Newbie - Sound, video, and kernel questions/problems

big_syner · 10-30-2004, 05:56 PM

Hey everyone, I have just a few questions. If you want to know my life story, or what I think about Debian, you can find it here.

I install Sarge kernel 2.4.27-1-386 via net install which worked out great, BTW!

So here we go... Lets start this way. I followed all of the instructions on the Post Install Config sticky, and here is where I am at:

Video-
My screen resolution is will not go any higher than 800x600 73Hz... I have an nvidia AGP card, so I know it can get better than that. I tried changing the driver in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 from vesa to nvidia, thinking it may be that easy, but that just crashed my X on reboot.

So, I changed it back.

Sound-
When I did sndconf, that worked, found my sound card and it played back the test sound, and I heard it through my speakers. When I run aumix in a terminal, it works. I added myself to all of the groups. I am using Gnome for my desktop, and the volume applet doesn't work. When I try to adjust it, as soon as I let go of the mouse, it defaults back to muted. I haven't tried to play any sounds yet, but I don't have access to any at the moment.

Kernel-
I got through to the upgrade Kernel part of the thread, and followed those instuctions to the "T". I picked kernel 2.6.8-1-k7, because I am running on a KT-133AK7 mobo with a AMD 1200 processor. Well, when I booted to that kernel, my web was all slower, and I got a message saying that some things were broken as well, so I just changed my GRUB back to the 2.4.27-1-386 as default, and everything works just fine again. Maybe I should try the 2.6.8-1-386, or something else? Any feedback would be swell.

So there we have it... I am still please with Debian, but if we could get my sound and video set up right, then I would be even more happy.

Thanks!

macondo · 10-30-2004, 08:21 PM

"Video-
My screen resolution is will not go any higher than 800x600 73Hz... I have an nvidia AGP card, so I know it can get better than that. I tried changing the driver in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 from vesa to nvidia, thinking it may be that easy, but that just crashed my X on reboot.

So, I changed it back."

Because it's not configured correctly, you don't explain what you did. Did you let it autodetect during the installation? Did you do it manually? Did you typed your card's memory amount, your monitor's horizontal and vertical frequencies? Did you choose the correct resolution from the list given? It seems to me your problem is lack of knowledge when installing.

Read sections 9 and 10
The Very Verbose Debian Installation Walkthrough
http://osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2016

it will guide you step by step in the process of configurating X. Then do:

#dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

and this time, if you did your homework, it will be fine.

Without this working correctly, no kernel is gonna function right, you're just dragging the problems from one kernel to another. Fix this ASAP, and do not advanced until it's fixed.

Sound
"I am using Gnome for my desktop, and the volume applet doesn't work. When I try to adjust it, as soon as I let go of the mouse,"

It seems you have a problem with Gnome, I don't use it, maybe somebody who uses Gnome can help you. You can try the Gnome channel (#gnome) at the IRC on the Freenode server with Xchat.

Kernel:
"I got through to the upgrade Kernel part of the thread, and followed those instuctions to the "T". I picked kernel 2.6.8-1-k7, because I am running on a KT-133AK7 mobo with a AMD 1200 processor."

After fixing the X-Configuration with dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86,

Run debfoster and get rid of the kernel 2.6, make sure you have the right name (k-6 or 7) .

Assuming you're correct about the k7 part, this time try this one:

# apt-get install kernel-image-2.6-k7

(- Linux kernel image for version 2.6 on AMD K7)

maybe this time, it will work for you

#update-grub
#reboot

zero79 · 10-31-2004, 10:29 AM

you can get better resolutions on nvidia cards by installing the proprietary driver from nvidia

go to www.nvidia.com and download the driver, then do

Code:

su -c "/etc/init.d/gdm stop"

log in as root at the console, go to the directory with the nvidia driver installation program, and do

Code:

apt-get install kernel-headers-$(uname -r)
chmod +x <nvidia driver>.run
sh <nvidia driver>.run
/etc/init.d/gdm start

note that if you ever upgrade your kernel you will need to do the above again, but replace the two middle commands with

Code:

nvidia-installer --force-update

McCloud · 10-31-2004, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by zero79
note that if you ever upgrade your kernel you will need to do the above again, but replace the two middle commands with

Code:

nvidia-installer --force-update

[/B]

That's actually not true. When you upgrade your kernel, you only have to compile and install a new driver module for that kernel. You don't have to completely reinstall the driver.

When you've upgraded your kernel, before you boot it, install a new nVidia driver for it with this command

Code:

sh <nvidia driver>.run -K --kernel-name=[KERNELNAME]

This will compile and install a nVidia driver for your new kernel. The following command:

Code:

sh <nvidia driver>.run -A

will give you a list of all the advanced options of the nVidia installer.