Sometimes it is easiest to hand craft a basic /etc/X11/XF86Config file. Here is one for the NeoMagic chipset NM2160 found in many laptop computers. This one works for 16 bpp at 1024x768:
Section "Files" RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/freefont/" FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/sharefont/" EndSection Section "ServerFlags" EndSection Section "Keyboard" Protocol "Standard" AutoRepeat 500 5 LeftAlt Meta RightAlt ModeShift RightCtl Compose ScrollLock ModeLock XkbKeymap "xfree86(us)" EndSection Section "Pointer" Protocol "PS/2" Device "/dev/psaux" Emulate3Buttons Emulate3Timeout 50 EndSection Section "Monitor" Identifier "Dell SyncMaster 17GLi" VendorName "Dell" ModelName "SyncMaster 17GLi" HorizSync 31.5 - 48.5 VertRefresh 55-65 Modeline "1024x768" 65 1024 1032 1176 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync EndSection Section "Device" Identifier "NeoMagic" # Option "intern_disp" Option "extern_disp" EndSection Section "Screen" Driver "svga" Device "NeoMagic" Monitor "Dell SyncMaster 17GLi" DefaultColorDepth 16 Subsection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection EndSection
This setup is used when the notebook is docked with display being to an external monitor. Both internal and external displays don't work together and so you need to manually edit the XF86Config file each time you change between the external and internal display (could be done with a script, but essentially you swap the "#" around, which is used to identify a comment line). It is reported that having both enabled can destroy the internal display. It certainly makes it go pretty ugly momentarily. According to the Linux on the Dell Latitude CPi A366XT page http://www.radcyberzine.com/linux/linux-dell.html page, you can't just switch between internal and external displays without updating your XF86Config and restarting X, or YOU CAN DAMAGE YOUR DISPLAYS!
The value for the Vertical Refresh rate of 55-65 was suggested by Charlie Hedlin since ``LCD's don't need 80Hz and the like.''
XF86Config for the clgd7543
I hand crafted a simple XF86Config for the clgd7543 that worked to get 8 bpp at 800x600: