Screen size/resolution with Debian guest

[hkoster1]

Installed Debian Squeeze with 2.6.30-amd64-1 kernel in a Parallels 4.0 VM (running under Mac OS X 10.6)
without any problems this weekend, except for the virtual screen size being the wrong size and way too
large. What's more, the proper screen size/resolution couldn't be set in System - Preferences - Display.

People in this forum have on various occasions suggested adding proper HorizSync, VertRefresh, Modeline,
and "ReducedBlanking" entries to /etc/X11/xorg.conf to solve the problem. While all that complexity won't
hurt, the actual solution turned out to be much simpler: the maximum bits/pixel (or Xorg Display Depth) in
a Parallels VM is 16, not the more usual 24 (which VMware Fusion does allow, BTW). I don't know whether
Parallels Tools improves on this situation, as it wouldn't compile on my system.

So, I added in /etc/X11/xorg.conf a SubSection in the Section "Screen" as follows

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1920x1200" "1440x900" "1280x800"
EndSubSection
EndSection

where one of the Modes would work on one of my Macs. For good measure, I also added a

Driver "vesa"

line to the Section "Device", but Xorg is able to figure that out for itself as well.

The VESA defaults for the above resolutions all have the conservative 60Hz refresh rate that's unlikely
to fry your monitor.

 

[hkoster1]

There's good news with the recent upgrade in Debian testing to X.Org X Server 1.6.3 (Release Date: 2009-7-31).
Xorg (VESA) in a Parallels 4.0 VM now correctly handles the standard Apple screens with 16:10 aspect ratio:
1920x1200, 1440x900, 1280x800, and without any /etc/X11/xorg.conf present. Refresh rates approx. 60Hz and
Depth 32 (24).

 

[MakcyD]

There's good news with the recent upgrade in Debian testing to X.Org X Server 1.6.3 (Release Date: 2009-7-31).
Xorg (VESA) in a Parallels 4.0 VM now correctly handles the standard Apple screens with 16:10 aspect ratio:
1920x1200, 1440x900, 1280x800, and without any /etc/X11/xorg.conf present. Refresh rates approx. 60Hz and
Depth 32 (24).

Also you may try to automatcally configure X as follows:

cp -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf{,.backup}
dkpg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Or

Try generating autoconfig and the test it with X server:

X -configure
X -config xorg.conf.new

Note - this new xorg.conf will be generated in current directory, so after successful testing you will need to put it into /etc/X11/