How to change monitor refresh rate?

[Bartman]

I have just installed Linux (Slackware) for the 1st time, and now I'm trying to configure everything.

In X my monitor runs at 60Hz, and I just dont know how to increase that. I know it can do at least 75Hz at that resolution (1024x768).

vi /etc/X11/XF86Config

you're looking for this:

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "Monitor0"
        VendorName   "Eizo"
        ModelName    "FlexScan F340i-W"

        HorizSync       27-61.5
        VertRefresh     55-90

EndSection

[Bartman]

Thanks for the reply, but I already tried changes those values. But that doesnt really seem to change anything, my screen still looks terrible.
I read about the 'xvidtune' program, but running that gives me an "Floating point exception" error.

I have XFree86 version 4.2.0 with Kernel 2.4.18, running on a Pentium 133 with 48MB. My video card is S3 Trio64.
Yea I know, old computer; but that doenst mean it shouldnt work (it works allright in Windows!)

I'm sorry to say this, but this is where Linux is getting frustrating for me...

[cloverm]

[quote author=Bartman link=board=6;threadid=4046;start=#40182 date=1025805968]
Thanks for the reply, but I already tried changes those values. But that doesnt really seem to change anything, my screen still looks terrible.
I read about the 'xvidtune' program, but running that gives me an "Floating point exception" error.

I have XFree86 version 4.2.0 with Kernel 2.4.18, running on a Pentium 133 with 48MB. My video card is S3 Trio64.
Yea I know, old computer; but that doenst mean it shouldnt work (it works allright in Windows!)

I'm sorry to say this, but this is where Linux is getting frustrating for me...
[/quote]

Could you post the contents of your XF86Config file? We'll figure out where the problem is.

[Bartman]

Allright, this is XF86Config (stripped of comments to save space)

Section "Module"
    Load        "dbe"
    SubSection  "extmod"
      Option    "omit xfree86-dga"
    EndSubSection
    Load        "type1"
    Load        "freetype"
EndSection
Section "Files"
    RgbPath"/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local/"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/"
    FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
    ModulePath "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier"Keyboard1"
    Driver"Keyboard"
    Option "AutoRepeat" "500 30"
    Option "XkbRules""xfree86"
    Option "XkbModel""pc101"
    Option "XkbLayout""be"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier"Mouse1"
    Driver"mouse"
    Option "Protocol"    "IntelliMouse"
    Option "Device"      "/dev/mouse"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "My Monitor"
    HorizSync   30-64
    VertRefresh 50-90
EndSection
Section "Device"
    Identifier  "S3 Trio64 (generic)"
    Driver      "vesa"
    # Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate
EndSection
Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen 1"
    Device      "S3 Trio64 (generic)"
    Monitor     "My Monitor"
    DefaultDepth 16 
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes       "1024x768" "640x480" "800x600"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes       "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
EndSection
Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier  "Simple Layout"
    Screen "Screen 1"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

I could also post XFree86.0.log, but thats quite a large file and doenst mention anything at all about Refresh Rates.

An other oddity I noticed is that the refresh rate at 8bpp and 16bpp is not the same with these settings.
I am currently using KDE 3.0 as Desktop, but that shouldnt have to do anything with it. (assuming I understood the workings of X correctly)

[cloverm]

Looks like your Monitor section is incomplete. Try modifying it like this (I got these numbers from my config file, I'm not sure if they will work with your monitor.):

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier  "My Monitor"
        HorizSync  30-64
        VertRefresh 50-90
# 640x480, 60.0Hz; hfreq=31.469000, vfreq=59.939999
ModeLine "640x480" 25.17  640  648  744  784  480  482  484  509 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 72.0Hz; hfreq=37.861000, vfreq=72.808998
ModeLine "640x480" 31.50  640  656  696  816  480  481  484  504 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 75.0Hz; hfreq=37.500000, vfreq=75.000000
ModeLine "640x480" 31.50  640  656  720  840  480  481  484  500 -hsync -vsync
# 800x600, 60.0Hz; hfreq=37.879002, vfreq=60.317001
ModeLine "800x600" 40.00  800  840  968 1056  600  601  605  628 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 72.0Hz; hfreq=48.077000, vfreq=72.188004
ModeLine "800x600" 50.00  800  856  976 1040  600  637  643  666 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 75.0Hz; hfreq=46.875000, vfreq=75.000000
ModeLine "800x600" 49.50  800  816  896 1056  600  601  604  625 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 70.0Hz; hfreq=56.476002, vfreq=70.069000
ModeLine "1024x768" 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328  768  771  777  806 -hsync -vsync
# 1024x768, 75.0Hz; hfreq=60.022999, vfreq=75.028999
ModeLine "1024x768" 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312  768  769  772  800 +hsync +vsync
# 1152x864, 75.0Hz; hfreq=67.500000, vfreq=75.000000
ModeLine "1152x864"108.00 1152 1216 1344 1600  864  865  868  900 +hsync +vsync
# 1280x1024, 75.0Hz; hfreq=79.975998, vfreq=75.025002
ModeLine "1280x1024"135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

[Schotty]

Cloverm is correct -- but if his settings dont work, rerun xf86config and see if that helps any.

[Bartman]

Thanks again for the replies, but really it doesnt seem to change anything at all. If I didnt know better, its like X just ignores all those ModeLines.
I already decided to just re-install everything with an other distro (still have to choose which, probably Mandrake) and hope it will work better.

[Schotty]

did you rerun xf86config ? Go step by step and start choosing generic settings. Now if you get a good display (granted at 16 bit & 640x480) you know that your install went good. There is the slight chance that you have a bad install cd or a corrupt file on your disk.

If you want a good distro for newcomers I would reccomend RedHat or Mandrake. Mandrake is a little to....well.. it hold ones hand a little more than I need. But if you are new -- that may very well be what you need. RedHat is great for anyone. It works well. Plus it has a great support base. Everyone and their brother either uses RedHat or knows someone that does.

I dont know if you know or have the cash for it. But if you like the Sims, Mandrake has a special version which includes that and a limited WineX subscription. WineX is an evolving emlator for Winders software. Its in the area of $70-80 US. But is worth it if you want Mandrake.

[Bartman]

Fixed now, I found out I was using the wrong driver for X