Fixing the screen resolution in Ubuntu when running in Microsoft Virtual PC is quite a task, but I did a small research and I found some ways around it.

Here is the fix, with a little help from my friends of course. Once you logon to Ubuntu GUI, go to Application, Accessories, Text Editor:

image

And copy the following code:

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type “man xorg.conf” at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section “Files”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Generic Keyboard”
Driver “kbd”
Option “CoreKeyboard”
Option “XkbRules” “xorg”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105″³
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Configured Mouse”
Driver “mouse”
Option “CorePointer”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Protocol” “ImPS/2″³
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5″³
Option “Emulate3Buttons” “true”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “stylus”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom”
Option “Type” “stylus”
Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4″³ # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “eraser”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom”
Option “Type” “eraser”
Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4″³ # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “cursor”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom”
Option “Type” “cursor”
Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4″³ # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Generic Video Card”
Driver “vesa”
BusID “PCI:0:8:0″³
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Generic Monitor”
Option “DPMS”
HorizSync 30-70
VertRefresh 50-160
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Default Screen”
Device “Generic Video Card”
Monitor “Generic Monitor”
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1280×1024″³ “1024×768″³ “800×600″³
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Default Layout”
Screen “Default Screen”
InputDevice “Generic Keyboard”
InputDevice “Configured Mouse”

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
# InputDevice “stylus” “SendCoreEvents”
# InputDevice “cursor” “SendCoreEvents”
# InputDevice “eraser” “SendCoreEvents”
EndSection

Save the file as Xorg.conf in your profile folder. Close out of Text Editor, and open terminal by going to Applications, Accessories, Terminal. Do a backup of your current xorg.conf file just in case something goes wrong by typing the following command:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

Now replace the old xorg.conf file with new one we saved earlier by typing the following command on terminal:

sudo cp xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Restart your machine.Ubuntu should reboot just as it did before, but before asking you for the username and password it should display this window:

Ubuntu is running in low graphic mode

Click on configure. On the next screen click on Plug N, Play tab:

Ubuntu Plug N, Play

Select “Monitor 1280 X 1024″ from the list:

Monitor 1280 X 1024

Click OK. For Resolution choose “1280 X 1024 @ 60Hz“ then select Test.

You should get a larger “˜gray’ window with option to keep the confguration. Select the option to keep it.Now the size of Ubuntu screen should be bigger, and the resolution better.