Re: [SLUG] How to reduce X11's virtual screen resolution

[lukekendall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

On  8 Sep, I wrote:
>  Despite comments that in 4.x, the virtual desktop is exactly as big as 
>  the maximum resolution specified in the modes for the given screen 
>  colour depth, that didn't appear to be the case.  I had a 1600x1200 
>  mode at a colour depth of 24, and none at 16, yet my desktop was always 
>  1600x1200. 
>   
>  Reading up the doco lead me to add a: 
>   
>  	Virtual     1280 1024 
>   
>  into the appropriate Display subsection.  Unfortunately, the machine 
>  crashed at that point.  However, upon restart, the desktop was 
>  (finally!) restricted to 1280x1024 size.  But on checking the 
>  XF86Config-4 file, I saw that my changes had not survived the crash. 

Yes, I've had sufficient crashes in the last hour to confirm that.
The manual is correct - the virtual desktop depends on the maximum
resolution specified in the Modes line.

BUT, shutting down the X server is not enough - you have to reboot for
the change to take effect.  (!)

Incidentally, I'll be surprised if I get to finish this email.  The
machine has been crashing within seconds of starting X.  I've had about
8 crashes in the last hour - again, one so bad I had to pull the power
cord to power off the machine.

And it looks like restricting the desktop area to 1280x1024 made the
crashes far more frequent.  Until I reset it to 1600x1200, the longest
it stayed up after starting X was about 10 seconds.

All very weird.

luke