[plug] New screen

[Peter Wright]

On Sun, Jan 27, 2002 at 04:59:25PM +0800, J Michael Gilks wrote:
> I am about to delve into the black arts and change the monitor on my
> Linux desktop.

Just changing the _monitor_?? That's it?

> I know you generally have to offer your firstborn child to Satan to make
> this work, but I was hoping for an easier option.

I think the firstborn child offering _is_ the easier option.

> Girlfriends get so upset so easily.

No sense of priorities, hey? :)

> In /etc/X11/ I have 2 files XF86Config and XF86Config-4 . If I back these
> up to a new name before starting and everything dies I should be able to
> restore my settings by restoring these files.

Well, yes. But if you're just using a different monitor and you're not
changing anything else, then there should be no problems.

Detach old monitor, attach new monitor, everything fine.

Have I missed something?

> Is this a correct assumption or should I get out the ram skull and
> sacrifice altar.

Well, I'd suggest you get those out anyway, just to be extra safe.

> Help me I am scared.

:)

The only thing that might affect you when you change a monitor is if the
"new" monitor is not able to perform at the same resolution/refresh rate
of the "old" monitor. Which just means you'll need to change your default
resolution to something that works on the "new" monitor.

But you shouldn't need to worry too much about doing that. The days where
you could make a monitor burst into flames by giving it a resolution it
couldn't handle are pretty much gone. Well, almost.

> Love
> Mike.

On a related note, did I mention that a guy at an old workplace of mine
(back in late 1997) managed to destroy not one but TWO Alpha CPUs (not the
video card, not the monitor, the CPU) by trying to set an invalid video
resolution?

Cool, hey? ;-))

Pete.
-- 
http://akira.apana.org.au/~pete/
At first sight, the idea of any rules or principles being superimposed on
the creative mind seems more likely to hinder than to help, but this is
quite untrue in practice.  Disciplined thinking focuses inspiration rather
than blinkers it.
		-- G.L. Glegg, "The Design of Design"