Xorg -configure

From MEPIS Documentation Wiki

NOTE: this method should only be tried if the standard method has not produced a workable video configuration file Xorg.conf

If all normal attempts to configure your video have failed, you can use a tool that will examine your system and provide a new basic configuration file. There is no user input or choice of screen resolution.

From the KDM login screen - choose: Menu > Console Login to get to a non-gui environment necessary to run the following:

Log in at the resulting prompt as root, then type:

Xorg -configure

If it works without error or failure, it will report that it has written a new configuration file:

/root/xorg.conf.new 

You can then test that by entering into your root terminal:

X -config /root/xorg.conf.new

If all goes well, a black and grey grid and an X mouse cursor will appear. <Ctrl><Alt><Backspace> to kill the test X server then backup your existing xorg.conf in case you need to use any custom sections - like Synaptics touchpad for example:

cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old

then copy the newly generated file to /etc/X11/xorg.conf, overwriting the one that does not work:

cp /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Then you can fine-tune it for the specifics of your monitor (frequency, resolution, etc.).

Note: Using this method to correct your monitor resolution config completely removes the custom Mepis xorg.conf and all it's touchpad, tablet, keyboard etc. entries. You may need to copy relevant sections from one conf file to the other, paying close attention to the Server Layout entries and referencing them explicitly. This is mostly relevant to laptop users, those using unusual peripherals etc. Some of the Mepis Assistants may no longer work correctly after changing the default Mepis xorg.conf.