Reconfigure Graphics card on Debian Lenny

cov · 10-25-2010, 08:48 AM

I've replaced the Motherboard on a working Debian Lenny system but GDM does not come up: the grey screen merely displays with a wristwatch in the middle.

I can find no error messages. Running dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg and Xorg -configure don't help.

Can anyone suggest anything else?

serafean · 10-25-2010, 09:01 AM

if you have grey screen with a wristwatch, the problem isn't X, but gdm. try reconfiguring gdm. try looking into /var/log/ if there is any file named gdm.log (when using kdm, kdm.log exists); in there might lie the clue to your problem.

just to be on the safe side, check through /var/log/Xorg.0.log for any [fatal] error messages (EE)

Serafean

cov · 10-25-2010, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serafean

if you have grey screen with a wristwatch, the problem isn't X, but gdm. try reconfiguring gdm. try looking into /var/log/ if there is any file named gdm.log (when using kdm, kdm.log exists); in there might lie the clue to your problem.

just to be on the safe side, check through /var/log/Xorg.0.log for any [fatal] error messages (EE)

Serafean

Hi Serafean,

Thanks for the help. Yes I removed and reinstalled GDM to no effect.

There is a file called /var/log/gdm/\0.log but there is nothing of interest therein. There are no EE lines in /var/log/Xorg.0.log. It's a bit baffling.

~Dave

serafean · 10-25-2010, 10:14 AM

interesting, lets get this running one step at a time... to make sure that X works, start just that. you should get a completely black screen. next up, try starting GDM, again from console. Another thing to try would be to install another login manager (such as SLIM) to confirm GDM as the culprit.

now for some info : what graphic card/driver are you using? is it onboard or PCI-E? does your M/B have an onboard graphic chip?

cov · 10-25-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serafean

interesting, lets get this running one step at a time... to make sure that X works, start just that. you should get a completely black screen. next up, try starting GDM, again from console. Another thing to try would be to install another login manager (such as SLIM) to confirm GDM as the culprit.

now for some info : what graphic card/driver are you using? is it onboard or PCI-E? does your M/B have an onboard graphic chip?

Yes, I'm away from the machine, so I'm quoting from memory.

I shut down gdm with /etc/init.d/gdm stop. Then started X (in root) with startx. Got an error which said xinit: server error. I ran xinit and the xserver started okay, gave me a blank desktop with a terminal window from which I was able to open Openoffice.

The graphics are onboard with an SiS chipset.

When I get to the machine tomorrow I'll install SLIM and see what I get from that.

~ Dave