Getting graphics/XWinSys to work
 

I have a new dual-boot desktop, with a graphics card nvidia geforce 6150le. My problem is that the graphics don't work - i had to install linux via the text interface. Unfortunately, now I'm stuck at the firstboot screen. Switching to text console gives me a 'firstboot:' prompt, I can type in stuff but nothing registers. And in rescue mode, xf86config returns a 'command not found'. Currently installed video driver is VESA generic. Would appreciate any ideas.

Nice...... please take special note: Linux has no "firstboot" prompt of any sorts... This is placed in by a distribution, and not every disto has this, as you can tell, distros are not 100% compatible with each other, so you might imaging how hard it would be to even begin to know where your at without knowing what disto your using.

Next set of questions: what GUI was installed? Xorg or XFree86?, what installation problems did you have, error messages specifically?

My bad - RHEL 3.5 firstboot. Uh, how do I check what GUI I'm using? I do know that the xf86 command works in RHEL, I've used it before. Just doesn't work in rescue mode.

Installation errors - no error messages, but when starting graphical anaconda, I would get a weirded out screen. Ctrl-Alt-Del or the power button would exit anaconda, and I'd be able to see the usual shutdown messages. At no point were there any error messages.

Update - I've gotten past the firstboot screen, running the redhat-config-xfree86 command gives me the weird screen. Editing /etc/X11/XF86Config shows that I'm using generic monitor and vesa drivers. Still clueless.

Update #2 - grepping the output file from an attempted run of startx returns 8 warnings, 0 errors.

(WW) Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (No such device)
(WW) **Invalid mem allocation** b: 0xfb000004e0000000 e: 0xfb000004efffffff correcting
(WW) (1280x1024),Monitor0) mode clock 135MHz exceeds DDC maximum 110MHz //Message gets repeated 3 more times, with different mode clock speeds.
(WW) Vesa(0): Failed to set up write-combining range (0x40000000, 0x40000000)

May i ask why you are still using RHEL 3.5? If i'm correct, it's pretty old by now and most of the world has moved to Xorg rather than Xfree86. Is it possible to get a more recent decent distro from Redhat or use a community equivalent like Fedora Core?

For the nVidia problem, i think you need to update the drivers either from the net repos or get it directly from www.nvidia.com and install it.

Mmm, company using software that runs on RHEL 3. Currently trying to get 'em to upgrade to RHEL 4, but that's a different story.

Is that important, considering I'm using generic VESA drivers? Or am I mistaken in thinking VESA was supported everywhere.

Ok its a workplace problem, then may i ask why are you troubleshooting it? Shouldn't you contact some technical staff working for your company or some maintenance guys, hey i'm just asking ;)

Unfortunately, it's a small company, and I *am* the technical guy. I just can't tell them what specialized software to use for their job, and they're using something that requires RHEL3.

Annoyingly, popping in the RHEL 4.3 disk lets me start anaconda without a hitch. Bah.

You are using an nvidia video card? The driver should be "nv".
can you paste the output of lspci where it says what your video card is please.

I'm using an nvidia motherboard with onboard graphics. lspci:

00:05.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C51 PCI Express Bridge (rev a2)

So, was I mistaken in assuming that VESA was a more-or-less universal video driver? Lil confused on that point.

Assuming he is knowingly using vesa, i dont think he needs to use Nivida drivers, no need for 3D acceleration, and vesa should work just fine for the task at hand, so moving on.

strange how xf86 is installed, but the configure command is not, search the OS to find anything:
also look for anything with "xf86" just in case.

Can you describe what the screen looks like? But looking at the error, it looks like your monitor timings are incorrect or need adjustment.

The config command is installed, it just doesn't function atm. This is its output.

* no cardMem, assuming 8192
* ddcprobe returned bogus values:
ID: None
Name: None
HorizSync: None
VertSync: None

Couldn't start X server, trying with a fresh configuration

* no cardMem, assuming 8192
Trying with card: VESA driver (generic)

Then it spits out a mutated login screen. Roughly 1/4 the height of my screen, 5 of them along the row. Lines are mixed up a little, but you can roughly make out the fedora logo. So that's 5 mini login screens along the top 1/4, the other 3/4 of the screen is blank.

I suspect that it's the motherboard that's having issues. I just noticed that my onboard ethernet is having issues as well. Screw it, it's time to move to RHEL4...