Kent and others, Problem Solved!
It took two things to manually change in the XF86Config-4 file... (1) BusID "PCI:0:8:0" was added right after driver "s3" in "Device" section referring to the video card. This was an absolute MUST in my system. (2) Changed the default depth from 24 to 8. When the original 24 was present, it apparently tried starting the card in 24 bit color resolution, which with only 1 MB of memory was not possible. I got just a gray screen. Thanks for the tips on how to get back to a text screen (Ctl-Alt-F1). I did not know how to do this, could find no other way to recover except to just reload everything. Don On 21 Jun 2004 at 21:58, Kent West wrote: > Don Jackson (AE5K) wrote: > > >On 21 Jun 2004 at 18:27, Kent West wrote: > > > > > > > >>Either leave the BusID setting blank (for an X86 machine with only one > >>video controller), or make sure it matches the output of lspci > >>(converting the hex to decimal). > >> > >> > > > >Thanks Kent for the reply... there was no BusID given in the > >XF86Config-4 file (I assume this is where I'd find it). At > >suggestion of Rthoreau I added in: > >BusID "PCI:0:8:0" in one of the device sections and it didn't like > > > > > That seems correct. Here's my section for comparison: > > > Section "Device" > > Identifier "ATI Rage 128" > > Driver "ati" > > BusID "PCI:01:0:0" > > EndSection > > based on the results of lspci: > > > 0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 > > RL/VR AGP > > > For my second video card: > > > Section "Device" > > Identifier "Diamond Stealth 64 S3" > > Driver "s3virge" > > BusID "PCI:0:11:0" > > EndSection > > and > > > 0000:00:0b.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. 86c325 [ViRGE] (rev 06) > > > Note that unless you have multiple video controllers, the BusID should > be optional on x86-style hardware (such as your Athlon-based unit). > > >it (error), then moved it to another device section which had to do > >with the video card and it then prevented bootup all the way (ended > >up with just a gray unsynced screen on monitor when it tried to start > >gdm). > > > Actually, this sounds promising. It sounds like X has now found your > video card, but doesn't like its settings, such as refresh rate or color > depth or resolution. If I recall from an earlier post, you said this was > only a 1MB card, in which case you'll probably have to settle for > 1024x768 at 8-bit color depth (256 colors). > > Since you've already started reloading the system, it's too late now, > but you should have run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" and chosen > 8-bit color and 800x600 resolution, and if that works, run it again and > you can try pushing for higher resolution/color. > > It sounds like you're rebooting each time you try to start X, but that's > not necessary. I think gdm will fail after three attempts, and drop you > to a text console. If not, you can press Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get to a text > console, and then stop gdm with "/etc/init.d/gdm stop". Then you can > tweak your X settings, and try them out by running "startx" to start X; > if that works, you can exit X and run "/etc/init.d/gdm restart" to get > your gdm login screen. If it doesn't work, tweak the settings again and > try "startx" again. > > > > Am in process of reloading system now ;-( Hope you or someone > >has more things or pointers to try! > > > > > No need to reload; that's a Windows mentality. In Linux, you just fix it > instead of wiping and starting over. After a while, you'll get to where > you really appreciate that capability, and it'll make you really start > to hate Windows the next time you have to do a rebuild. > > > >BTW, lspci gave 0000:00:8.0 for video card. > > -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
