Bug 692293

Created attachment 488953 [details]
xorg.conf+Xorg.0.log with backtrace tail

smolt: pub_8d2468c6-375b-4845-9f99-de24ea3a0eaf

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
kernel-PAE-2.6.38.2-8.fc15.i686
xorg-x11-drv-intel-2.14.0-4.fc15.i686

How reproducible:
schizophrenically

Steps to Reproduce:
1.build an xorg.conf file
2.or not
3.start X
 
Actual results:
1-X locks up the whole system, or
2-X starts, but using VESA driver @1024x768
3-X starts using intel driver, but at 1024x768 instead of other modes the specs in xorg.conf cover, specifically any included PreferredMode.

Expected results:
1-X works at either the PreferredMode, or the highest resolution the specs in xorg.conf cover
2-explicit modelines in xorg.conf are not required to get there
3-xrandr commands are not required to get there

Additional info:
I've been trying for over 6 hours to get X into 1600x1200, while keeping the framebuffer ttys on 1024x768 (to produce desirable number of rows and columns), on this multiboot Dell GX260 system attached to a p275 IBM Trinitron with bad/missing EDID. All installed operating systems (Mandriva 2010, 2009, 2008.1; Fedora 9; openSUSE 10.0 through 11.4) prior to F15 (updated today) do just fine by supplying a xorg.conf with typical monitor properties like VertRefresh, PreferredMode and DisplaySize. In each of these other systems, explicit specification of modelines has not been required. In the process of trying to come up with a valid xorg.conf to result in 1600x1200 instead of 1024x768, X has locked up the whole machine several times. Attachment is from the last attempt before starting to write here. Along the way, all the while logged in on irc://freenode/#fedora-qa, X was at times refusing to use the intel driver instead of vesa. I also tried using various cmdline options alone or in combination, such as vga=ask, video=1600x1200, vga=0x35a, video=1024x768, vga=0x318 and/or drm.edid_strict=0, or none of them at all. I borrowed & attached a native 1600x1200 LCD with good EDID for about half an hour, and got 1600x1200 with no lockups or other unexpected behavior.

>1024x768 is achievable via xrandr commands, but there don't seem to be any discoverable docs on where to put those to be executed on startup in Fedora. In openSUSE there is a comment area in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc specifying where to put them, but Fedora's xinitrc looks much too different to guess where they might be safely put, and has no explicit instructions to do so. Through experiment I found a script in /etc/X11/ will work. Nevetheless, specs in xorg.conf should be obeyed.

Continued with next attachments...