I didn't want to risk any of the 1920x1440 options) but I would rather be running at 1920x1080x32.  Is this easy to do?

Thanks,

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 15, 2015, 06:18:18 AM
Xvesa can only use the VESA options supported by your BIOS.
Use Xorg instead along with the hardware driver for your hardware.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 15, 2015, 08:41:44 AM
OK, so to do that I guess I need to use "Apps" to download Xorg and an ATI driver?  I can see an Xorg-7.7.tcz which I presume is the Xorg app I need, but what do I do for my video card driver?

Thanks,

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: Rich on August 15, 2015, 08:55:02 AM
Hi 3guesses
Quote
I can see an Xorg-7.7.tcz which I presume is the Xorg app I need, ...
Yes. And you probably want  xf86-video-ati.tcz
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 15, 2015, 12:09:34 PM
Hi 3guesses
Quote
I can see an Xorg-7.7.tcz which I presume is the Xorg app I need, ...
Yes. And you probably want  xf86-video-ati.tcz
Great, thanks.  So I've downloaded both of those packages - what do I do with them exactly?

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 15, 2015, 12:44:53 PM
What do you meanyou "downloaded" them?
You should have done "tce-load -iw Xorg-7.7 xf86-video-ati"  or installed "onboot" from Apps.
Use Apps to add them "onboot" and remove "Xvesa" from onboot.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 16, 2015, 04:12:39 AM
What do you meanyou "downloaded" them?
You should have done "tce-load -iw Xorg-7.7 xf86-video-ati"  or installed "onboot" from Apps.
Use Apps to add them "onboot" and remove "Xvesa" from onboot.
OK, well I wasn't exactly sure what I was doing so in "Apps" I had selected the "Download Only" option.  Anyway, I used the "OnBoot Maintenance" to add those 2 packages and remove Xvesa, but after rebooting I have just ended up with a "tc@box:~$" prompt.  I've tried running "startx" but it's coming back with lots of errors: "cat: can't open '/etc/sysconfig/Xserver': No such file or directory" followed by lots of "usb 2-3:" errors.  So what now?

Edit: I don't know if it's important, but TinyCore is installed in a dedicated logical partition on my laptop.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: volkerp on August 16, 2015, 07:11:04 AM
As a first step you can try to get back your old Xvesa X server after typing

Code: [Select]
tce-load -i Xvesa.tcz
and, if succesful,

Code: [Select]
startx
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 16, 2015, 08:13:14 AM
"can't open '/etc/sysconfig/Xserver"  means you did not load Xorg-7.7

Check your onboot.lst.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 16, 2015, 02:37:48 PM
OK, I managed to get Xvesa back up and running, so I repeated the process (Manage OnBoot: remove Xvesa, add xf86-video-ati.tcz and Xorg-7.7-lib.tcz), checked onboot.lst (looked correct), rebooted and exactly the same problem.  Then I realised that it's not this laptop with the ATI video card (I'm playing around with 2 laptops at the moment and got confused) - it uses an Intel Mobile GMA 4500 so I shall see if I can find the right xf86 driver package for it!

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 16, 2015, 02:45:29 PM
It is not Xorg-7.7-lib.tcz ,  It is Xorg-7.7.tcz
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 16, 2015, 03:08:47 PM
It is not Xorg-7.7-lib.tcz ,  It is Xorg-7.7.tcz
Aha!  That seems to have been the problem.  It was very late when I was doing this - I thought I had selected Xorg-7.7.tcz for download, but clearly not.  My display now seems to be running at 1920x1080 (how can I check?)  Thanks, and well spotted.

Next problem: I've started up Firefox and the window menubar is off the top of the screen and the bottom of the window is off the bottom of the screen!  How do I move/re-size it to fit on my screen?!?!?

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 16, 2015, 03:32:17 PM
xrandr will show you the current and available modes.
lxrandr will let you do it graphically.

Try <ALT><Left mouse button> and move the mouse.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: Rich on August 16, 2015, 04:29:02 PM
Hi 3guesses
Quote
Next problem: I've started up Firefox and the window menubar is off the top of the screen and the bottom of the window is off the bottom of the screen!  How do I move/re-size it to fit on my screen?!?!?
Try hitting  Ctrl-Alt-M  once or twice.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gordon64 on August 16, 2015, 05:23:28 PM
and if its not too rude to suggest a desktop,
fluxbox is a small desktop that offers a panel at top of screen

If you are right handed RH click the name of the app in the panel and left click the maximise button to maximise the app......as per attachment

If you click the maximise again, it resizes smaller

works for me and good luck



Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 17, 2015, 09:05:41 AM
 gerald_clark, Rich, gordon64: Thanks very much, all really helpful.

Slight problem: I have installed fluxbox and now I have strange goings on with the TC Wbar.  I have Firefox to run on boot, and when I launch it from the Wbar the WiFi icon/app disappears from the Wbar and a second Firefox icon/app takes its place.  If I open tcWbarConf and click Apply, The Wifi icon/app reappears but then disappears again as soon as I close tc-wbarconf... Very strange!  Any thoughts?

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gordon64 on August 17, 2015, 05:07:13 PM
Hi

Quote
I have Firefox to run on boot, and when I launch it from the Wbar the WiFi icon/app disappears from the Wbar and a second Firefox icon/app takes its place

I read this as meaning you have firefox in your "boot" list and not already opening or running on your desktop. I may be wrong.

but unable to replicate the issue on x86 (32 bit).
clicking an item in the tc-wbarconf click apply and then move it back it back click apply does nothing to my icons other than what is expected. No second icon appears for me.

If you mean, it is running when desktop opens are you using .X.d?
Otherwise I will leave it to the gurus to answer.
 ;D
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 18, 2015, 05:28:31 AM
Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear - I had previously downloaded firefox.tcz and then added it to onboot.  As such, the last 3 icons on my TC Wbar are firefox, TC_Install and Wifi.  When I click on the "firefox" icon, Firefox opens, the Wifi icon disappears and a "Mozilla Firefox" icon appears in its place.  Interestingly, this doesn't happen if I haven't made a Wifi connection.  (Aside: should the Wifi icon change once I have connected?  Mine always stays the same with the red "pulse" lines.)  Also, if I click on the "Mozilla Firefox" icon it takes focus back to the running instance of Firefox, whereas if I click on the "firefox" icon again it starts a new instance/window of Firefox which then gobbles up the "TC_Install" icon...  If I the close down this second instance/window, the "firefox" together with one of the "Mozilla Firefox" icons then disappear from the TC Wbar!  If I then close the first instance of Firefox, I lose the "Mozilla Firefox" and another icon (ezremaster?) from TC Wbar.

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gerald_clark on August 18, 2015, 05:41:48 AM
Make sure you don't have any firefox ondemand entries.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 18, 2015, 08:53:40 AM
Yes, I can confirm that I have no OnDemand entries.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: Misalf on August 18, 2015, 08:59:51 AM
Maybe check  /usr/local/tce.icons  for duplicate entries.
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 18, 2015, 10:31:44 AM
Nope, no duplicates in tce.icons.  I presume you wanted me to check after a reboot, ie before I started any apps?
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: volkerp on August 18, 2015, 12:03:27 PM
Hi 3guesses,

have you got the screen resolution you wanted (see subject)? If yes, the poblem is solved.

Disappearing wbar icons in another window manager are imho another problem, which should be discussed in a new thread. Why? There are perhaps users with the same problem searching for a solution. They won't find it under your subject.

Volker
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: gordon64 on August 18, 2015, 05:19:05 PM
volkerp
thats my fault for leading the Original Poster astray.

3guesses
Now that I know which firefox you are referring to, I have another suggestion. My fluxbox test was using the firefox from firefox-latest, a locally produced TCZ called firefox-official

Altho I am acutely aware I might be told off again, its seems to me, your issue may disappear if you use a recent version of firefox and not some very old version?

If you can afford the download of another more recent firefox, use firefox-latest to do that.
remove firefox (old) from your onboot list
---firefox-latest should put a new entry into your onboot list called firefox-official after its done its job
------check your onboot list before rebooting

Later on, I suggest you delete (old) firefox.tcz from your tcedir.

2) Now comes the fun bit......make that firefox have a blank home page.
This should resolve firefox trying to get the internet that you have just reported.
You can always use bookmarks after establishing an wifi connection....OK?

I have a tower, but I do know that wifi connections can and do take time to establish. This is the most likely reason why firefox is trying to load a page it can't get to, if your home page is set to the internet.

Now you need to do one more reboot to prove if I am right or continually wrong eh.


3) If those suggestions don't work, then start a new thread for each issue, but sometimes but not always, its is easier to trouble-shoot one issue knowing that you have other issues.

this does not excuse my behaviour in leading you astray....just saying  ;D

good luck

Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 21, 2015, 02:31:06 PM
Hi volkerp,

Yes, good point - I shall start a new thread for the disappearing icons issue.

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: 3guesses on August 21, 2015, 02:33:00 PM
BTW, I think the FAQ should have an entry describing how to set resolutions that Xvesa doesn't list.

3g
Title: Re: Setting 1920x1080 resolution
Post by: Juanito on August 22, 2015, 01:50:45 AM
Please feel free to add this to the wiki  :)