Hello, I'm new to Linux, and I'm having a problem getting KDE to start, both automatically when Linux boots, and using "startx". I've already googled away but I have not gotten specific enough information to understand the problem, and I have tried fixes that did not work.

Here is what is strange - sometimes the problem goes away by itself after a reboot! Other times it seems there is nothing I can do to get KDE to start. The problem originated when I had to shutdown my PC manually as KDE was frozen. I have a Compaq Presario 5000, (PIII) and this problem is apparently common, possibly originating in a faulty motherboard. The PC would also freeze under Windows ME and XP, in fact it's done this almost since I bought it several years ago. The monitor is a Compaq V720. I assume that the video chipset is i810e, though that is based on what Linux apps have told me.

I could live with the occasional freezing, IF I could get into KDE after manually rebooting and get back to work.

Here are the (I think) relevant parts of XFree86.0.log:


(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
(II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(II) Module vgahw: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(**) I810(0): Depth 16, (--) framebuffer bpp 16
(==) I810(0): RGB weight 565
(==) I810(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(II) Loading sub module "vbe"
(II) LoadModule: "vbe"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvbe.a
(II) Module vbe: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) Loading sub module "int10"
(II) LoadModule: "int10"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libint10.a
(II) Module int10: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) I810(0): initializing int10
(II) I810(0): Primary V_BIOS segment is: 0xc000
(II) I810(0): VESA BIOS detected
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE Version 3.0
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE Total Mem: 1024 kB
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE OEM: Intel(R) 8xx Chipset Video BIOS
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE OEM Software Rev: 33.118
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE OEM Vendor: Intel Corporation
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE OEM Product: Intel(R) 8xx Chipset
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE OEM Product Rev: Hardware Version 0.0
(II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libddc.a
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC supported
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC Level 2
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC transfer in appr. 1 sec.
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC read successfully
(II) I810(0): Manufacturer: CPQ Model: 3015 Serial#: 1379416376
(II) I810(0): Year: 1999 Week: 14
(II) I810(0): EDID Version: 1.1
(II) I810(0): Analog Display Input, Input Voltage Level: 0.700/0.300 V
(II) I810(0): Sync: Separate
(II) I810(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 33 vert.: 25
(II) I810(0): Gamma: 2.30
(II) I810(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off; RGB/Color Display
(II) I810(0): redX: 0.619 redY: 0.345 greenX: 0.289 greenY: 0.609
(II) I810(0): blueX: 0.154 blueY: 0.064 whiteX: 0.280 whiteY: 0.311
(II) I810(0): Supported VESA Video Modes:
(II) I810(0): 720x400@70Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@72Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@56Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@72Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@70Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@75Hz
(II) I810(0): Manufacturer's mask: 0
(II) I810(0): Supported Future Video Modes:
(II) I810(0): #0: hsize: 1280 vsize 1024 refresh: 60 vid: 32897
(II) I810(0): #1: hsize: 1024 vsize 768 refresh: 85 vid: 22881
(II) I810(0): #2: hsize: 800 vsize 600 refresh: 85 vid: 22853
(II) I810(0): #3: hsize: 640 vsize 480 refresh: 85 vid: 22833
(II) I810(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) I810(0): clock: 25.2 MHz Image Size: 306 x 230 mm
(II) I810(0): h_active: 640 h_sync: 656 h_sync_end 752 h_blank_end 800 h_border: 8
(II) I810(0): v_active: 350 v_sync: 387 v_sync_end 389 v_blanking: 449 v_border: 6
(II) I810(0): Ranges: V min: 50 V max: 100 Hz, H min: 31 H max: 70 kHz, PixClock max 90 MHz
(II) I810(0): Serial No: 914CF48MR898
(II) I810(0): Monitor name: COMPAQ V720
(--) I810(0): Chipset: "i810e"
(--) I810(0): Linear framebuffer at 0x44000000
(--) I810(0): IO registers at addr 0x40400000
(EE) GARTInit: Unable to open /dev/agpgart (No such device)
(EE) I810(0): AGP GART support is not available. Make sure your kernel has
agpgart support or that the agpgart kernel module is loaded.
(II) UnloadModule: "i810"
(II) UnloadModule: "ddc"
(II) UnloadModule: "int10"
(II) Unloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libint10.a
(II) UnloadModule: "vbe"
(II) Unloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvbe.a
(II) UnloadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Unloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found


And this is my XF86Config-4 file:


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "XFree86 Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "PS/2 Mouse" "CorePointer"
# Serial Mouse not detected
InputDevice "USB Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"

EndSection

Section "Files"
RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
ModulePath "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
# Additional fonts: Locale, Gimp, TTF...
# FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi"
# FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi"
# True type and type1 fonts are also handled via xftlib, see /etc/X11/XftConfig!
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/western"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/decoratives"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-bitstream-vera"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latex-ttf-fonts"
FontPath "/usr/local/share/fonts"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/afms"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/ttf"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/type1"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "ddc" # ddc probing of monitor
Load "GLcore"
Load "dbe"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "glx"
Load "bitmap" # bitmap-fonts
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "record"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Serial Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "Microsoft"
Option "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "PS/2 Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "USB Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Buttons" "5"
EndSection

# Auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "DPMS" "true"
VendorName "CPQ"
ModelName "CPQ3015"
HorizSync 31 - 70 # DDC-probed
VertRefresh 50 - 100 # DDC-probed
# These are the DDC-probed settings reported by your monitor.
# 1280x1024, 75.0Hz; hfreq=79.98, vfreq=75.03
ModeLine "1280x1024" 135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 85.0Hz; hfreq=68.68, vfreq=85.00
ModeLine "1024x768" 94.50 1024 1072 1168 1376 768 769 772 808 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 75.0Hz; hfreq=60.02, vfreq=75.03
ModeLine "1024x768" 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 85.0Hz; hfreq=53.67, vfreq=85.06
ModeLine "800x600" 56.25 800 832 896 1048 600 601 604 631 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 75.0Hz; hfreq=46.88, vfreq=75.00
ModeLine "800x600" 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 60.0Hz; hfreq=37.88, vfreq=60.32
ModeLine "800x600" 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
# 640x480, 85.0Hz; hfreq=43.27, vfreq=85.01
ModeLine "640x480" 36.00 640 696 752 832 480 481 484 509 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 75.0Hz; hfreq=37.50, vfreq=75.00
ModeLine "640x480" 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 60.0Hz; hfreq=31.47, vfreq=59.94
ModeLine "640x480" 25.17 640 648 744 784 480 482 484 509 -hsync -vsync
# Extended modelines with GTF timings
# 640x480 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 50.90 kHz; pclk: 43.16 MHz
ModeLine "640x480" 43.16 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 509 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 35.82 kHz; pclk: 34.96 MHz
ModeLine "768x576" 34.96 768 792 872 976 576 577 580 597 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 43.27 kHz; pclk: 42.93 MHz
ModeLine "768x576" 42.93 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 601 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 45.15 kHz; pclk: 45.51 MHz
ModeLine "768x576" 45.51 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 602 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 51.42 kHz; pclk: 51.84 MHz
ModeLine "768x576" 51.84 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 605 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 61.10 kHz; pclk: 62.57 MHz
ModeLine "768x576" 62.57 768 816 896 1024 576 577 580 611 -HSync +Vsync
# 800x600 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 63.60 kHz; pclk: 68.18 MHz
ModeLine "800x600" 68.18 800 848 936 1072 600 601 604 636 -HSync +Vsync
# 1024x768 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 81.40 kHz; pclk: 113.31 MHz
ModeLine "1024x768" 113.31 1024 1096 1208 1392 768 769 772 814 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 53.70 kHz; pclk: 81.62 MHz
ModeLine "1152x864" 81.62 1152 1216 1336 1520 864 865 868 895 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 77.10 kHz; pclk: 119.65 MHz
ModeLine "1152x864" 119.65 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 907 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 91.50 kHz; pclk: 143.47 MHz
ModeLine "1152x864" 143.47 1152 1232 1360 1568 864 865 868 915 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 72.07 kHz; pclk: 124.54 MHz
ModeLine "1280x960" 124.54 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1001 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 75.15 kHz; pclk: 129.86 MHz
ModeLine "1280x960" 129.86 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 101.70 kHz; pclk: 178.99 MHz
ModeLine "1280x960" 178.99 1280 1376 1520 1760 960 961 964 1017 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x1024 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 108.50 kHz; pclk: 190.96 MHz
ModeLine "1280x1024" 190.96 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1085 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 65.22 kHz; pclk: 122.61 MHz
ModeLine "1400x1050" 122.61 1400 1488 1640 1880 1050 1051 1054 1087 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 78.77 kHz; pclk: 149.34 MHz
ModeLine "1400x1050" 149.34 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1094 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 82.20 kHz; pclk: 155.85 MHz
ModeLine "1400x1050" 155.85 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1096 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 93.76 kHz; pclk: 179.26 MHz
ModeLine "1400x1050" 179.26 1400 1504 1656 1912 1050 1051 1054 1103 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 111.20 kHz; pclk: 214.39 MHz
ModeLine "1400x1050" 214.39 1400 1512 1664 1928 1050 1051 1054 1112 -HSync +Vsync
# 1600x1200 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 127.10 kHz; pclk: 280.64 MHz
ModeLine "1600x1200" 280.64 1600 1728 1904 2208 1200 1201 1204 1271 -HSync +Vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
#Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
Identifier "Card0"
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "i810"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
# BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


Any help would be GREATLY appreciated

If you really do have faulty hardware there's nothing to do but replace the bad component. No amount of tweaking is going to correct a bad motherboard.

Here's the problem. Much probably the agpgart module wasn't compiled built-in to the kernel you're using. Log into the terminal and run lsmod | grep agpgart. If no output is produced, you do not have the agpgart module loaded. Load it by logging in as root (or using sudo or suid or anything that gives you root privileges for that) and running modprobe agpgart. Guess that should do it.

Hmmm, when I ran :
lsmod | grep agpgart

I got:
agpgart 42724 5

Mind you, right now KDE is working... I don't know why it's working sometimes but not others.

~David