Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Linux Experts? Help!


Tuzinor
11-04-2001, 07:42 PM
Mandrake 8.1 Installation Problem: 11/04/2001
I cannot get Mandrake to get into a GUI even though I have had gotten successful video tests during the ConfigureX part of the install. I have tried both Recommended & Expert install methods. I have manually configured my monitor putting in the proper sync rates. I have used the VI editor to manually edit /etc/X11/XF86Config and config-4. Every time after booting > whether or not I choose “startX” or not the text login screen would come up briefly then go blank >the monitor lite would flash as it does when it goes into it’s screensaver/standby mode. Ctrl/Alt/F7 does nothing. Hitting CTRL/ALT/F1 brings up the login screen > am then able to login as user then root. I’ve tried typing “startx” >get error message that X is running. Tried “startkde” > error messages “xsetroot,xmodmap etc” “cannot open display”> ksplash : cannot connect to x server and $Display not set messages.
During my editing of /etc/X11/XF86config file I uncommented the following line:
Module Path : “/usr/X11R6/lib/modules” > this solved one problem in that when I boot the text login screen would stay up instead of blanking out. I HAVE NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN ABLE TO GET MANDRAKE 8.0 or 8.1 into a GUI (kde or gnome desktop).
I have had many replies to my posts with various suggestions including reading the article on the Mandrake forum: “No X after install, Why?”
One person mentioned running “ps aux” and looking for a line for software whose path is “/usr/X11R6/bin/” with a name beginning with X. I have yet to see this line- obviously part of the problem. Below are results from my /etc/X11/XF86Config file & lspicidrake output and my System Setup.
System Setup:
Asus A7V Motherboard >no audio,Built in Promise ATA 100 Controller,built in ATA 66 Controller.
AMD 900mhz Thunderbird Processor
512MB Crucial PC 133ram 2-2-2
ATI All In Wonder 128 Pro 32mb 4x AGP Video Card
Samsung Syncmaster 950p Monitor
Sound Blaster Live MP3+ Soundcard
Creative 6X PC-DVD rom with Dxr3 Decoder card
Yamaha 2100EZ 16x10x40 CDRW
Maxtor ATA 100 Hard drives (1)30gb (2)40gb
Teac Floppy drive
Intel PC Pro Camera Pack
HP Scanjet 3200C
Epson Stylus Color 600 printer
Motorola Cable Modem
Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router
Netgear PE102 Ethernet to Phoneline Bridge
Console Switcher (4 sets of inputs)
Altec Lansing Speakers with Subwoofer
Maxtor 30gb > master on Promise ATA 100 controller- main disc:
1st partition : Windows 98SE, 2nd part: Linux Mandrake 8.1 (hopefully)3rd,4th> windows files
Maxtor 40gb > slave- two partitions- Windows files
Maxtor 40gb > Master on ATA 66 Controller: Windows 2000 Professional->1st partition,
2nd part> windows files,3rd part: BeOS

LSPCIDRAKE RESULTS:
Unknown : Via Technologies : VT8363/8365 {KT133/KM133}
“ : “ “ : VT8363/8365 {KT133/KM133 AGP}
“ “ “ : VT82C686 {Apollo Super}
“ “ “ : VT82C586 IDE {Apollo}
“ “ “ : VT82C586B USB
“ “ “ : VT82C586B USB
“ “ “ : VT82C586B {Apollo Super ACPI}
Tulip : DEC: DECchip 21142/43
Emu10k1 : Creative Labs:SBLive! (audio)
Ns558 : Creative Labs: SBLive! (joystick)
Unknown : Sigma Designs,Inc Realmagic Hollywood Plus Dvd Decoder
“ : Promise Technologies, Inc :20265
Card : ATIRAGE128 : ATI: Rage128ProAGP4X
Unknown : Virtual : Hub {}
‘ “ : Alcor Micro, inc : Hub {]
“ : Virtual : Hub {}
“ : ViewQuestTechnologies,Inc : Intel Pro Share Webcam {}

Mandrake 8.1 XF86config file:
Section Module:
Load “dbe”
Subsec “extmod”
Option “omitxfree86-dga”
Load “type1”
Load “FreeType”
#Load “GLX”
Rgb path “/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb”
Font path “/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/Fonts/local/”
“ “ “/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/Fonts/misc/”
(and a bunch of others)
Module path “/usr/X11R6/lib/modules” >this was commented out originally > after uncommenting this when booting the screen didn’t blank out > test login screen was viewable > but typing startkde or Ctrl,Alt,F7 > no luck for GUI> craps out still.
Server Flags:
All Options below are commented out:
“notrapsignals”, “don’tzap”,”Don’tzoom”,”disablevidmodeextension”,” Alownonlocalvidtune”,”disablemodindev”,”allownonlo ca lmodindev”
Input Device:
Identifyer Keyboard1
Driver : Keyboard1
#option : “protocol” “Xqueue”
Monitor:
ID: SamsungSyncmaster950p
Horizsync : 30 –96
Vertrefresh : 50-160

Grahics Device Secton:
Section Device :
ID: “standard vga”
Vendorname : “unknown”
Boardname : “unknown”
#Chipset : “generic”
Driver : “vga”
#Bus ID : “Pci :0: 10:0
#videoram : “256”
#clocks : 25.2 28.3
Device Configured by XF86Configuration:
Identifyer: “Ati All In Wonder Pro 32mb 4X Agp”
Driver : “ati”
Videoram : 32768 > I added this line.
#Insert Clocks line if appropriate
Section “Screen”
Identifyer: “Screen1”
Device : “Ati All In Wonder Pro 32mb 4X Agp”
Monitor : Samsung Syncmaster950p
Default Depth : 16
Subsection: Display:
Depth 8
Modes “640x480” “800x600” 1024x768” “1280x1024”
Viewport 0 0
There are two more subsections > depths 16 & 24 > same info
Section Server Layout:
Identifyer: “Simple Layout”
Screen : “Screen1”
Input Device : “mouse1” “corepointer”
“ “ : “Keyboard1” “corekeyboard”
There was some other info regarding mouse & keyboard that I left out> info that didn’t apply.
After writing/saving this file I typed startx > screen went blank again, hit CTRL,Alt,F1 > the following came up on the screen:
(Roman numeral 2) R128 (0) : Using Xfree86 Acceleration Architecture (XMA)
“ “ “ : Screen to screen bit blits
“ “ “ : Solid Filled rectangles
“ “ “ : 8x8 mono pattern filled rectangles
“ “ “ : Indirect Cpu to screen color expansion
“ “ “ : solid lines
“ “ “ : Dashed lines
“ “ “ : Scanline Image Writes
“ “ “ : Offscreen Pixmaps
“ “ “ : setting up tile and stipple cache:
(on different lines) 32 128 x 128 slots 32 256 x 256 slots 16 512 x512 slots
“ “ “ : Acceleration Enabled
: Using Hardware cursor (scanline 1540)
: Largest offscreen area available : 1024 X 7419
(xx) “ “ “ : Dpms Enabled
“ “ “ : Direct rendering disabled
(xx) Mouse1 : “Protocol” “Ps/2”
(xx) Mouse1 : “Corepointer”
(= =) Mouse 1 : Buttons 3
(xx) Mouse 1 : Emulate3buttons,emulate3 (soory can’t read my own writing)

Keyboard handled by legacy driver
XINPUT : adding extended input device “Mouse1” (type mouse)

Have tried various things: (1), Using the monitor from my Dell Computer (on the list)
(2). I have bypassed my Dvd decoder card > running the video cable directly to the monitor
(3). Tried Mandrake 7.2 Complete / 8.0/8.1 on both the first hard drive where Windows 98SE& System Commander reside on the Promise ATA 100 controller and on the third hard drive where Win2K Pro resides. Had 7.2 working in the spring on the same partition as I’m trying now. The only hardware change I have made is to add more memory (256mb to 512mb) and replaced my Creative Labs 8432 CDRW with a Yamaha 16x10x40 CDRW.
Have tried changing my BIOS from “normal” (AGP 1x/2x) to “optimal” (4x). I normally run it at normal for stability.
I have no idea what to do next and don’t understand why even 7.2 won’t work either > I can’t remember any other changes that I have made to the System since spring time that could be causing these problems.
Please help! Thank you for taking the time to read all this!
David Sutter
Sheridan3957@adelphia.net

MindPh4ser
11-04-2001, 09:02 PM
I'm using Mandrake 8.1 with a Matrox G400, after the keyboard info in XFree86.log is some SetModeLine entries. But the main thing I see is that the vertual terminal is ctl-alt-F9 not F7.

I know that doesn't help much but at least it is something.

bigrigdriver
11-06-2001, 02:01 PM
I don't use Mandrake, so this reply may not help. The only times I've had problems similar to yours, they were my own creation. I copied something recursively and filled up my hard drive. When I booted the box, I got to the loggin screen, but couldn't loggin to kde(no room left to run the program). I could only boot into Linux at run level 3 (text mode).
So, I suggest you test your installation to see if you have any hard disk realestate left. Boot into run level 3, and issue the command du -a /, or df -a /. The first will tell you the amount of used hard disk space, the second will tell you the amount of free space. If the results tell you the disk is full, you will need to increase the size of the partition to accommodate the installation.

[ 06 November 2001: Message edited by: bigrigdriver ]

sarah31
11-06-2001, 02:34 PM
I may be a little off base here. But I noticed in some of your info that there appeared to be two video card layouts. I am wondering if your board came with an onboard video card. In which case perhaps Mandrake is identifying both and that is causing some sort of conflict with X.

To tell you the truth you may want to even try another Linux distro. I have been running Mandrake 7.2 which I had some compiling problems on that 8.0 solved but 8.1 seems to be a very shoddy distribution. If you browse the Mandrake and Linuxnewbie forums you will find that there is no end of trouble with. 8.1. Further it would appear that writing the distro is more important than ensuring that someone other than those whom program the Mandrake can run it on computers which have a different set up. If you browse their site there are very few hardware items that are certified to run on Mandrake or tested by a Mandrake staff/member. The majority of hardware out there is considered compliant because XFree86 can supposedly support it. And Linux people wonder why it is not more mainstream! If one has to waste all of their time trying to fix all the problems then why bother with the OS at all?