# Thinkpad T43/i915 graphics and VGA monitor resolution

## Voltago

If you're using a Thinkpad 43 or i915 graphics, have you noticed a problem with kernel mode setting for external vga monitors starting with kernel 2.6.34?

While all was fine with version .33, the initial resolution of an external vga monitor now is set to 1024x768, which is the Thinkpad T43 display resolution. There's a bug report at kernel.org

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=16035

but it got precious little attention up till now. Are here more people experiencing this?

----------

## rolypoly

Yes, I have same problem.

I have a Thinkpad R60 with i915 driver. Everything worked well with 2.6.33 and after going to 2.6.34 my default resolution was back to 1024x768 instead of the external monitor's 1680x1050.

I had a similar issue about 6 months ago and I'm sure there was something the KDM config file that stopped KDM restarting at logout, which effectively 'fixed' it for me, but I can't remember what it was or find a relevant post anymore!

The link to the bug entry is also not working for me at the moment.

----------

## Voltago

Basically it boils down to this comment from the bug:

 *Jesse Barnes wrote:*   

> We no longer use lid state for LVDS detection, it was too unreliable.  So now
> 
> you'll have to disable it manually when you close the lid if you want different
> 
> behavior.

 

One of these days I plan to write a very basic command line mode switching tool (basically xrandr without X) and solve the problem with an init script.

----------

## toralf

 *Voltago wrote:*   

> One of these days I plan to write a very basic command line mode switching tool (basically xrandr without X) and solve the problem with an init script.

 

```
xrandr --output LVDS1 --off --output HDMI2 --auto
```

?

----------

## Voltago

 *toralf wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> xrandr --output LVDS1 --off --output HDMI2 --auto
> ```
> ...

 

That's what I do now, but xrandr is only usable from within X. Sure, I could add a startup script to my KDE configuration, but I'd like to have a more general solution. Right now I'm looking into some libdrm functions to do what I want.

----------

