Video Card Config Problem

[dwexplorer]

I am so frustrated but at least thanks to folks in this forum I have made some progress. I have Redhat Linux 8.0 installed dual booting with Win98. In Win98 my video card and monitor work great. But I can't get them to work with X Windows.

I have a Diamond Viper Pro Video (Weitek 9100, 2MB) graphics card driving a Dell D1528L monitor. I can log into Linux in text mode, no problem. I was able to install Linux in text mode, no problem. Could not install in graphics mode. It failed saying it could not open the X Window. Logging in as root I run redhat-config-xfree86 but the image is way too large. I look at only a part of it and cannot scroll. Bottom line is I cannot work with the configurator because I cannot scroll around and see what is going on. When installing initially I had to choose a low resolution and this is the result but I had no other option. I did not tinker with the Horiz and Vert sync rates cause I had no idea what to change them to. According to Redhat, and based on the installation choices my graphics card is supported. I had to choose a Dell D1428L monitor though because mine was not listed. I figured it was close enough. I'm at a loss, can anyone help?


DWEXPLORER

[mdwatts]

See if adding/changing the vga= line in your bootloader config to vga=791 will help.

Grub - either /boot/grub/menu.lst or grub.conf

Lilo - /etc/lilo.conf

You need to be root to make the changes and with Lilo, you also need to run /sbin/lilo after modifying /etc/lilo.conf.

[linux12414]

Originally posted by dwexplorer
I am so frustrated but at least thanks to folks in this forum I have made some progress. I have Redhat Linux 8.0 installed dual booting with Win98. In Win98 my video card and monitor work great. But I can't get them to work with X Windows.

I have a Diamond Viper Pro Video (Weitek 9100, 2MB) graphics card driving a Dell D1528L monitor. I can log into Linux in text mode, no problem. I was able to install Linux in text mode, no problem. Could not install in graphics mode. It failed saying it could not open the X Window. Logging in as root I run redhat-config-xfree86 but the image is way too large. I look at only a part of it and cannot scroll. Bottom line is I cannot work with the configurator because I cannot scroll around and see what is going on. When installing initially I had to choose a low resolution and this is the result but I had no other option. I did not tinker with the Horiz and Vert sync rates cause I had no idea what to change them to. According to Redhat, and based on the installation choices my graphics card is supported. I had to choose a Dell D1428L monitor though because mine was not listed. I figured it was close enough. I'm at a loss, can anyone help?


DWEXPLORER

Your horizontal & vertical sync rates should be listed with the technical specs that came with your monitor. If you don't have them, go to the manufacturer's website and find the specs for your model. This is VERY important to get a good display.

From the command line type:
lsmod
This will show you if the module for your video card is loaded.

If the module is listed in /lib/modules/<kernel> directory, install the module like this:
insmod <driver name>
then:
depmod -a

See if this will work for you.

[linux12414]

Also, when you find out your hor. & vert sync rates, go back and reconfigure the monitor. This time, if it's not listed, choose generic and put in your sync rates.

That's how I had to do it in my RH box, since my Samsung monitor wasn't listed.

HTH

[dwexplorer]

The horiz and vert sync rates are not listed on the manufacturer's plate on the monitor so how can I determine what they should be set to? I have no clue. Aren't they standard?

Also, I've tried the suggestion of adding the vga = to menu.lst but I can't deal with vi and keep getting messed up. Guess I have to learn vi first. Is there an easier editor that can be used from the command line?

Thanks

Dwexplorer

[linux12414]

Originally posted by dwexplorer
The horiz and vert sync rates are not listed on the manufacturer's plate on the monitor so how can I determine what they should be set to? I have no clue. Aren't they standard?

Also, I've tried the suggestion of adding the vga = to menu.lst but I can't deal with vi and keep getting messed up. Guess I have to learn vi first. Is there an easier editor that can be used from the command line?

Thanks

Dwexplorer

You need to go to the manufacturer's site and look up your monitor's model's specs. To get the optimum rendering, you need to have these. You could, however, pick a conservative number (the lower numbers are not as important as the higher ones here). For instance, my Samsung 955DF has a horizontal of 30-85 and a verical of 50-160. This is a 19" monitor. If you cannot find specs for your monitor, I would use something like 30-80 H and 40-120V. The xf86config program has numbers listed...start out conservatively working your way up from there. But, please, try to find the correct numbers for your particular model.

As to vi, that takes some time to master, but it can be done, although I wouldn't advise practicing it now when you seem to be stressed out. Try Pico, nedit or gedit for this kind of stuff, and go back to vi or emacs when you have the patience to absorb what you're doing.

[linux12414]

Sorry about that, I forgot you've only got the command line...so Pico would be the easiest.

If you want, give me your monitor's manufacturer and model # and I'll go to the site and try to get the info for you.

[dwexplorer]

How do I use pico, nedit or gedit? I get "cannot find command" messages for pico and nedit, gedit tells me it cannot open the display. Do I have to change to a particular directory, type it in with special parameters or something like that? Thank you for your patience.

dw

[dwexplorer]

I did manage to stumble on the Horiz and Vert Sync rate information after digging through Dell support. For anyone who may follow they are Horiz 30 - 64 kHz, Vert 50 - 90 kHz. There are also several modes that go along with various combinations for H and V for instance, Mode 7 resolution is 800 x 600 with H of 48.08 and V of 72.01.

dw

[BigFatJoe]

Originally posted by dwexplorer
How do I use pico, nedit or gedit? I get "cannot find command" messages for pico and nedit, gedit tells me it cannot open the display. Do I have to change to a particular directory, type it in with special parameters or something like that? Thank you for your patience.

dw

Most likely you will have vi installed:
su
<enter root password>
cd /etc/X11/
vi XF86Config-4
(or XF86Config - most likely you do have version 4.x though)
^ the path may be slightly differnet in RedHat, just check the path
then scroll down with the arrows, and press "i" to edit text. You want to go the the "Monitor" section and enter the correct HorizSync and VertRefresh (you mentioned 30-64 and 50-90).
Once you're done press "<esc> wq <enter>" to save and exit.
Test the setup by running "startx"

[dwexplorer]

The saga continues but it looks like I'm at a dead end now. I thank you all for your help.

I got the sync rates and put them in the XF86Config. That made it workable but still too large. Having RH 8.0 looks like I have XFree86 4.2.1. So my server and client drivers are built in. I found I had depth = 8 which defaults to a very low (320x?) resolution. I set it to 4 and got a workable screen but very grainy. But then I could at least set the display preferences using Gnome GUI. But it set the depth to 16 and then startx would crash. No win. The hcl says use the vga driver but I just don't think it's good enough for my Diamond Viper Pro. If anybody has any more ideas I'd like to hear them.

I am definately learning but it looks like I should get another video card. Any inexpensive suggestions?

Dwexplorer

[linux12414]

Originally posted by dwexplorer
The saga continues but it looks like I'm at a dead end now. I thank you all for your help.

I got the sync rates and put them in the XF86Config. That made it workable but still too large. Having RH 8.0 looks like I have XFree86 4.2.1. So my server and client drivers are built in. I found I had depth = 8 which defaults to a very low (320x?) resolution. I set it to 4 and got a workable screen but very grainy. But then I could at least set the display preferences using Gnome GUI. But it set the depth to 16 and then startx would crash. No win. The hcl says use the vga driver but I just don't think it's good enough for my Diamond Viper Pro. If anybody has any more ideas I'd like to hear them.

I am definately learning but it looks like I should get another video card. Any inexpensive suggestions?

Dwexplorer

Try one more thing before giving up and buying another video card---

Go back into XF86Config and go to your resolutions (i.e., 8, 16, 24 bit). This sequence comes after you specify the memory on your card, I believe.

You'll see something like this:

1. 480x600 600x800 1024x768 .. 8 bit
2. 480x600 600x800 1024x768....16 bit
3. 480x600 600x800 1024x768...24 bit


Then there will be instructions at how to set this.

Probably you left the defaults...480x600 would produce an extremely large display. Change them to 1024x768 (or whatever res. you prefer)...make sure to change the resolutions for each color bit.

Let us know how you made out with this.

[dwexplorer]

It looks like what the config file calls "Depth" is actually bits but it doesn't describe that anywhere. It has a Default Depth line and subsections describing resolutions for Depths of 4, 8 and 16. I removed the lower resolutions from each. I read somewhere that Depth of 8 defaults to resolution of 320x??? and sure enough when I make the Default Depth 8 I get a large screen. When I set Default Depth to 4 I get a reasonable screem size but in both cases (depth of 4 and 8) the screen is very grainey. I can actually see the pixels! When I set Default Dept to 16 startx fails. I created a Depth of 24 but it also fails. This is starting to make sense to me and like I mentioned, it appears "vga" is not a good driver for my video card even though it is what is recommended. I hate to buy something that's "supported" like my Diamond Viper Pro (which works like a champ under Windows 98 so it's not the card). One good thing about problems like this, this is where the real education comes from. Thanks for your assistance. I'm game for more ideas.

Dwexplorer

[BigFatJoe]

"Depth" is indeed bits (24 being in reality what video card makers call 32: 24 + 8(buffer?))

Now, you may want to peruse and post the relevant parts of /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, /var/log/XFree86.0.log, and possibly ~/.xsession-errors

Maybe you can dig something up from that.
^Just throwing ideas out. :D