topic Re: A small Linux Problem ! in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:11:42 GMT

I have had to change my SSD`s over, as the main one in my ASUS ROG 17" LAPTOP has started to "play up".

Not a problem generally, As I can ( and have just done so ) removed the ssd from my 11" laptop, with the same Linux Mint 22 installed on it.( and all my other stuff ).

The problem is small font sizes on everything... Web pages are showing about 20to 30% smaller than usual, ( yeah I know you can use CTRL + to increas the size of the web page , but I should not have to ! ) .

It is particularly bad on the drop down menus etc of all the other stuff.

see pics..

Note the small font size in the menu on this pic... ( also the icons are about half the "normal size"

The "internal menu" is also about half the "normal size".

Almost impossible to read.. looks like font size 6 when it should be about 12 or 14 .

Have tried to change the "display"

from auto ... TO 100% but no change.. and going to 200% blows the whole view far too big to fit the screen !

I know that the install was set up on the small(er) screen laptop. and I have had this problem before, BUT I cannot find, or remember how to change it...

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Re: A small Linux Problem !

jab1 — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:29:48 GMT

A quick thought - adjust the resolution?

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Dan_the_Van — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:58:45 GMT

@shutter

Have you looked at the Appearance Preferences?

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:10:21 GMT

@Dan_the_Van yes... they are all set at 14... !

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:11:53 GMT

@jab1 Have tried lowering the resolution,..but all that seems to do is to make the screen more "square" in shape.. !.

unless you have a better "resolution" solution size !..

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Dan_the_Van — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:14:55 GMT

@shutter

1360 x 768 should be a wide screen setting

Re: A small Linux Problem !

jab1 — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:15:58 GMT

My 16" is set at 1368 x 768 (16:9) , and is perfect.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:03:45 GMT

@jab1 & @Dan_the_Van OK>.. thanks for the suggestion... 1368 x 768 certainly improved the size of the drop down menu`s, but not as much as they used to be !.. looking like they are about 2/3rds the font size that I considered "normal" on the other hard drive.

NOTE... the top line menu is still far too small - doesn`t seem to be any changes there.. icons still small, too ! .

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Champnet — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:41:16 GMT

Opticians ?

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:45:24 GMT

@Champnet You might well need to visit one, if you cannot see how small the font is.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

jab1 — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:55:02 GMT

@shutter I remember reinstalling a backup on my Linux machine sometime last year, and had similar problem - can't remember what I did to sort it, but I know it took me a while and some guesswork - but I eventually got it back to my 'normal'. Not a great help to you, I know, but it is possible.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:16:21 GMT

@shutter

Have you tried running "Driver Manager", in case the ASUS needs a different display driver from the old laptop?

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:27:08 GMT

@jab1 Yeah... we both got the same problem.. ( to start with = small text ) and have the same problem remembering what we did to solve it )(huh ! ) hence my posting ( again - probably )

So far, there is some slight improvement...but still not 100% happy with the results... getting a bit fed up playing with it tonight...got all day tomorrow, to have another go !.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:28:27 GMT

@shutter

In addition to my previous post, try removing any display driver that was installed for the old laptop.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 21:30:53 GMT

@Anonymous Nope !... both machines have been running Linux Mint for at least 5 yrs.. and I have always done several (more than 10) "new installs", on the small 11inch laptop, and then transferred the hdd to the Asus ( 17inch ) laptop, usually only having to re-arrange ( spread out ) the desktop icons to fit the larger screen... everything else seemed to work ok.. except on two previous occasions, when this small font business appeared.

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:28:22 GMT

A "kind of" update..

Have been trying just about anything I can think of, to resolve this.. the best result has been to set the "Display" >Resolution ot 1680 X 1050. this gives me a good size font on the main website pages overall. and also Thunderbird, displays the same size as it did with the "old" hdd/ssd prior to the swap over yesterday.

Still hae the "small font" problem with the top menu and the drop down menus from them, but they are more "readable" than when I first started this thread... they are still abut half the size of the previous.. so

Thanks to all those who have posted their thoughts on this.. if anyone comes up with something else, don`t be shy, I`ll give it go !!!

cheers

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Dan_the_Van — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:37:45 GMT

@shutter

With that screen resolution won't it distort the displayed picture? Circle's no longer round?

These are the default fonts but not necessarily the default size for ubuntu mint.

I've changed the windows title font, still 12 but smaller characters being displayed.

Desktop font changes the text size for icons

Maybe play with the font being used?

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 10:54:52 GMT

@Dan_the_Van

The chosen size does not seem to affect the shape of the LM logo ( its already egg shape as if looking at it laying down) ( not you.. but the logo ! ! ) .

Icons on the desktop have changed to slightly smaller, and the area covered by them has increased, i.e. it has left a border of space about 1inch wide down the right hand side of the screen, when the original location of those icons was close to the edge. ( no border area) .

Changing the default font sizes as per your pics, to size 14. made no difference to the small fonts on the menus and drop down menus...

Not sure if changing the actual fonts works on applications. I have never tried to use a "caligraphy" style font on the default changes.. but .. might have a go later on today.. busy for rest of day at moment.

thanks for input

cheers

Re: A small Linux Problem !

Dan_the_Van — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:00:06 GMT

@shutter

Have you looked at adjusting the DPI?

DPI setting is located >Appearance Preferences >Fonts > Details (bottom right corner)

The default is likely to be 96 DPI

Re: A small Linux Problem !

shutter — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 17:31:05 GMT

@Dan_the_Van

Thanks for the suggestion !.. but all it does is increase or decrease the size of the whole page. ( text and everything ) same effect as caused by CTRL + or CTRL - keys.

No change to the "offending" font size !.