Failed to parse existing X config file ‘/etc/X11/xorg.conf’

If you are trying to save your xorg.conf file after changing settings in the nvidia-settings app you may need to first replace it with

sudo nvidia-xconfig

This will back it up and then recreate it.  Seems a fresh install of Karmic Koala 9.10 doesn’t create a valid xorg.conf or it can’t parse it.  Whatever the case, that’s the fix.

Then you can

sudo nvidia-settings

To change and save your settings.

Posted on October 31, 2009 at 1:38 pm by Jordan Carter · Permalink
In: Ubuntu Tricks · Tagged with: 

18 Responses

  1. Written by MIkeB
    on November 7, 2009 at 6:55 am
    Permalink

    Thank you so much, this worked wonderfully for me. This kind of thing needs to be taken care if in the install for Ubunu to have a chance to compete with the other O/S’s.

  2. Written by Joerg
    on November 15, 2009 at 2:21 am
    Permalink

    thanks for this tip … was the solution for my problem … 😉

  3. Written by Artur
    on November 20, 2009 at 12:51 am
    Permalink

    Thanx, it worked!

  4. Written by Ken
    on November 28, 2009 at 10:00 am
    Permalink

    Excellent! Just the fix I had been looking for. Much appreciated.

  5. Written by Fabbar
    on December 8, 2009 at 8:53 am
    Permalink

    very thanks , a linux newbie .

  6. Written by Jim in SW Iowa
    on December 10, 2009 at 6:55 am
    Permalink

    I thought, “wonderful”, when I saw this post, but unfortunately, I still get the “failed to parse” window, as well as the message:

    VALIDATION ERROR: Data incomplete in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
    Undefined Device “(null)” referenced by Screen “Configured Screen Device”.

    in the window that I ran nvidia-settings.
    Any clues?

  7. Written by Jim in SW Iowa
    on December 10, 2009 at 7:06 am
    Permalink

    I found the info that I needed at:

    http://awesomelinux.blogspot.com/2009/11/ubuntu-910-karmic-nvidia-settings-parse.html

    This involved deleting the “Screen” section in the created xorg.conf

  8. Written by juan metayer
    on December 10, 2009 at 5:51 pm
    Permalink

    Gracias muy inteligente de tu parte

  9. Written by David Moore
    on December 17, 2009 at 12:42 pm
    Permalink

    Thanks. Just what I needed.

  10. Written by Alex
    on January 11, 2010 at 12:39 pm
    Permalink

    Many thanks, worked perfectly!

  11. Written by Damian
    on January 30, 2010 at 6:32 am
    Permalink

    Thanks!

  12. Written by jimwi
    on February 1, 2010 at 12:10 pm
    Permalink

    Worked like a champ! Thanks for the tip.

  13. Written by M H Bell
    on February 23, 2010 at 4:51 pm
    Permalink

    Worked Great for me. I wish that I would have found this first. I tried several other tips from other sites, But none of them worked until I found your fix. so simple and it worked.
    Thank You So Much.
    Mel

  14. Written by Russ the muss
    on February 25, 2010 at 10:27 pm
    Permalink

    Thankyou, ill smoke some hash in your name.

  15. Written by Sol
    on March 8, 2010 at 9:09 am
    Permalink

    Thanks! This finally did the trick.

  16. Written by 406Alex
    on March 29, 2010 at 9:38 pm
    Permalink

    THX !

  17. Written by David
    on May 3, 2011 at 1:13 pm
    Permalink

    Thank you so much, I looked through so many forums, and found nothing, and this worked. Much thanks(:

  18. Written by giancarlo
    on July 31, 2011 at 5:49 am
    Permalink

    This worked great. Same as David I looked all over the place and nothing worked. It is very disappointing that something so basic and Ubuntu cannot get their act together. Dual screens has been working ever since I remember and all of the sudden is broken and no fix. I was very close to dumping Ubuntu, but now I will keep it for a while, but will not update everytime they come up with a new revision. Thanks for the hint.

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