I've just installed mandrake 8 on my machine, but i cant set the monitor properly. It's a samsung 151 TFT monitor (15") and the graphics card is an nVIDIA GeForce2 64 Ti

I've hada fiddle testing the different monitors but all i can get is either a blue pattern which scrolls down the screen or the monitor goes into standby mode

Any suggestions??

I'm newbie to linux so go ez

You may have a problem with your Graphics Card. At what point do you stop seeing anything during the boot process? You should see Linux booting up? Also, what Distro are you using?

My grapics card is quite new out it's a nVIDIA GeForece2 Ti, it's specially designed for flat panel (TFT) monitors. I've had a look on the website and i've found the latest drivers to download, which i have downloaded and wrote them to disk. The website also has a nice step by step guide on how to install them, but this is only good when i can see the screen

The monitor goes into standby mode after Linux has finished booting up. I'm using Mandrake 8.0, the login screen briefly appears (0.2 secs) but the monitor then goes into standby mode. However the first time installed it, it worked but since i reinstalled it - long story i have not been able to remember which video settings i used.

Ok i think i know what the problem is. The monitor cant handle the frequencies you set up in the XF86Config to be used and it turns into standby as soon as it tries them to prevent from damaging itself. I assume mandrake goes directly to X when it's finished booting. You have to get to console. Boot Linux up and when its finished and your screen turns off press ctrl+alt+backspace to kill the X server (this is hopefully working!) now turn your monitor back on and you should be in console. Now just edit XF86Config or run xf86config to re-configure X, make sure you use conservative settings, and if they work you might want to try to increase them gradually. I suggest you choose the lowest settings first. (low horiz sync, and vert refresh rates and only 800x600 @ 16 bit and later increase them to see if it will work). There that should get you going.

Sorry, when I meant problem I meant in terms of drivers (of which you have found).

You are going to have to do some work in the console like NSKL suggests.

I've tried accessing the console but the problem remains as i thought it would (it's not setup to go straight into x). I've tried using a custom monitor set up as suggested by the previous guy but this still does not work - this was done during a reinstall. However i did manage to catch the error codes that were being produced.

/tmp/imm.0: init_module: No Such Device
/tmp/ppa.0: init_module: No Such Device

Those were displayed on a black screen (this is during the monitor test which shuts down the monitor) followed by a message on the configure x screen again saying (**) SVGA 24 SBP or something is not supported for this chipset

:smash:

Also something i noticed when i crashed my computer before (i had left the linux install disk in during restarting it and then tried to avoid installing it again) but the monitor was listed as EGA/VGA is that any help as to what the monitor settings should be??

All joking apart, if at all possible, could you try going up to Mandy 8.1? I had problems with my Eizo monitor (which is actually quite old) under 7.2 and 8.0, but all seems to be hunky-doorey now that I'm running 8.1. Just a thought.

Try using both versions of Xfree86 that come with MDK8.0

Let me confirm, you have ordered X not to start upon boot, and the screen still goes blank once MDK (Mandrake) has loaded?

under xf86 4.x geforce chips when unaccelerated should be using the nv driver i think. i have a samsung SyncMaster 560V tft running on a geforce 2 mx.
here is my config file, but *DO NOT* use this without editting as yours will mostly be different.

Here are the module, monitor and video card parts of mine.

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "type1"
Load "speedo"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
HorizSync 30-61
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "AutoDetected"
VendorName "AutoDetected"
VertRefresh 50-75
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection

Section "Device"
BoardName "AutoDetected"
Driver "nv"
# This bit above needs to be changed to "nvidia" once you have the new drivers installed which you downloaded, but this will do for 2d
Identifier "Device[0]"
Option "dpms"
VendorName "AutoDetected"
EndSection

OK i've got it half working i've used a different monitor to update the drivers and now i can see my tft monitor now. YEY!!

However i still cant get it to start up x. Same problem occurs the monitor switches off. I've run the xf86config and this seems to make no difference, can anyone point out as to where i can find the actual config file so i can edit it accordingly. I know it must be in the etc/X11/ directory but i'm not sure of the filename.

Matt

The file you need it /etc/X11/XF86Config or /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 depending on the version of Xfree86 that you installed. MDK 8 defaults to version 4 I think.

Have you installed the GeForce drivers? I think you should cus on my machine Linux wont work without them.

I have installed them but still i cannot see past the console window. I had to use another monitor so i could get into the console and install the new drivers - which was actually quite fun.

That's the spirit!

Have you managed to change the settings in the XF86Config file yet? You may have not configured the monitor correctly, setting the values for the monitor is quite important. I would check the maker of the monitor to see if will work with Linux, or there known problems.

Any pointers as to where i may find out if it (mandrake 8.0) is or is not compatible with my monitor. The monitor itself is a Samsung SyncMaster 151D i've had a look on the website and .. nothing!! So that aint much help. I've set up xf86 using the drak86 or something i had the name of the prog written sum where ... not sure where it is tho.

Anyway i set the vert and horizontal settings to that of a similar samsung monitor still no change.

I'm not sure on how to view the actual config file, i've tried /etc/X11/XF86Config and all combinations of capitalisation but still it wont find it i've also used cd /etc/X11/ and then XF86Config and still it dont work i've also used the command for viewing the contents of the /etc/X11 folder but to be honest i dont have a clue on what it means.

Stil confused and worried