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Lionel MMFlag for United States of America

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Ubuntu destop (screen) size, side ICONS of screen

I have a NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS video card and running Ubuntu 12.04.4 with all its updates. I use this same version on a laptop and do not have this problem but I also run it on a Dell Optiplex with on-board intel video and it has the same problem. What is the Problem? The sidebar and top menus are off screen. I don't know how I can use Linux system/video settings to shrink the size of the desktop to fit on my screen. The PC is connected to a Panasonic TV via HDMI (The Dell to a flat screen monitor via VGA). I have used all available screen resolution settings but none do the trick. I have used the "search for additional drivers" in Settings and tried both the recommended and the latest NVIDIA drivers but that does not help either. How do I (can I) reduce, shrink the size of my desktop, so the outer borders come in so the side bar and top menus can be seen? Thank you.
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gheist
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Run nvidia-settings on any graphics screen and set resolution and output configuration you want.
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and how do I do that? there is no place in settings that are specific to nvidia, and if I do a search on nvidia from Dash Home nothing is found. thanks
It's a bit hard to follow from your description of the problem, but would say then that this problem appears when connecting just to the Panasonic TV? It sounds like that would be the issue, as most TV are setup to "crop" the screen slightly as normal TV signals can (at least they used to) have crap araound the edges of the screen.

I connect my Linux PC via HDMI to my Samsung TV and I too had to adjust the TV to display the full picture (rather than cropping it). I don't have a Panasonic TV so I can't tell you where to find the settings, but just as example, my Samsung has this under Menu -> Picture -> Picture Size. Check out your setting and let us know how you go.
You run any terminal program in graphics environment
Then type nvidia-settings
nvidia-settings

this will fix the issue in resolution and screen size portion.

TY/SA
Changing the setting on the TV does not work--tried it. This is a dual boot system, with XP and Ububtu--I hope to kill the XP boot. In XP nvdia display settings you can actually drag the screen edges in (resize the desktop), tell it where the parameters are -- I don't see this in Ubuntu. I did find the nvidia settings and it has a lot of additional resolutions--I tried all of them (8) and some will show the side bar and NONE make the top menu bar visible--NONE.
Would be nice to check spec sheet of your TV set to figure out pixel resolution.
Unless we get more information from your TV try these (last needs good cable):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-definition_video#Common_high-definition_video_modes
There is no analog overscan in HDMI that needs corner adjustment like CRT TV
Sandy/ screen size portion, where is that?
The problem persists and have received no further recommendations--can anyone help? Thinking of going back to Windows where this issue is easily fixed (at least it was in XP).
As has been mentioned before, we need more info. For example the exact model of your TV, so we can look up it's specifications. I also have some problems with what exactly your problem is. If possible post some screen shots of or make photo's of how it looks so we can get a better "grasp" of the issue.
It is a Panasonic Viera TC-P60S30
http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/TCP60S30.PDF
and there desktop is not contained in the screen borders--the top and bottom is below the screen borders and on the sides there is about an inch or two that is not used, like a dark useless border. Will try to get a picture to you and a screen shot that shows the missing top and bottom.
Here are pictures that should make the problem clear. As a reminder using the different screen format sizes (Full, 4:3, zoom, H-Fill, Just) do not fix this problem
Panasonic-Screen--Desktop-top-an.JPG
Panasonic-Screen--grey-edge-on-r.JPG
Panasonic-Screen--desktop-bottom.jpg
Panasonic-Screen--grey-edge-on-l.jpg
Final One of the entire screen
Panasonic-Screen--big-picture.JPG
BUT you must use TV buttons to center picture. Sounds wierd and moot on digital tv, but panasonic likes analog tv reminders.
Native resolution of tv is 1920x1080
TV works just fine when a TV--this problem only appears when using it as a monitor. TV mode fine--problem when a monitor. I have tried ever possible resolution available to me through Ubuntu--every single one and there were a lot.
According to guide you need to use TVs controls to center the full resolution (1920x1080) picture. All other sizes are expected to have black borders.
For full HD video i'd recommend getting nvidias driver right yesterday from driver manager in ubuntu.
What resolution is selected, and which ones are available within "Display Settings/Displays"? inside a terminal enter xrandr and post the output.
Also post /var/log/Xorg.0.log (full file as attachment) for further study.
PS I have similar setup and nvdia's proprietary driver DOES NOT WORK wirh 12.04.4
Please change kernel to
linux-generic (aka 12.04.0) or linux-generic-lts-trusty (aka 12.04.5 to be) (names of APT packages)
once new kernel is running remove lts-saucy and lts-raring packages if present.
also make sure you have dkms running if you attempt to install nvidia components again.
gheist--All other sizes are expected to have black borders
The TV mode is fine--it works perfectly. In monitor mode I have tried all the resolutions available, all of them
Please change kernel to
OK all that is beyond me to do unless I get very specific and step by step instructions. As much as I love Ubuntu it sucks that something like this is so simple in Windows (simple drag corners and that's it).

Will get the other requested info to you tomorrow.
we can hardly be helpful.it took month to cough up tv specs, now we just wait for another fot you to provide system information.
You see there is no need to change the tires if you have porato in exhaust pipe...
We are looking for various bits of your system info:
Is it 32bit or 64bit
Exact kernel version
If you attempted nvidia install and IF it went well
Does your current hardware driver claims to support native resolution of your TV..
Also if you have HDMI 1.0 cable 1920x1080 will not have enough bandwidth for RGB...

See there are many variables that your system info files can help with
Actually I waited for a month to get a response from https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28402291/Ubuntu-destop-screen-size-side-ICONS-of-screen.html?anchorAnswerId=39976043#a39976043. As far as waiting another day goes I apologize that this is such a huge inconvenience to you and fully understand if you prefer to no longer give any help--thanks for what you have suggested thus far and good luck to you--have a great day.
If you wait now for christmas good luck, otherwise provide at least some system information...
Apologies for delay--fell out of chair had a 2 day concussion--still a bit foggy-excuse
gheist: Native resolution of 1920x1080 = menu's on side and top missing
gheist: getting nvidias driver right yesterday from driver manager in ubuntu. -- this is how nvidia was installed & File requested attached

rindi: xrandr and post the output
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 8192 x 8192
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VGA-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-0 connected primary 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 698mm x 392mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+   59.9     24.0     60.1     60.0  
   1440x480       60.1  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        59.9
Xorg.0.log
Both outputs agree that native resolution of your HDMI TV is 1680x1050 (sorry for that)

[    14.063] (**) NVIDIA(0): Option "MetaModes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0 {viewportin=1680x1050, viewportout=1728x1080+96+0}"
[    14.063] (**) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 2D acceleration
[    14.728] (II) NVIDIA(0): Display (PanasonicTV0 (DFP-1)) does not support NVIDIA 3D

Open in new window


Try that via nvidia-settings... First vertical fit, then horizontal.

Even more advisable to use manual resolution because your TV has incomplete ID data (if there is TV firmware upgrade - do it)
[    14.785] (WW) NVIDIA(0): PanasonicTV0 (DFP-1)'s EDID does not contain a maximum image
[    14.785] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     size; cannot compute DPI from PanasonicTV0 (DFP-1)'s
[    14.785] (WW) NVIDIA(0):     EDID.

Open in new window

Your kernel 3.11.0-19-generic cannot accomodate drivers from nvidia's website. No big problem since ubuntu shipped driver worked out just fine.
Both outputs agree that native resolution of your HDMI TV is 1680x1050 (sorry for that)
This is the resolution I choose--the one that shows most of the side but still none of the top menu. I can switch to the 1920x1080 resolution -- and I was able to install drivers from NVIDIA -- I am not using the native ones that came with Ubuntu and the NVIDIA options are much better than the native driver options.
Since you figured out you have 1050px vertically now try bigger and smaller horizontal resolutions until you get it rigt.
e.g. my philips TV (fairly old) says via EDID it is 1366 pixels horizontally, but if you use 1366 it shows center of the display upscaled. If I go 1360px picture appears normal.
how do I adjust them independently--I have no idea how to do that?
Nvidia Settings has all resolutions detected
So, what does that mean--does not allow me to adjust horizontal and vertical independently. No matter which one of the provided resolutions I choose the desktop does not fit onto the screen. In Windows I can independently drag and drop corners and sides and top or bottom. This very easy thing in Windows is a pain in Ubuntu--makes me want to go back to Windows reluctantly.
It will have couple of horizontal resolutions at 1050 vertical to choose from
where is this--I see no place where this can be done independently; please ay where to find this--this is now the 3rd time I have said I don't know where to go to adjust vertical and horizontal independently.
Simple goole search brought me to this screenshot:
http://www.ypass.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Screenshot-NVIDIA-X-Server-Settings.png

text on shortcut is "Nvidia Settings Applet" and command invoked is nvidia-settings.
I will close this question in the next day or two--want to post a screen shot to show how I was able to resolve the issue for anyone else who has a similar problem.
no matter what I try this will not work--tried your suggestions--tried many others from youtube. I have got to the point where I can get it to be exactly what I want but then after a reboot it just will not stay the same. I have saved it to the x config file (after reboot the same); have not saved it (after reboot the same). Undersan always comes back to 43 and needs to be around 57 to 67
Nvidia-X-Server-Settings.png
Because you need to "save X vonfiguration file" to make any changes permanent (and be the user who can save that, like root)
in my previous comment I said " I have saved it to the x config file" and it did not work. so, I did that, and I said that I did that so telling me do something that I already tried is not working. It ask for a password to change it and it saves it (it does not report an error) and the user that I am doing this with the the user that was used to install and setup ubuntu, namely this is the only user there is.
That is not what I have posted about above. running xrandr doesn't need any password, it can be run directly from the logged on user. You only need the password to delete the xorg.conf file I mentioned above. That file should be deleted because it tends to get in the way of xrandr.
If you look at the picture I posted there is a box to "save" the changes--the changes that I want remembered and when i click on that box it asks for a password and behaves as if it is saving but then on reboot it is back to what is was before.
Try running it with gksu i.e
"gksu nvidia-settings"
 (it works for me, but ok maybe way you have it nvidia-settings cannot make privileged calls)
That's the nvidia utility. Don't use that. It creates an xorg.conf file, and that is not what you want to use.

You should rather delete the xorg.conf file and use xrandr instead of the nvidia utility to setup the displays. And once you have the settings that work best, you can put those xrandr commands into a script which you just need to execute when you need the settings.
I want the settings to stay the same all the time, every time I reboot, every time I use it so please give me step for step instructions on how to do that--I do not need more than one video settings--just one.
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@gheist--I get this error when I tried your suggestion
ubuntu-tv:~$  sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-sxorg
[sudo] password for lmm:
Package `xserver-sxorg' is not installed and no info is available.
Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files,
and dpkg --contents (= dpkg-deb --contents) to list their contents.
/usr/sbin/dpkg-reconfigure: xserver-sxorg is not installed
ubuntu-tv:~$
@rindi--says I can't delete /etc/X11/xorg.conf file--not owner or root. then I tried the other commands you suggested and got an error
root@ubuntu-tv:/home/lmm# gtf 1920 1080 60
# 1920x1080 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 67.08 kHz; pclk: 172.80 MHz
Modeline "1920x1080_60.00"  172.80  1920 2040 2248 2576  1080 1081 1084 1118  -HSync +Vsync

root@ubuntu-tv:/home/lmm# xrandr --newmode 1920x1080_60.00 172.80 1920 2040 2248 2576  1080 1081 1084 1118  -HSync +Vsync
root@ubuntu-tv:/home/lmm# xrandr --addmode HDMI-0 1280x1080_60
xrandr: cannot find mode "1280x1080_60"
root@ubuntu-tv:/home/lmm#
My bad - package name is xserver-xorg

In the rindi's front:
Do you see two zeroes _60.00 where i see them?
xorg.conf is a system file, so you need to use sudo to delete or rename it.
gheist--I have no idea what you trying to say about "In the rindi's front: Do you see two zeroes _60.00 where i see them?"
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That's not the only difference, in the "--newmode" line you used 1920.... And then in the "--addmode" line you used 1280....     Whatever it is doesn't really matter just that it needs to be the same in both.
I am totally lost with all this. If someone will give me just plain and simple instructions--I keep getting or permissions errors. I am a fairly newbie to linux and unbuntu. If you tell me every single step, step 1 do this and then this without assuming I know anything or where anything is because in most cases I don't. I did try to follow what rindi and mccari said but just can't seem to get the changes to stay from one boot to the next.
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too much incomplete instructions