more latex papersize

still having trouble with a4
now trying to edit
/etc/texmf/tex/generic/config/pdftexconfig.tex with
\pdfpagewidth=8.5truein
\pdfpageheight=11.0truein

but that didn't seem to help
Then I tried
Additionally in the Vmargin style file ($TEXBASE/texmf/tex/latex/misc/Vmargin.sty) at or around line 225 you should change the following default settings so that they reflect the correct default paper size and margins:
%
% DEFAULTS:
%
\setpapersize{A4}
\setmarginsrb{35mm}{20mm}{25mm}{15mm}{12pt}{11mm}{0pt}{11mm}

For example changing this to read:
%
% DEFAULTS:
%
\setpapersize{USletter}
\setmarginsrb{1in}{1in}{1in}{1in}{0pt}{0mm}{0pt}{0mm}

(btw, these are from http://physics.wm.edu/~norman/latexhints/pdf_papersize.html)


Finally,
texconfig-sys worked, although texconfig does not.