Ubuntu Screen Resolution
I run a Belkin KVM flip switch between my Linux box and what I like to call “my creative box” (which is in fact an old Mac G4). On a fresh install, this switch tends to mess my screen resolution in Ubuntu (changing it whenever I log out).
In order to set my desired screen resolution of 1280×1024 on my Linux box permanently, I use the following command. Note: its better if you connect your monitor directly to your machine (rather than through the flip switch) when running this command. Once you plug the monitor back into the flip switch, it should keep your desired resolution.
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
This will run a text based walk through allowing you to modify the contents of your xorg file (the system file used to control things like your screen resolution, mouse and keyboard etc. For the most part you can just hit “Enter” whenever prompted until you get to the monitor section.
The important thing is to set the Horizontal and Vertical frequencies as set out in your monitor’s manual (which you should be able to google and download if you’ve misplaced the hard copy).
