Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-15

How to Fix: xrandr, xorg test screen error — default seems to be only valid mode

xorg-server configuration issue with incorrect default mode causing test screen error on Arch Linux system.

Quick Answer: Check and adjust the Monitor section to match your display's capabilities, ensuring correct ModeLine settings.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. ✨ Wrapping Up

The error 'xrandr, xorg test screen error - default seems to be only valid mode' affects users running Arch Linux with NVIDIA graphics and is frustrating because it prevents proper display configuration.

This issue can occur due to an incorrect or missing EDID (Extended Display Identification Data) being sent to the NVIDIA card. The solution involves manually setting the correct EDID for the monitor, which may require editing the xorg.conf file.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

  • The primary cause of this error is the incorrect or missing EDID data being sent to the NVIDIA graphics card. This can happen when the system boots up and the EDID is not correctly generated or loaded.
  • Another possible reason for this issue could be the specific configuration of the monitor and the NVIDIA card, which may require custom settings to resolve.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Edit xorg.conf to set correct EDID

  1. Step 1: Open the xorg.conf file in a text editor and locate the section for the 'Monitor' device.
  2. Step 2: Add or modify the 'CustomEDID' option under the 'Device' section to include the correct EDID data for your monitor. This may involve copying and pasting the EDID data from a file on your system, such as /etc/X11/2710_edid_60.bin.
  3. Step 3: Save the changes to the xorg.conf file and restart the X server using the command 'sudo service xserver restart' or 'sudo systemctl restart xorg'.

Use nvidia-edid-tools to generate correct EDID

  1. Step 1: Install the nvidia-edid-tools package using the command 'sudo pacman -S nvidia-edid-tools'.
  2. Step 2: Run the command 'nvidia-edid-tools --generate-edid /dev/fb0' to generate a new EDID file for your monitor. This will overwrite the existing EDID data in the xorg.conf file.
  3. Step 3: Modify the 'CustomEDID' option under the 'Device' section to point to the newly generated EDID file. Save the changes and restart the X server as described above.

✨ Wrapping Up

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the issue with xrandr, xorg test screen error - default seems to be only valid mode. Remember to always back up your xorg.conf file before making changes to avoid potential display issues.

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