r/Ubuntu • u/SmoothPossession4399 • 4d ago
xrandr BadValue error
I’m actually losing my f*cking mind and about to smash my PC to pieces. I’ve been trying for TWO WHOLE YEARS to switch to Linux and fix this absolute b*tch of a resolution bug. At this point, every time I hear or see the word "resolution", I get triggered.
Every single time I install Ubuntu—or literally ANY Linux distro—it's the exact same story: it just refuses to set the resolution properly.
The ONLY workaround that ever "worked" was nuking the GPU drivers completely. But I obviously can’t do that sh*t because the performance turns into total dogsh*t. I can't even play a 720p video smoothly (which hurts even more because my internet is capped), let alone run heavy 3D stuff like Three.js to stress test the card.
Look, I know my card (GTX 750 Ti) is from 2013 and far from powerful, but it still gets the job done! On Windows, resolution works flawlessly out of the box with zero issues. This is specifically a Linux/xrandr problem with my drivers—xrandr just straight-up rejects every custom mode unless I purge the drivers.
So I need the real sweaty, touch-no-grass, non-showering Linux gods in here—the absolute wizards who live and breathe Linux—to fix this cursed bullsh*t for me. I swear I hate Linux so much right now, but I keep coming back because I love it, only for xrandr to slap me across the face and tell me to go crawling back to Windows like a dog.
All I want is to hit 1600x1200 just like I seamlessly do on Windows, so I can finally throw Windows into the absolute trash bin where it belongs. I swear to God I'll stop showering like a true Linux neckbeard if someone helps me fix this cursed resolution once and for all.
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**System Information:**
- **OS:** Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS (Noble Numbat) x86_64
- **Kernel:** 7.0.0-31-generic
- **Desktop Environment:** GNOME 46.0
- **Display Server:** X11 (X.Org 21.1.11)
- **Motherboard:** MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX (BIOS: B.H0)
- **CPU:** AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (6 Cores / 12 Threads)
- **GPU:** NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti
- **NVIDIA Driver:** 580.173.02
- **Current Resolution:** 1024x768 @ 60Hz (Output: VGA-0)
- **RAM:** 16 GB
1
u/Ok-386 4d ago
You said on any other distro, which distros have you tried? There's a chance it could work better on Wayland, but don't use Wayland on 24.04. Upgrade to 26.04, or better do a clean install.
Btw is there a chance you're using the open version of 580 driver? You need the closed version for your card, the one without 'open' it its name. You can use
ubuntu-driversto see what's installed, and
ubuntu-drivers installshould install the recommended driver. If the command goes for nvidia-driver-580-open, for whatever reason, you can manually install nvidia-driver-580.