Help! I Can't Use X (kde)

I already had this posted in another forum (newbie), but because I'm really impatient and I want to get Linux up and running, I thought I'd get a little more help over here since this is a Mandrake problem.

Yesterday I installed Mandrake 10.1 Official. All went well, the installation was flawless except I didnt have the fourth CD, Lilo worked beautifully, the startup was perfect, but when it turned on KDE, I started having problems.

When KDE turned on, well, it was interesting. The desktop I think was multiplied across the screen a few times, and there were lines through everything. If you want a description, it was a 5 mm line, yellow I think, and for every line, after it was 5 mm of desktop, and so on and so fourth.

So, maybe because I set KDE as the default, and I didnt have the fourth CD, maybe that is what screwed it up. So, I have a few things.

1. Resolution change
2. Fresh install
3. Stuff I got off Mandrakeexpert, see below.

Ok, heres the stuff from Mandrakeexpert

INCIDENT STATUS CHANGE SUMMARY Username : Date : Action : Comments simeandrews : 02/01/05 10:22 PM : Incident created Ok, so Mandrake 10.1 is installed, Lilo works, Windows works, Linux startup works, X doesnt. Heres what happened. I turned on the computer after setup, selected Linux from Lilo, it started up properly, but when it turned on X, the desktop multiplied a few times, there were lines through everything, and nothing could be read. So, one word, HELP! Flink : 02/01/05 10:36 PM : Reply received Try to configure X: At the boot menu press ESC and type linux init 3 login as root and then try XFdrake --expert and choose 'Generic VGA Monitor' from the monitor list. The reason behind this is to get a syntactically correct XFree86-4 file which you can edit later. * Type vi /etc/X11/X86Config-4 * Press the <i> key. Scroll the file down to the "Monitor section". * Replace the values for 'HorizSync' and 'VertRefresh' with the values of your monitor model. * Press <ESC>. Type :wq and then hit <ENTER> to save the changed file. * Reboot. simeandrews : 02/01/05 10:58 PM : More info provided By boot menu, do you mean Lilo? simeandrews : 02/01/05 11:09 PM : More info provided And what are the values of my monitor model?

So, can someone PLEASE help me? I'm really interested in Linux, and I want X to work!!

install cd #4 not to blame and is not needed. This should be very easy to fix.

please post here, brand and model of your video card as well as brand, model and screen size of monitor (if you know).

can give you simple instructions after that.

I think it is more probable that it is video card driver than the screen resolution but both are possible. And easy to fix both at same time.

at the command prompt, type:

xorgconfig

also run

xf86config

Them two will be EXACTLY the same, but I'm not sure which Mandrake uses, but run them both.

It will walk you through a text-based configuration of your monitor and video card. I suggest, for the time being, setting your graphics card to VESA and your monitor to a generic 800x600, or 1024x768 @ 70 Hz.

Heres what I know.

ViewSonic a90f= 90 inch CRT Monitor

Heres what I think

Intel Extreme Graphics Video Card

BTW, it uses xorgconfig, I had to abort because I didn't know the refresh stuff. It also asked me about the mouse and stuff.

Like I said, just keep everything simple by using just VESA driver and a Generic monitor at 1024x768 @ 70 hertz. As for refresh rates, just give a broad range.

For example:
horizontal 30-70
vertical 60-100

Ok, to get to the command prompt from the kde screen you can't understand, hit [ctrl alt F1] keys at same time
Now you should be at a terminal login.
1 -Login as root with password.
2 -type "service dm stop" and enter (without the quotations)
3 -type "XFdrake" and enter (without quotations, upper & lower case matters)
4 -using arrow keys and enter key for navigating, set the video card as "vesa" (vesa is about third from the bottom of list under xorg heading)
5 -use the "test button" if she works hit ok and save it
6 - if your monitor is listed properly in window, move on, if not find it in the list test and save
7 -at command prompt type "service dm start" to see the graphical desktop

note: for future reference at command line the command halt and reboot do what you expect so no need for hard shutdowns ctrl alt F1 to F6 are terminals, ctr alt F7 is the gui, and iPods do work with Linux----I have a first generation 20gig iPod working perfectly with gtkpod and firewire(start new thread if you need help with that when you display is sorted out), others here have experience with the newer ones and usb connections too.

Thanks very much, and for the ipod thing, good. I'll post or do some research on it when Linux is flawlessly running on my system. I just got my iPod mini today, I haven't done much looking up yet...

Just reading the thread, about the ipod thing you need to recompile your kernel to get the new 4G ipods and the ipod mini working on it. They work great with gtkpod. (I hafta launch gtkpod as root for it to work)

I wrote what I did to make it work here: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=272392
It's the last post on that thread.

Just be careful, its easy to mess up the kernel, thoug i think the recompiling tutorial does a great job of stating everything step by step.

Hope it helps

THat iPod thing is a bit too complicated... I'll stick to using windows and itunes.

Hello everyone, I am proud to announce that I am posting this from the KDE 3.3 Desktop!! The VESA thing worked, and Linux is now perfect.

Thanks so much to everyone who helped, because of this I feel almost no need for WinXP!