UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hey guys,

can anyone please tell me how I can make linux recognize the same video adapter/monitor type that my windows box is using? i'm running linux redhat on virtual PC which enables me to have windows and linux running at the same time. (i can switch back and forth between operating systems as I please)

on my windows box I like to have all my windows fit nice and perfect on the screen so I normally have the resolution increased. however, since linux doesn't recognize my monitor type and the settings that my windows box is using, it defaulted to using I guess the most basic of all basics because now on my linux box all my windows are big. i can't fit as many windows on one screen as I normally can do with windows when the resolution is increased.

i need your help guys. thank you

you will need to configure the X server.
Depending on which RedHat you are using (you did not specify) you will need to edit the xorg.conf file or XFree86Config file. In the Screen Section. example:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "MGA"
Monitor "Samsung"
DefaultDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Under whichever Defaultdepth you have selected to use, ( i am using 24) you make changes to that section. Placing the resolution you want to use first, at the beginning of the line.

You can also use the commands xorgcfg, xorgconfig or xorgsetup. This is if the box is using the Xorg server.

i think its a xfree86. i couldn't find the file i'm supposed to edit

Something I also forgot to ask is. Does VirtualPC supply its own 'virtual' video adapter? This is the way VMware (similar product) operates.
I've used VirtualPc when it was owned by Connectix, before Microsoft purchased it. But that was years ago. So I am not sure how it works today, nor remember the way it was.
If it does, then it will not matter which hardware video card you have installed. As RedHat will need to be made aware of the video adapter that VirtualPc is emulating.

You may need to look into this before going any further.

You could try using a very conservative selection. The files you will be editing should be in the /etc/X11. Though I am using slackware Linux, and some files are placed differently on different distros.
If you can not find the needed files for editing, just issue a locate command. such as
locate xorg.conf
Which should display the paths for the files.

@TRUEST: I suppose there is an old version of X installed, because you are using redhat 8 and it's a fresh install, so execute "xf86config" as superuser and answer all the questions. After that the "program" writes a "XF86Config" file in "/etc/X11".
Close all opened applications and press Control+Alt+Backspace to quit X. Then type "startx" and you might see a good result. If the xf86config has no effect, it's possible that the "XF86Config" file is not considered, so try to rename it to "XF86Config-4".

Code:

cp /etc/X11/XF86Config /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

It's possible that you need to save it to a different place but I think redhat is not as different Ubuntu Linux is ...(never try Ubuntu ).
Make backups of old config-files, otherwise you are not able to restore the old configs .

Bye.