You can't get there from here...
At the meeting last Thursday, I asked about a problem I'm having with KDE desktop, and Tim mentioned I should run 'tail -f /var/log/messages' in another terminal while loading KDE. Description of problem: KDE starts to load, tells me it's checking peripherals, and then the screen goes black. Ctrl-alt-back kills the xserver and gets me out. In running the tail, I discovered that KDE really is runnning OK, but I have to switch to another virtual console (alt-F2) and then ctrl-alt-F7 will get me to the kde desktop. I get error messages from modprobe while kde is loading. It's looking for sound-slot-1, which I think is odd, because modules.conf doesn't say anything about a sound-slot-1. I only have one sound card, and it's at sound-slot-0. I tried turning off the sound server in the kde control center, and that didn't help. I also get gpm error messages when I go in an out of an x-session. Changing GPM_PARAMS in /etc/rc.config to the correct type of mouse helped get rid of flaky mouse behavior in console, but the error messages continue. Below are the messages. Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks, Greg Oct 12 13:54:29 linux gpm[1601]: Error in protocol Oct 12 13:55:04 linux last message repeated 38 times Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-slot-1 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-1-0 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-slot-1 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-1-0 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-slot-1 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-1-0 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-slot-1 Oct 12 13:55:05 linux modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module sound-service-1-0
On Sunday 12 October 2003 2:25 pm, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
At the meeting last Thursday, I asked about a problem I'm having with KDE desktop, and Tim mentioned I should run 'tail -f /var/log/messages' in another terminal while loading KDE.
Hi Greg, What happens if you create a brand new user, and then log in as that user and fire up KDE? I'm wondering if there is a system problem or if something is fubar in one of your user specific KDE files. Later, Andy -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org
Andy Stewart wrote:
On Sunday 12 October 2003 2:25 pm, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
At the meeting last Thursday, I asked about a problem I'm having with KDE desktop, and Tim mentioned I should run 'tail -f /var/log/messages' in another terminal while loading KDE.
Hi Greg,
What happens if you create a brand new user, and then log in as that user and fire up KDE? I'm wondering if there is a system problem or if something is fubar in one of your user specific KDE files.
Later,
Andy
Hi Andy, Same thing happens with any user, and the problem spans two consecutive installations on the same machine. The problem doesn't exist on my other machine, even though I intalled the same stuff. I'm thinking it might have to do with my funky vid card (ELSA GLoria-L). Sax2 won't run on this machine - it goes to a black screen that won't respond to any keystrokes except the reset button. I had to setup XFree 4.1 with the old sax, passing monitor and server parameters to it on the command line for it to run correctly (hsync, vsync, screen resolution and server). Sax2 doesn't seem to have the same switches. Is it bad to setup newer versions of X with sax instead of sax2? BTW, I had a lot of trouble setting up the older version of XFree from the CD's, too. Greg
On Monday 13 October 2003 9:13 am, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
Same thing happens with any user, and the problem spans two consecutive installations on the same machine. The problem doesn't exist on my other machine, even though I intalled the same stuff.
I'm thinking it might have to do with my funky vid card (ELSA GLoria-L). Sax2 won't run on this machine - it goes to a black screen that won't respond to any keystrokes except the reset button. I had to setup XFree 4.1 with the old sax, passing monitor and server parameters to it on the command line for it to run correctly (hsync, vsync, screen resolution and server). Sax2 doesn't seem to have the same switches. Is it bad to setup newer versions of X with sax instead of sax2?
BTW, I had a lot of trouble setting up the older version of XFree from the CD's, too.
Greg
HI Greg, I think sax2 has a command line switch to force it to run in a low res mode, and I believe it is "-l" (minus ell). I've succeeded in using this with all sorts of strange hardware. This switch is not the default. sax is designed for XFree86 3.x, while sax2 is designed for XFree86 4.x. SuSE seems to be geared to more easily handle XFree86 4.x. See if you can get this graphics card to run in 640x480 8-bit color mode first, and if you succeed, then get brave and attempt higher resolutions afterwards. Later, Andy -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org
Andy Stewart wrote:
On Monday 13 October 2003 9:13 am, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
Same thing happens with any user, and the problem spans two consecutive installations on the same machine. The problem doesn't exist on my other machine, even though I intalled the same stuff.
I'm thinking it might have to do with my funky vid card (ELSA GLoria-L). Sax2 won't run on this machine - it goes to a black screen that won't respond to any keystrokes except the reset button. I had to setup XFree 4.1 with the old sax, passing monitor and server parameters to it on the command line for it to run correctly (hsync, vsync, screen resolution and server). Sax2 doesn't seem to have the same switches. Is it bad to setup newer versions of X with sax instead of sax2?
BTW, I had a lot of trouble setting up the older version of XFree from the CD's, too.
Greg
HI Greg,
I think sax2 has a command line switch to force it to run in a low res mode, and I believe it is "-l" (minus ell). I've succeeded in using this with all sorts of strange hardware. This switch is not the default.
sax is designed for XFree86 3.x, while sax2 is designed for XFree86 4.x. SuSE seems to be geared to more easily handle XFree86 4.x.
See if you can get this graphics card to run in 640x480 8-bit color mode first, and if you succeed, then get brave and attempt higher resolutions afterwards.
Later,
Andy
Andy, Lowres won't work. The problem is it sees the S3Virge chip on the vid card and wants to use the s3virge driver, when it should really be using the 3DLabs driver. In the old sax, it tries to run in lowres first, and it comes up very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen. What I've found to work is this - sax -h 30-70 -v 50-150 -a 1024x768 -s XF86_3DLabs I've read the help screen for sax2 a bunch of times, and I don't understand how to give it the same information. sax2 -m 0=vga sort of works. I get a 320x200 image that fills the bottom half of my screen and bleeds way off the right edge. sax2 -m 0=glint quits and gives me error messages (no device found - the card has a glint 500tx accelerator) sax2 -m 0=s3virge goes black and locks up, only reset button gets me out Can't figure out the proper syntax for the --xmode option to set the screen resolution or hsync, and setting vsync doesn't seem to be an option. If you know this secret, I'll buy you a beer. Greg
On Monday 13 October 2003 2:28 pm, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
I'm thinking it might have to do with my funky vid card (ELSA GLoria-L). Sax2 won't run on this machine - it goes to a black screen that won't respond to any keystrokes except the reset button. I had to setup XFree 4.1 with the old sax, passing monitor and server parameters to it on the command line for it to run correctly (hsync, vsync, screen resolution and server). Sax2 doesn't seem to have the same switches. Is it bad to setup newer versions of X with sax instead of sax2?
BTW, I had a lot of trouble setting up the older version of XFree from the CD's, too.
Greg
HI Greg,
I think sax2 has a command line switch to force it to run in a low res mode, and I believe it is "-l" (minus ell). I've succeeded in using this with all sorts of strange hardware. This switch is not the default.
sax is designed for XFree86 3.x, while sax2 is designed for XFree86 4.x. SuSE seems to be geared to more easily handle XFree86 4.x.
See if you can get this graphics card to run in 640x480 8-bit color mode first, and if you succeed, then get brave and attempt higher resolutions afterwards.
Later,
Andy
Andy,
Lowres won't work. The problem is it sees the S3Virge chip on the vid card and wants to use the s3virge driver, when it should really be using the 3DLabs driver. In the old sax, it tries to run in lowres first, and it comes up very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen. What I've found to work is this - sax -h 30-70 -v 50-150 -a 1024x768 -s XF86_3DLabs
I've read the help screen for sax2 a bunch of times, and I don't understand how to give it the same information.
sax2 -m 0=vga sort of works. I get a 320x200 image that fills the bottom half of my screen and bleeds way off the right edge.
sax2 -m 0=glint quits and gives me error messages (no device found - the card has a glint 500tx accelerator)
sax2 -m 0=s3virge goes black and locks up, only reset button gets me out
Can't figure out the proper syntax for the --xmode option to set the screen resolution or hsync, and setting vsync doesn't seem to be an option. If you know this secret, I'll buy you a beer.
Greg
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-- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org
On Monday 13 October 2003 2:28 pm, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
Lowres won't work. The problem is it sees the S3Virge chip on the vid card and wants to use the s3virge driver, when it should really be using the 3DLabs driver. In the old sax, it tries to run in lowres first, and it comes up very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen. What I've found to work is this - sax -h 30-70 -v 50-150 -a 1024x768 -s XF86_3DLabs
The "very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen" problem is most likely a funky "modelines" line in your XF86Config file. This can often be remedied by manually adjusting your monitor, or by running (carefully!) xvidtune and noting the new mode line once the screen is properly adjusted. This new mode line would then be hand edited into your XF86Config file. If the XFree86 v3.x driver (XF86_3DLabs) works for you, there may be no need to fuss with the v4.x XFree86 driver.
I've read the help screen for sax2 a bunch of times, and I don't understand how to give it the same information.
sax2 -m 0=vga sort of works. I get a 320x200 image that fills the bottom half of my screen and bleeds way off the right edge.
sax2 -m 0=glint quits and gives me error messages (no device found - the card has a glint 500tx accelerator)
sax2 -m 0=s3virge goes black and locks up, only reset button gets me out
Which version of XFree86 4.x are you trying to use? If you are having problems like this, you most likely need the latest and greatest. However, I have seen cases where XFree86 v3.x works better than v4.x, especially on "weird" video cards that are getting on in years. Later, Andy -- Andy Stewart, Founder Worcester Linux Users' Group Worcester, MA USA http://www.wlug.org
Andy Stewart wrote:
On Monday 13 October 2003 2:28 pm, Gregory Avedissian wrote:
Lowres won't work. The problem is it sees the S3Virge chip on the vid card and wants to use the s3virge driver, when it should really be using the 3DLabs driver. In the old sax, it tries to run in lowres first, and it comes up very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen. What I've found to work is this - sax -h 30-70 -v 50-150 -a 1024x768 -s XF86_3DLabs
The "very large and hanging way over the edge of my screen" problem is most likely a funky "modelines" line in your XF86Config file. This can often be remedied by manually adjusting your monitor, or by running (carefully!) xvidtune and noting the new mode line once the screen is properly adjusted. This new mode line would then be hand edited into your XF86Config file. If the XFree86 v3.x driver (XF86_3DLabs) works for you, there may be no need to fuss with the v4.x XFree86 driver.
I've read the help screen for sax2 a bunch of times, and I don't understand how to give it the same information.
sax2 -m 0=vga sort of works. I get a 320x200 image that fills the bottom half of my screen and bleeds way off the right edge.
sax2 -m 0=glint quits and gives me error messages (no device found - the card has a glint 500tx accelerator)
sax2 -m 0=s3virge goes black and locks up, only reset button gets me out
Which version of XFree86 4.x are you trying to use? If you are having problems like this, you most likely need the latest and greatest. However, I have seen cases where XFree86 v3.x works better than v4.x, especially on "weird" video cards that are getting on in years.
Later,
Andy
I'm trying to use 4.1.0. The 3Dlabs driver didn't come with 3.3.6. I had to find it online and unpack it. I also ran the Xinstall script that came with the 4.1.0 tarballs. I thought it had replaced all my files, so I can't tell you for sure which version is really running. I just tried again to run sax2 -m 0=vga, and it ran fine at 640x480. I'm not sure what's different now, but I did install some other packages this afternoon, like openmotif devel and some font packages. Anyway, sax2 does not list my vid card, but sax does. Maybe I should just leave this alone for now, since it works. If it's the source of the kde problem, I can live with it as long as my function keys work. BTW, I had asked you about my other machine, which wouldn't let me switch virtual screens. Turns out my nifty new keyboard has about 10 special buttons for web surfing, and one of them turns off the function keys. Thanks, Greg
participants (2)
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Andy Stewart -
Gregory Avedissian