Member Avatar for petenr

Hey.. I just installed Mandrake 9.1 and was using KDE. I set my screen resolution for one not supported by my monitor (Viewsonic VE 175) and now nothing shows up on my screen when KDE starts. Does anyone know how to change the resolution so I can get back into KDE?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Thong_Ispector

Dani AI

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This thread shows the classic symptom: picking a mode the monitor won’t accept can leave KDE blank and the display reporting “signal out of range.” was right to point toward editing the X configuration and using a text console, and ’s quick restore of a working backup is exactly the simplest recovery. For anyone who lands here later (like ), the checklist below covers safe recovery and how to avoid the problem.

“Signal out of range” means the X server is driving timings (resolution or refresh) outside the monitor’s supported horizontal/vertical ranges. LCDs are usually sensitive to non‑native timings; CRTs can be damaged by incorrectly high sync rates. If the GUI won’t come up, first get to a text login (virtual terminal or boot to text mode) and work from there.

Practical recovery steps:

  1. Switch to a console or boot to runlevel 3, log in as root. Back up the current X config before changing anything.

  2. If you have a working backup, restore it (that’s what fixed ). If not, add a conservative fallback mode (800x600 or 1024x768) and safe sync ranges, then restart X.

  3. Test modes without restarting X using the runtime tools:

    cvt 1024 768 60            # generates a Modeline for 1024x768@60Hz
xrandr                     # shows connector names (e.g. VGA1, HDMI1)
# copy the numbers from cvt's Modeline and use:
xrandr --newmode "1024x768_60.00" <pclk> <params...>
xrandr --addmode <OUTPUT> "1024x768_60.00"
xrandr --output <OUTPUT> --mode "1024x768_60.00"

  4. Inspect the X log (e.g. /var/log/Xorg.0.log) for “out of range” or EDID lines to see supported modes.

Final notes: always keep a dated backup of your X config and add a couple of safe modes before experimenting. If help is still needed, start a new thread and paste the Display section of your X config (as requested) so others can suggest precise edits.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Dani

Edit your /etc/X11/XF86Config or /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, whichever it is that you have

Also look here: [thread]564[/thread]

Member Avatar for petenr

oh - btw, the screen is a lcd.. it says signal out of range after kde loads.

Member Avatar for Dani

Don't you have access to the console? Try ctrl+alt+F1 or F2 or something.

Member Avatar for petenr

i am looking at the file, but am not sure what to change... any suggestions?

thx

Member Avatar for petenr

actually i had a /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.old file from shortly before i changed the resolution - so I just renamed that file back to XF86Config-4 and it is working now..

you rock! thanks cscgal!

Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

DAMN under a hour now thats a quick fix served up by the infamous SCSGAL

PS: SCSGAL give other people a chance to respond.:) lol:

Member Avatar for big_k105

DAMN under a hour now thats a quick fix served up by the infamous SCSGAL

PS: SCSGAL give other people a chance to respond.:) lol:

its CSCGAL not scsgal. jst thought i would point it out to you :)

Member Avatar for )BIG"B"Affleck

WOW GOOD FOR YOU!!!.....YAWN

Member Avatar for nolner

Well, reverting to the old file didn't work for me (in 10.1) - so what do I edit?

Member Avatar for Thong_Ispector

Start a new thread, dont hop onto one from 2003...

Post the display section of your config and we can help you fix it..

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