Hello,

I am trying to test out puppy linux (Version 2.12) on my Toshiba tecra 8000 (128 MB ram / 400 mHz cpu / 10 G H.D.)

I was able to install ubuntu 6.10 (xorg) on it after dealing with some video issues by editing the xorg.conf file.

Now I would like to try Puppy Linux on it. Here is my problem, when I boot from the CD, it asks me for the keyboard info, then it asks me if I want to use Xvesa or Xorg. I have tried both choices, with the following result both times:

It is in text mode, and at the bottom of the screen it says:

0x0111 640x480x16
Starting X with video mode 0x0111 and mouse psaux

After that, nothing happens. With ubuntu, I had the same thing, but I was able to go into (I think its called..) "console" mode by pressging CTRL ALT F1 and editing the xorg.conf file. It seems to me that if I can do that when I boot into puppy linux I would be able to edit the xorg.conf file and fix this. But my problem is I can't find anywhere that tells me how to get into console/text mode to edit this file.

Maybe I am going about it wrong, after all I am a bit of a newbie.. (please forgive my ignorance.. I really am trying to learn...)

I hope what I said above makes sense.. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

Try to download 2.13 drvx and install this. This will scan you machine for the correct driver. Sorry, I don’t have the link. I ordered mine on a cd. If not, you will possible need to get an older puppy version

Thanks,

I have tried the following versions:
1.06
1.09
2.01
2.11
2.12

With those versions, I got the result previously mentioned. I just downloaded versions 2.13 and 2.14. With these wto versions, I still don't get any video, but I do get a different message:

Probing video hardware, please wait

Calling int 0x15 (f000:f859)
EAX is 0x5f49

I am pretty sure that if I was able to boot into some sort of text mode, and add the following parameters to the /etc/xorg.conf file, all would be well:

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 30-64
VertRefresh 50-100
Option "DPMS"
Modeline "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 #60Hz
Modeline "800x600" 40 800 848 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
Modeline "1024x768" 65 1024 1032 1176 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "NeoMagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV]"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 16

## You need at least this below. If there are other subsection “Display” you can delete them

SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

Is there anyone that can tell me how to boot into text mode?

When you boot up puppy using the cd turn off acpi, there should be an option on the boot menu. Type puppy pfix=acpi off (Not quite sure on the command) or turn it off in the bios. I came across some older systems that have acpi support and some that had acpi support and didn't work. If you install it to the hard drive. You will need to add acpi=xxxx to menu.lst or tiny.exe to work. Here are the option to try acpi=on or acpi=force (Keep it on in the bios); acpi=off (Turn it off in the bios). Puppy 2.13 and 2.14 has a boot option that will disable acpi. Note, if your boot screen does not show. Type p as soon as you here your computer beep. This way puppy won’t do a default boot and you can see the boot screen.

Thanks for your response! I appreciate it!

I just tried what you recommended, several times. (ver 2.14)Pressing "p" like you suggested does nothing.

-- Mike

That's odd. Puppy Linux usually has a boot option. I have the Puppy Linuz 2.13 zdrv disk from www.edumunds-enterpises.com that what I use. When you get the cd. I do recommend making a copy. The cd’s don’t seem to last that long. I would also recommend that your order using a prepaid debit/gift card that has either a MasterCard or a Visa symbol. The website seem to have trouble with the SSl using IE or Firefox you cannot get the browser to verify that it a secure website.

Thanks! The CD is fine. I have used it elsewhere with no problems.

In doing some internet searches, I found this page:

http://wellminded.com/clients/puppy/tecra8000.html

It says the following:

"you will need is a copy of Puppy Linux with xfree86 drivers that support the neomagic video chipset on this machine."

I am a bit of a linux newbie, I don't know where to get the xfree86 dirvers, or how to install them once I have them with the live CD.

Any help would be GREATLY appreicated..

Not to solve it but just to add.
I changed to an LCD screen and have had xorg problems ever since . When I boot puppy initially it gives me a choice of vesa or xorg.conf. Mine only works on vesa and then only on 800 x 600 16 bit . Nothing higher works

If I edit the xorg.config file which is usually in /etc/X11/ and change it to the values which I know work for my monitor I get a red out of range message . So I am stuck on vesa as above .This is only in Puppy ,although I have had screen setup problems with this monitor especially in Mandriva which I had to give up on after probably a week of time

If anyone fixes this let me know by posting here

I assume you have tried xorgconfig?
I suggest you stick with xorg. Do you actually know which driver you should be using? If so, is that specified in your xorg.conf?
When you say you 'changed to an LCD monitor' do you mean you have an external LCD monitor and not the notebook screen? When you find out the answer for the best driver for your graphics card, then I suggest you goggle to check if that driver supports external monitors.

Sorry Ive misled you
I have a desktop computer which had a CRT type monitor and I switched to a 19" LCD-then started all my problems.
The graphics card is built into the motherboard with shared memory of 8Meg and I have tried with 16Meg with no diff.
I have tried xorgconfig in many distros with varied results.
Suse10.2 got it right out of the box but copying that config file to other distros didn't work either

Ah ok, I thought a Toshiba Tecra was a notebook but they must have desktops called the same thing.
I suggest a more logical approach to resolving the problem.
Step 1 - Find out what is the graphics card called? lspci and find the reference name.
Step 2 - After you know the name of the graphics card, then google to find out which xorg driver supports your graphics card.
After this, then report back.

Or which driver was being used for the Suse 10.2 xorg.conf? Is this the same driver you are testing with at the moment?

OK,

I think we have two different people here with similar problems..

User Tytower has the desktop with the 19" monitor, but at least he can get SOMETHING on his system.

Me, user wb8erj is the person with the toshiba tecra 8000 laptop. The video drivers I need are apparently "NeoMagic". I was able to sucessfully install Ubuntu on my Tecra, but I had to modify the xorg.conf file like this:

######################################

Added/changed the following lines in "Monitor" Section:

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 30-64
VertRefresh 50-100
Option "DPMS"
Modeline "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 #60Hz
Modeline "800x600" 40 800 848 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
Modeline "1024x768" 65 1024 1032 1176 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "NeoMagic Corporation NM2200 [MagicGraph 256AV]"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 16

## You need at least this below. If there are other subsection “Display” you can delete them

SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

##############################

That got me video in xorg with Ubuntu. The problem I have with Ubuntu is that its too slow on the Tecra laptop.

So I would like to install Puppy Linux in my Tecra. However I have no video. Once I select either XORG or XVESA the screen goes black, and it just sits there.

Since I was able to get Ubuntu (ver. 6.10..) to work with xorg on the Tecra laptop, it seems to me that once someone explains to me how to get, and put the "xfree86 drivers that support the neomagic video chipset", that all I would have to do is edit the xorg.conf file..

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you in advance..

1. If puppy hangs when it does the video test when you select xorg and there is no option to bypass the Xorg test, then you have a few options:
- try ctrl-alt-bsp to kill xorg and hopefully return to the command prompt or the puppy wizard.
- i recall trying some different versions of puppy that allow you to skip the Xorg test and gives you an option to manually edit xorg.conf before you start Xorg. With the version of puppy that you are using, are there any other options you can select to bypass the test which freezes your screen?
- do a search and check the start-up command to boot puppy into a command prompt. then from there you can run xorgconfig or manually edit your xorg.conf.

I ran xorgconfig and looked at the drivers available. The 'neomagic' driver exists, so you are off to a good start. Although I am not sure if it is case sensitive but you said 'NeoMagic'. Might be safer to stick to 'neomagic'.

So what is critical is that in this 'device' section of your xorg.conf you have ...

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "neomagic"
VendorName "etc etc etc etc"
BoardName "etc etc etc etc"
EndSection

Anyway if you just run xorgconfig to create your customised xorg.conf and you can just select neomagic from the list of card options during the Q&A.

SML - BTW lspci does not work -I think its redundant?
My driver is "sis"

wb8erj- sorry I posted because my problem is similar
When you boot try useing the "vesa" choice for screen ,this worked for me whenever xorg.conf didn't get it right and I got a black screen.