Andrea Grandi's questions

I've this situation/hardware on my desktop PC:

• Ubuntu Linux Oneiric 11.10 (32 bit)
• Monitor Asus VW222s (22'')
• 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G92 [GeForce 8800 GS] (rev a2)
• NVIDIA Driver Version: 280.13

I've no problem with my actual configuration and I can achieve 1680x1050 as expected.

What's the problem then?

Well, I've bought this VGA switch: http://www.mayflash.com/?Products/XBOXXBOX360/VGA002.html to be able to share my Monitor with my desktop PC and my Xbox but if I connect the monitor through the VGA adapter, the Monitor capabilites are not recognized and I can only have 1024x600 resolution.

Please note this (it's IMPORTANT):

case A) if I boot Ubuntu with this configuration Monitor ---> PC, THEN I disconnect cables and attach them to use the VG Switcher, having this configuration: Monitor ----> VGA Switcher ----> PC, I can have 1680x1050 resolution.

case B) if I boot Ubuntu directly using the VGA Switcher: Monitor ---> VGA Switcher ---> PC, the monitor capabilities are not recognized and I cannot have 1680x1050.

So, since I don't want to plug-unplug-plug-unplug the cables everytime (else I would not have bought a VGA Switcher....) my idea is that forcing a proper xorg.conf configuration, I could avoid the detection of the Monitor on each boot and force Xorg to use that configuration.

The question are:

1) How do I save the current Xorg configuration to a xorg.conf file?

2) How do I force Xorg to use xorg.conf configuration on each boot without detecting it each time?

I hope I've given all the informations you need to help me. Please tell me if you need to know more.

Thanks.

p.s: I've already tried to use the xorg.conf generated by nvidia-settings tool, but as you can see it doesn't contain anything about the current 1680x1050 resolution http://pastebin.com/j8eBA83d

=== UPDATE #1 ===

I've tried the method you suggested me and this is the generated xorg.conf

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 280.13  (buildd@rothera)  Thu Aug 11 17:28:49 UTC 2011

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Ancor Communications Inc VW222"
    HorizSync       31.0 - 81.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 GS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "1680x1050_60 +0+0; nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

If I disconnect the monitor for a minute and I attach it through the VGA Switcher, the resolution is perfect and the monitor is correctly set to 1680x1050 @ 60Hz

Look at this screenshot:

This means it is working nice. What's the problem then? The problem is that if I reboot Ubuntu using the generated xorg.conf I've pasted before the fonts are all displayed ugly and the images are blurred. The resolution of the screen is 1680x1050, but the monitor is using another resolution an I suppose it's enlarging the screen image.

I'll post another picture later in update #2 so you can see with your eyes.

=== UPDATE #2 ===

I've rebooted Ubuntu using the configuration I posted and... it works! Probably the previous time I generated it I didn't specify the 60 Hz in the nvidia-settings tool and that value was not saved. For now it's working. Now I can't wait to have also my XBox VGA cable ;)

during these days I've upgraded from Natty to Oneiric and I've also installed the Gnome shell, just to give it a try.

I noticed this morning that GRUB theme is showing a Debian logo and I didn't request it!

Which package is known to set the GRUB theme to Debian one? I didn't install anything from external repositories so it should be an official Ubuntu package, but who exactly?

Do you know how to switch back to Ubuntu GRUB theme?

Thanks for your help!

I've this SmartCard reader:

Bus 002 Device 004: ID 072f:90cc Advanced Card Systems, Ltd ACR38 SmartCard Reader

I've installed the following packages: pcscd, libacr38u, pcsc-tools, and a driver available on this website http://www.bit4id.com/italiano/download/download_file/Linux.zip

the pcscd daemon seems running:

andrea@centurion:~$ ps -e | grep pcsc
 2799 ?        00:00:00 pcscd

when I try to test if the smart card is working, I get no reply:

andrea@centurion:~$ pcsc_scan 
PC/SC device scanner
V 1.4.16 (c) 2001-2009, Ludovic Rousseau <[email protected]>
Compiled with PC/SC lite version: 1.5.3
Scanning present readers...
Waiting for the first reader...

how can I fix this?

I've noticed that Ubuntu 10.10 manages single .deb files with the Ubuntu Software Center. Since I find it too heavy to load I've installed gdebi with: sudo apt-get install gdebi and I've set it as default application to open any .deb file.

My question is: is it safe/supported to use this kind of operation? I mean: does gdebi still relate to internal apt-get to satisfy dependencies and install .deb files?

Until Ubuntu 10.04 in System->Administration menu there was the "Software Sources" utility available. Now with Ubuntu 10.10 it's only accessible from Synaptic package manager. Is it possible to restore this functionality in Ubuntu 10.10 menu?