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I have installed Bonzai Linux (Debian based) on machine with 14' monitor that can handle 640x480 and 800x600. System is Duron 1300 with nvidia 32 MB video card. The only resolution I can get is 640x480 with nv module. If I try 800x600 I'm getting scrambled screen. I tried to use Knoppix to figure this out. If I boot Knoppix without argument I'm getting scrambled screen even when Knoppix boots and in X. When I boot with argument "fb800x600 boots no problem and X starts in 800x600 mode. I presume that all that has something to do with frame buffer. So I tried XFree86(fbdev) server can't boot to X. I tried with fbdev enabled in kernel and with fbdev disabled in kernel. I tried also vesa - no luck. I'm installing Bonzai Linux because:
1. Boots into vga mode with no problem no need for extra arguments.
2. I have 800MB hdd to put whole distro.
Anybody has any ideas? Thanks for help.
Andrey
Originally posted by cdummy I have installed Bonzai Linux (Debian based) on machine with 14' monitor that can handle 640x480 and 800x600. System is Duron 1300 with nvidia 32 MB video card. The only resolution I can get is 640x480 with nv module. If I try 800x600 I'm getting scrambled screen. I tried to use Knoppix to figure this out. If I boot Knoppix without argument I'm getting scrambled screen even when Knoppix boots and in X. When I boot with argument "fb800x600 boots no problem and X starts in 800x600 mode. I presume that all that has something to do with frame buffer. So I tried XFree86(fbdev) server can't boot to X. I tried with fbdev enabled in kernel and with fbdev disabled in kernel. I tried also vesa - no luck. I'm installing Bonzai Linux because:
1. Boots into vga mode with no problem no need for extra arguments.
2. I have 800MB hdd to put whole distro.
Anybody has any ideas? Thanks for help.
Andrey
Google on your make/model of monitor find the proper horizontal and vertical refresh rates then edit your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 put the values into the monitor section that should look similar to this.
This should get the X server using the correct settings for the monitor. Alternatively you may be able to boot the Knoppix disk with knoppix xvrefresh=60 screen=800x600 xmodule=nv, if it works correctly then you should be able to mount your HD copy the knoppix XF86Config-4 to the HD replacing your current one ( after having made a backup copy first ) and see if it works the same. You will want to look into the /var/log/XFree86.0.log to check which FontPath lines you will need to comment out in the new file you will not have all the fonts installed that Knoppix does and it will slow down X starting up, you may also want to delete the ModLines that will be in the file they are not necessary X will figure out the proper ones on its own.
I did take values from Knoppix(H: 28-96 V:50.0-76). Still scrambled screen. I checked your advice "knoppix xvrefresh=60 screen=800x600 xmodule=nv" : with these argument Knoppix on that screen boots up scrambled even in vga mode. I have to boot with argument "fb800x600". Looks like nv.o can't work with this monitor in 800x600.
This is from Knoppix boot(when I put fb800x600 and boots up to KDE no problem):
Video is Vanta [NV6], using XFree86(fbdev) Server
Monitor is Generic Monitor, H:28.0 96.0 V:50.0 75.0Hz
Using modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480".
Lsmod doesn't show any video module running. But when I tried to do ctrl-alt-+ to change to 1024x768 I've got message:Vesafb doesn't support changing the video mode.
Looks like I have to use vesa not nv. What is the difference between vesa and vesafb? Should I enable frame buffer in kernel?
Andrey
Thanks for fast answer and help.
Originally posted by cdummy
I did take values from Knoppix(H: 28-96 V:50.0-76). Still scrambled screen.
You need the proper values for your monitor those are generic defaults from knoppix. So have you searched to find them, what model/make of monitor is it?
Quote:
I checked your advice "knoppix xvrefresh=60 screen=800x600 xmodule=nv" : with these argument Knoppix on that screen boots up scrambled even in vga mode.
Strange that usually works on old monitors for me and by "vga mode" I take it you mean the text that shows when booting before it gets to starting the X server?
Quote:
I have to boot with argument "fb800x600". Looks like nv.o can't work with this monitor in 800x600.
I think it is more a problem of improper values for the refresh rates.
Quote:
This is from Knoppix boot(when I put fb800x600 and boots up to KDE no problem):
Video is Vanta [NV6], using XFree86(fbdev) Server
Monitor is Generic Monitor, H:28.0 96.0 V:50.0 75.0Hz
Using modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480".
You could always try copying either the entire file that Knoppix uses or just the bits that you need from it to your install and get a working config that way.
Quote:
Lsmod doesn't show any video module running. But when I tried to do ctrl-alt-+ to change to 1024x768 I've got message:Vesafb doesn't support changing the video mode.
I do not believe you can change modes at all you just get the fixed resolution that you boot with and there would be no need for a video driver to even be loaded.
Quote:
Looks like I have to use vesa not nv. What is the difference between vesa and vesafb? Should I enable frame buffer in kernel?
Andrey
Thanks for fast answer and help.
With vesa you are looking at the modes used when using the framebuffer in the console to get the better looking text. Using the framebuffer for the console (when you use vga=791 in your lilo.conf) should already be enabled in Bonzai or it was last year when I put it on my firewall machine as to the graphical booting part I am not sure I have never had to use the framebuffer to boot graphically, you should try to get the correct refresh rates for your monitor and X should then be able to use the nv driver.
Another thing have you looked at the /var/log/Xfree86.0.log file when booted from knoppix to check what it says about the monitor if it is a new enough of old it may have ddc info available so you may be able to determine what the monitor is capable of. And you may want to try installing the packages discover, read-edid and mdectect then dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 and see if the auto-detection will work.
Edit: While I am thinking about it can you post the file you are trying to use on the Bonzai install?
This is me again after booting to Knoppix with command
fb800x600
this is from dmesg:
snip
vesafb: framebuffer at 0xca000000, mapped to 0xc8814000, size 1875k
vesafb: mode is 800x600x16, linelength=1600, pages=3
vesafb: protected mode interface info at c000:0336
vesafb: scrolling: redraw
vesafb: directcolor: size=0:5:6:5, shift=0:11:5:0
Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 100x37
snip
there are to files in /etc/X11/
XF86config
snip
# Auto-generated by mkxf86config
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 "fbdev"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
# BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection
Knoppix boots up no problem with argument:
fb800x600
Andrey
P.S.
I'm going to reconfigure server to 800x600 and send this file to.
This is from Knoppix from XFree86.0.log:
II) FBDEV: driver for framebuffer: fbdev, afb
(II) Primary Device is: PCI 01:00:0
(II) Loading sub module "fbdevhw"
(II) LoadModule: "fbdevhw"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libfbdevhw.a
(II) Module fbdevhw: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 0.0.2
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) FBDEV(0): using default device
(II) Running in FRAMEBUFFER Mode
(==) FBDEV(0): Depth 16, (==) framebuffer bpp 16
(==) FBDEV(0): RGB weight 565
(==) FBDEV(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) FBDEV(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(II) FBDEV(0): Hardware: VESA VGA (vidmem: 1875k)
(II) FBDEV(0): Checking Modes against framebuffer device...
(II) FBDEV(0): mode "1024x768" test failed
(II) FBDEV(0): mode "800x600" ok
(II) FBDEV(0): mode "640x480" test failed
(II) FBDEV(0): Checking Modes against monitor...
(--) FBDEV(0): Virtual size is 800x600 (pitch 800)
(**) FBDEV(0): Mode "800x600": 36.0 MHz (scaled from 0.0 MHz), 35.2 kHz, 56.2 Hz
(II) FBDEV(0): Modeline "800x600" 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
(++) FBDEV(0): DPI set to (75, 75)
(II) Loading sub module "fb"
(II) LoadModule: "fb"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libfb.a
(II) Module fb: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 ANSI C Emulation, version 0.2
(**) FBDEV(0): Using "Shadow Framebuffer"
(II) Loading sub module "shadow"
(II) LoadModule: "shadow"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libshadow.a
I'm going to reconfigure server with 35.2-56.2 values using frame buffer.
Thahks for help
Andrey
Success. You were right from the beginning. Once I put values from XFree86.0.log(Knoppix);
35.2 and 56.2 I have 800x600 resolution almost no problem. Screen is moved an inch to the left:
there is black stripe on the left side of the monitor. I can adjust this with the monitor. Can this be adjusted other way?
Andrey
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