Ubuntu
xorg package

[Feisty] livecd safe graphics isn't (safe)

Bug #151300 reported by joel
2
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
xorg (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

Booting from the Feisty 7.04 x86 live cd on an i810 based machine, I selected the safe graphics option to protect my 20" LCD monitor (a Dell 2001FP). This monitor optimally needs 1600x1200@60hz, and I wanted to be certain that it would not be damaged if not properly detected while using the VGA connection (rather than DVI). However, this resulted in a resolution of 640x480@87hz which is clearly not safe for an LCD monitor. Starting in normal mode gave 1600x1200@60hz, so why isn't safe mode locked with using VertRefresh so that there is no way for the refresh rate to exceed 60hz, and set the resolution to something appropriate?

Revision history for this message
joel (joel-hatton+launchpad) wrote :

This bug is critical as it can lead to monitor damage. Someone please confirm this behaviour - I have allocated this to the package xorg in the hope that it will be picked up.

Revision history for this message
Peter Clifton (pcjc2) wrote :

Safe graphics is more about loading a driver which is likely to work (and not crash your machine), rather than about mode detection for your monitor.

Yes, some bugs can cause damage to an LCD, but those are more specifically related to mode-setting bugs with internal laptop LCDs. Even then, in most cases they are protected by hardware lockouts. An external monitor should auto-protect if its refresh range is not what it can cope with. (Older CRTs might fail to sync).
Did you observe any adverse symptoms on your monitor?

Monitor detection and mode-setting is something which has been improving a lot recently. Does the issue still persist in Gutsy?
If so, please attach an Xorg.0.log from the server when it detects the mode with high refresh rate.

Changed in xorg:
status: New → Incomplete
Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)
Changed in xorg:
status: Incomplete → Invalid
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