Video card problem [solved]

[BobC]

After putting in a different video card, and then going back to the original card, I have lost the graphical display on my computer running Mandrake 10.1.

 

I want to make dvds from 8mm videos I shoot with my analogue camcorder. To do this video capture, I require a TV-In card, I bought one the other day to try out and that is where my problems started, Luckily I have an LTSP network set up in my home, and my workstations still work normally, which will make it easier to fix things.

 

The problem is with the server which will not boot beyond the terminal prompt. The display manager does not come up.

 

Here's what I did to cause this situation:

 

1.I removed the 3D Rage Pro AGP 1X/2X video card that has worked fine since installation of mdk 10.1.

2.I installed a replacement video card, an ATI Mach64, that I thought had more memory as required by the TV card.

3.I put in the TV card, and ASUS TV FM card.

 

I assumed everything would be automatically detected upon reboot, but instead, it booted only to the terminal prompt. I tried to set up the new video card using the Mandrake Control Center, going to the Hardware section, then choosing Video card. I then ran the Config Tool and selected the new video card. I couldn't get the graphical display to work. I also set up the TV card, in Mandrake Control Center.

 

Finally, I tried to go back to the original working mdk 10.1 setup. I removed both the TV card and the Mach64 card, and reinstalled the original 3D Rage Pro AGP 1X/2X video car. The problem persists, no matter what settings I choose using the video card Config Tool.

 

From the reading I have done, I am guessing I have managed to get conflicting modules loaded. I am not familiar enough with Linux to know what I need to do to really identify the problem and fix it.

 

I would really appreciate any pointers on how to proceed.

 

Thanks.

[arctic]

first of all, try running XFdrake from the prompt once more. if that fails, you might need to run xorgconfig from the prompt as root. you need to know your hardware data (monitor refresh-rates, graphic-card specifications (ram, chipset,...) for this.

 

good luck :)

[ianw1974]

You could try running "startx" from the prompt if you've not already tried this. Does it list any errors when you attempt to do this? If so, could you post these as it might shed some light on the problem.

[BobC]

Thanks for your help Arctic and ianw1974.

 

I have been able to fix my problem which was due to the XF86Config file.

 

I tried using XFdrake at a terminal to set the video card, but with not luck. Each time I got this error message:

 

“(EE) failed to load module "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libglx.a"

(once-only module, 135962511)

(WW) ATI(0): Failed to set up write combining range (0x40000000) (0x800000)

 

Try to change some parameters”

 

I managed to fix the problem however, when I realized Xfdrake was modifying the file /etc/X11/XF86Config. I noticed a previous version of the file which I renamed XF86Config. When I ran “startx” I got the display manager and could log in.

 

When I compared the two XF86Config files, the one that worked had some extra information in the section “Files”.

 

The non functioning XF86Config file had:

 

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)

# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of

# the X server to render fonts.

FontPath "unix/:-1"

EndSection

 

The functioning XF86Config file had:

 

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)

# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of

# the X server to render fonts.

FontPath "unix/:-1"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/mdk"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TTF"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/encodings"

EndSection

 

When I pasted the missing lines into the nonfunctioning XF86Config file it became active again, allowing the graphical display to work.

 

So what seems to have happened is when I tried to setup my new videocard using Mandrake Control Center, somehow the FontPath lines were taken out of the XF86Config file. When I tried to go back to the old videocard again using the Mandrake control center, even though I chose the proper videocard, the fontPath lines did not get put back in, and so the situation did not get fixed.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[DragonMage]

You know, it's weird that my xorg.conf is the same as your non-working one, but the screen works out fine.

 

Is XFS service running? Try typing

service xfs status

in a console as root.

[BobC]

You know, it's weird that my xorg.conf is the same as your non-working one, but the screen works out fine.

 

Is XFS service running? Try typing

service xfs status

in a console as root.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It is interesting that your XF86Config (xorg.conf) works without the font path information.

I just checked that and XFS service is running

 

[root@mandrake10 bob]# service xfs status

xfs (pid 4264) is running...

[root@mandrake10 bob]#