Monitor Problem With GUI
 

I am an XP user who very much wants to learn Linux. My son-in-law set up a second computer for me with Fedora core 2 installed.

The computer boots until the GUI is to be brought up and then my monitor goes black with the message that it is "out of frequency". I'm pretty sure that the computer continues to boot, but I can't see anything.

I need to know how to get in to change the settings for the monitor. I think that I need to boot in text mode, but I don't know how to do that.

I'm hoping that some kind soul out there will write out the instructions for me.

Please remember that I am a grandmother who knows little about Linux aside from the fact that I want to learn it!

Thanks. zoey

Hi, and welcome to LQ!

The first thing you want to try is whether you
can get to a console without a restart.

Try <Ctrl>+<Alt>+<F(n)>
with n being 1 through 7 :}

Maybe we can tackle it from there.



Cheers,
Tink

The installation probably chose an incorrect monitor frequency (hence the error..), so you'll have to correct that. Boot up the system and then do a CTRL+ALT+F1 to get to the first virtual terminal. Then do a 'su' to become super-user (after you type in the password) and then a 'xf86cfg -textmode' to get into the Xfree setup menu (the textmode is much simpler and straightforward). Go to the monitor section and proceed to select the options that best suit your hardware, then exit and save and restart the computer.

Try it and see how it goes (I'm doing this from memory right now since it's been a while since I did it myself)

Well, you guys have gotten me the farthest on my quest, but I am not there yet. I got logged in ok [never got that far before] but bash didn't recognize the xf86cfg-textmode command. Someone had suggested that I try /usr/bin/pico/etc/x11/xorg.conf to get to the resolutions that I need to change, but bash didn't go for that either. I am having fun typing in commands even if I don't know what I am doing!

What is the command for a shutdown? Ctrl- Alt -Del seems to be for a restart and I don't want that. The poor computer keeps telling me that I shut it down incorrectly the last time, and I know that, but it is difficult when one can't see.

Do you have any more suggestions for me?

Thanks, zoey:rolleyes:

It should actually be:

/usr/bin/pico /etc/x11/xorg.conf

with a space between "pico" and "/etc/x11/xorg.conf".

:confused:

Could FC users step forward and give the name of
the gadget that Fedora uses to configure X? :)

~zoey~
Why the new nick, btw?


Cheers,
Tink

The new nick [name in New Zealand Speak?] is because I clicked on the wrong thing when I registered in the first place. Autofill can be too helpful at times.

I need a new file name to try. I tried the present one with pico, nano and bin joe and bash didn't recognize any of them.

I tried shutdown -r now which I read somewhere or other, but bash didn't like that either. Halt did the trick, sort of, at least I think that everything got closed ok, so I am back on XP again, but that is no fun.

Any more ideas out there?

Thanks, zoey

Plain geek-speak I think... I've picked that up on
international IRC channels.

Uh-huh :)

Well, the old RH had a tool called Xconfigurator ...
with a little luck it's still around in fedora. If this is
your first encounter with Linux I really wouldn't
recommend trying to modify XF86Config/xorg.config
by hand, even with some guidance from here.




Cheers,
Tink

I thought that we had it. I found the X Configuration tool in my Fedora book and typed the command exactly as it was printed in the book, but nothin" doin". I guess that I will dig out some more books and see if I can find any more commands for X.

I can now log on and get the computer shut down correctly which is a step in the right direction.

I think that I had better remove the cd drive that I installed. I'm pretty sure that it isn't supposed to keep opening and closing the whole time that I'm logged on. Back to the drawing board!

Thanks. zoey:(

No output whatsoever from the Xconfigurator thing?

That's odd ... did you run it as root?


Cheers,
Tink

Yup, I went in as root and typed Xconfigurator. The command was not recognized.

I even looked it up in Linux for Dummies and that was the answer. I'm running out of books!

I've got a big fat one on Red Hat, maybe I should dig in that one.

Any more ideas? Zoey

If you try
X -configure
what does it say?

If it comes back saying that X is already running
try switching to runlevel 3 (type init 3) and try from
there.


Cheers,
Tink

You got it! X is already running only I can't see it.

Bash didn't recognize the init 3 command.

Somehow I have to get in there in text mode, but I haven't a clue as to how to do that. I wonder if my son-in-law who set it up with a different monitor has any idea how to do it. Doesn't matter----he's not here!

zoey

Try
telinit 3

I tried it-----no go.

I think that perhaps I should give up for tonight, but I will be at it again tomorrow.

There has to be an answer out there somewhere. Actually with Linux I think that there is usually more than one answer for everything. It's a challenge!

Thanks much for all of your time and suggestions.
zoey