Graphical desktop problem (Fixed)

joegumbo · 09-08-2009, 09:44 PM

Hi,

Tonight when I started my pc and logged on, then after I
'startx', the screen was all garbled. The desktop was a grayish plaid and the windows would only partially draw, and draw very sluggishly when I would try to start an app. I also started getting a Netscape Quality Control agent on my screen after I tried to start Thunderbird. (I've never seen this before.) I Ctrl+Alt+Backspace several times and restarted X, but this behavior kept repeating. I managed to get to 'Configure Desktop' after right clicking on the desktop, and change from Default KDE 3.5 to just blue in the background. This improved things momentarily. But again, the drawing on the screen was partial. And when I would try to close apps, only part of the screen would clear up. And the gray plaid would reappear. There were also solid black areas that would appear on the screen.

I rebooted, and all seems OK now. (Maybe this was just a fluke? Or a symptom of something else?) I'm wondering if maybe I should go back to the original vesa driver.

If so, how should I do that?

I've run xorgsetup three times... Once after I installed Slackware, once again after I replaced my keyboard, and afgian tonight after I started having problems. So, the original xorg.conf is gone.

There still is an xorg.conf-vesa. Should I just copy over xorg.conf with that?

This is Slackware 12.2 with the patched kernel running KDE.
The video card is an ATI Radeon XPress 200.

This is a copy of the current xorg.conf file:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath      "/usr/share/X11/rgb"
	ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/TTF"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/OTF"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "xtrap"
	Load  "GLcore"
	Load  "record"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "freetype"
	Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
	Option       "XkbModel"  "pc104"
	Option       "XkbLayout"  "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "NoAccel"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "SWcursor"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac6Bit"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac8Bit"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "BusType"            	# [<str>]
        #Option     "CPPIOMode"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "CPusecTimeout"      	# <i>
        #Option     "AGPMode"            	# <i>
        #Option     "AGPFastWrite"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "AGPSize"            	# <i>
        #Option     "GARTSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "RingSize"           	# <i>
        #Option     "BufferSize"         	# <i>
        #Option     "EnableDepthMoves"   	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "EnablePageFlip"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NoBackBuffer"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DMAForXv"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "FBTexPercent"       	# <i>
        #Option     "DepthBits"          	# <i>
        #Option     "PCIAPERSize"        	# <i>
        #Option     "AccelDFS"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DDCMode"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "IgnoreEDID"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DisplayPriority"    	# [<str>]
        #Option     "PanelSize"          	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ForceMinDotClock"   	# <freq>
        #Option     "ColorTiling"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "VideoKey"           	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreCrystal" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreTunerPort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreCompositePort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreSVideoPort" 	# <i>
        #Option     "TunerType"          	# <i>
        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocPath" 	# <str>
        #Option     "RageTheatreMicrocType" 	# <str>
        #Option     "ScalerWidth"        	# <i>
        #Option     "RenderAccel"        	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "SubPixelOrder"      	# [<str>]
        #Option     "ShowCache"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DynamicClocks"      	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "VGAAccess"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ReverseDDC"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "LVDSProbePLL"       	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "AccelMethod"        	# <str>
        #Option     "DRI"                	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ConnectorTable"     	# <str>
        #Option     "DefaultConnectorTable" 	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTMDSPLL"     	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVDACLoadDetect"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForceTVOut"         	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "TVStandard"         	# <str>
        #Option     "IgnoreLidStatus"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "DefaultTVDACAdj"    	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Int10"              	# [<bool>]
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "radeon"
	VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"
	BoardName   "RC410 [Radeon Xpress 200]"
	BusID       "PCI:1:5:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth 24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Also, when I run Win4Lin, the Windows desktop will sometimes lock up. Could the 'radeon' driver be too taxing on my pc?
Thanks!

irishbitte · 09-08-2009, 10:54 PM

Likely the Radeon driver is 'taxing' as you put it. I would have been interested to see if the module for the video card had successfully loaded into the kernel when you had these problems, my bet is it hadn't. This can easily be found out by this:

Code:

ctrl+alt+f2         # get to a shell
lspci | grep Graph  # Get the name of your Graphics Controller
lsmod               # Look and see if the relevant module is loaded

joegumbo · 09-08-2009, 11:32 PM

Hi irishbitte!

'lspci | grep Graph' gives no output.

'lsmod' gives the following output:

Code:

root@Slackware:~# lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
ipv6                  242596  16
dme1737                36644  0
hwmon_vid               6912  1 dme1737
nf_nat_ftp              6656  0
nf_nat                 19480  1 nf_nat_ftp
nf_conntrack_ftp       10916  1 nf_nat_ftp
bridge                 50580  0
stp                     6276  1 bridge
kqemu                 117924  0
snd_seq_dummy           6788  0
snd_seq_oss            33536  0
snd_seq_midi_event     10240  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                50928  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device         10380  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            40480  0
snd_mixer_oss          17920  1 snd_pcm_oss
nf_conntrack_ipv4      17164  3 nf_nat
xt_state                6016  1
nf_conntrack           55632  5 nf_nat_ftp,nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ftp,nf_conntrack_ipv4,xt_state
iptable_filter          6784  1
ip_tables              14608  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               16644  2 xt_state,ip_tables
lp                     13572  0
sg                     30516  0
fuse                   54684  1
ppdev                  11396  0
parport_pc             28196  1
shpchp                 33172  0
psmouse                40592  0
snd_hda_intel         370444  0
parport                34796  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc
serio_raw               9220  0
snd_pcm                70788  2 snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_intel
snd_timer              23176  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_page_alloc         11400  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
evdev                  13088  3
snd_hwdep              10756  1 snd_hda_intel
ati_agp                10764  0
rtc_cmos               13472  0
agpgart                32584  1 ati_agp
button                 10128  0
snd                    51748  9 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_hwdep
rtc_core               19356  1 rtc_cmos
rtc_lib                 6528  1 rtc_core
thermal                19612  0
processor              36648  1 thermal
thermal_sys            15144  2 thermal,processor
i2c_piix4              11792  0
8139too                26624  0
mii                     8448  1 8139too
hwmon                   6300  2 dme1737,thermal_sys
soundcore              10080  1 snd
usblp                  15616  0

I just remembered why I quit vesa... The monitor would not power off with vesa. I think the screen saver wouldn't work also.

To get back to vesa, could I just change 'radeon' to 'vesa' and leave the rest of xorg.conf the way it is?

Or, if I just logout of graphical, delete the current xorg.conf file, and reboot, will this regenerate the default xorg.conf with VESA?

I'd gladly forgo the screensaver and automatic screen power-off for stability.

Thanks!

Drakeo · 09-09-2009, 12:12 AM

your module is loaded it shows the module for your agp slot and the module for you ati card.

Quote:

ati_agp 10764 0
rtc_cmos 13472 0
agpgart 32584 1 ati_agp

xorgstup is just that a program ran to create a xorg.conf file. xvesa is different it is a much smaller light weight xserver.

When you run xorgsetup it creates a new file and rename the other old
Good luck.

irishbitte · 09-09-2009, 05:25 AM

i'm agreeing with Drakeo there, but I think the main point is that a VESA driver is used when nothing else is working. I think you need to find out whether newer drivers for your card exist?

joegumbo · 09-09-2009, 10:53 AM

Hi Drakeo and irishbitte!

I installed thew latest ATI driver 9.3 and there were compatibility problems. x wouldn't start after rebooting. I removed xorg.conf and reused xorg.conf.backup. x still wouldn't start. I tried all the xorg.conf.* and no luck. I then used xorgsetup... No luck. Finally, i used xorgconfig and I was able to get back into graphical.

How do I go back to vesa without reinstalling?

I'm also doing research on xvesa to figure out how to use it. (There doesn't seem to be a Slackware package) Apparently it's part of "The KDrive Tiny X Server." However, there seem to be some dependencies I need to track down.

Thanks,
-Joe

Edit......................................

Never mind...

I just entered changed radeon to vesa. The system is faster. When Firefox loads, I no longer get numerous copies of the bouncing firefox logo all over my screen as i move my mouse.

Thanks for your efforts.

-Joe

irishbitte · 09-09-2009, 12:33 PM

Glad you are not having problems anymore, it's a pity that you're not getting the use out of the radeon card tho.

joegumbo · 09-09-2009, 01:09 PM

No... I was wrong... I am still having problems.
I'm going to removed the (SOLVED) from the Topic field.

Now, when I watch a youtube video, Firefox locks up when I try to go full screen.

I think that when I installed the ATI 9.3 driver, it did something to the kernel.

I'm beginning to think I may need a clean reinstall of Slackware.

joegumbo · 09-09-2009, 10:31 PM

Well, I tried uninstalling the kernel, then reinstalling the kernel, and then running lilo. It didn't help.

Firefox locks up and I have to Ctrl+Alt+Esc to close it. When I try to restart FF, I'm notified that there is already an instance of FF running. But 'top' doesn't show Firefox running. After 'killall -9 firefox', I still get the same message when I try to start Firefox. The only option I have is to reboot.

So, something's pretty messed up.

Fortunately, /home is on its own partition, so a complete reinstall won't be difficult.

Thanks for trying

irishbitte · 09-10-2009, 11:31 AM

You seem to have a firefox lock file issue, the easiest way to deal with that is to remove the

Code:

~/.mozilla

folder. This resides in your home directory, so your reinstall won't help!
WARNING: This will delete bookmarks, cache, settings etc. for Firefox, so be careful! You will be left with a default firefox setup.

joegumbo · 09-10-2009, 11:47 AM

Actually, I'm no longer getting lockups after a SW 12.2 re-install. I'm reusing my entire /home/user directory with no modification, including /.mozilla.

The thing about the lockups on the prior SW install is that 'top' was not showing FF at all after I would force it to close. But, I was still getting error messages that FF could not be started until I closed the current instance.

'killall firefox' was not killing ff. Again, i kept getting error messages that FF could not be started until I closed the current instance. But, ff was not showing in top.

I believe that the ATI 9.3 driver modified the kernel... and not in a good way.

Toods · 09-10-2009, 02:10 PM

For a cure to the Firefox crash on Youtube full-screen, have you looked at the solution in this thread?:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=7487421

Bill.

joegumbo · 09-10-2009, 02:46 PM

Thanks, Toods!

If it starts again, I'll refer to that thread and post back here.

My problem was that FF would lock up when I would try to go full screen at YouTube. Then, I would Ctrl+Alt+Esc to close ff. Then, when I would click on the icon to start FF again, I would get a message that FF is still running. Then, when I would check with top, but top would NOT list FF as running. (So, either a process was running that top was not aware of, or, a process was not running that my system thought was running.) Then, I would 'killall firefox' and 'killall -9 firefox' as user, and then as root. Then, when I would try to start ff, I would get the same message that ff was still running. My only option was to reboot.

However, after the SW re-install, the problem is cured. Before installing ATI's driver, I had no such problem. I believe the problem in my case was with the driver. There were error messages.

Drakeo · 09-11-2009, 09:12 AM

1 please post your ati card if it is the 200 only driver right now for that card .s the 9.8 version.

Quote:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...pe=Linux%20x86

Correct me if I am wrong but that driver is open source. and comes stalk with the kernel.
Please read this

Quote:

http://webupd8.blogspot.com/2009/08/...o-upgrade.html

good luck.

joegumbo · 09-11-2009, 10:28 AM

Hi Drakeo,

I just went to ATI's site and searched for the driver for a Radeon Xpress 200 to see if they've updated it:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...1&lang=English

or you can search here:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

linux x86 + Integrated/motherboard + Radeon Xpress 200

The driver ATI said to use is 9.3.

Yes, I tried the built-in radeon driver which was giving me the occasional strange desktop stuff, (plaid screen, large black squares). Then, I tried ATI's 9.3 which messed up my system. So, now I did a re-install and I'm just using vesa. Everything seems stable now.