[oclug] Tweak SaX2 or XF86Config for better resolution & refresh

[Kevin McLauchlan]

This is ruining my health, and my sunny 
disposition!
Another question,  O' helpful ones:

At home, I'm doin' OK, visually speaking, with 
Linux (SuSE 8.0).  At the office, I have a dual-
boot Dell laptop (Win NT and SuSE 8.0) that is 
always connected to a 21-inch Dell monitor.
SaX2 (SuSE's X configuration tool) detects my 
hardware (ATI Mobility M3 AGP 2X, and the 
monitor), but won't give me more than 
1024x768 at a punishing 60Hz refresh rate.  

I have a constant headache from the 60Hz flicker 
(with the fluorescent lights overhead), and the 
ongoing annoyance of cow-orkers who say things 
like:  "Kevin! How can you live with that?  Is that 
that stupid Linux stuff?  Why do you use that?"

Windows NT on the same machine does far, far 
better (a crisp, clear, rock-steady 1280x1024 
at 85Hz), so I know it's not hardware limitations.

In my /etc/X11/XF86Config file, I have many 
Modelines for 1152x864.

In the "Section 'Monitor'", I have:
(among other things)
  HorizSync	 15-121
  VertRefresh	 30-160

In the "Section 'Screen'", I have:

DefaultDepth 16
Subsection "Display"
   Depth		15
   Modes		"1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" etc.
 EndSubSection
Subsection "Display"
   Depth		16
   Modes		"1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" etc.
 EndSubSection
Subsection "Display"
   Depth		24
   Modes		"1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" etc.
 EndSubSection

In the "Section 'DRI'", I have:
  Group		"video"
  Mode		0660
EndSection

Of course, there are many more subsections, with 
variations for the other resolutions.  And, of course, 
none of them say "etc.", I just truncated for readability.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I 
can (or should) do to:

a) get higher resolution 
    (on the same laptop, connected to the same 
    monitors, Windows has gone as high as 
    1600x1200, and there was no smoke or 
     funny noise, but I prefer 1280x1024 
     at a higher refresh rate);

b) get a refresh rate of at least 75Hz to nullify the 
    flicker from the overhead fluorescents;

c) or both... since bloody Windows from 1996 can 
    do it without breaking a sweat.

I haven't seen where SaX2 would let me modify 
its own very conservative offerings, so I'm willing 
to edit files directly if somebody can suggest what 
needs editing.  Point to a good faq for the those 
with limited experience... and a big headache from 
staring at a 60Hz screen all day?

I read the man page, but I'm still not clear on what 
I can safely modify
 
Thanks for your time.

/kevin
-- 
"DIRty DEEDS, and they're DONE dirt cheap."
[Sing it with me, now...]