Hello,
I'm not quite a "newbie" but close._ 20 years with UNIX on green screens but little time with Linux.

I recently tried to upgrade from Redhat 7.0 to 7.3._ The "upgrade"
filled my disk (4.2GB of which 0.8GB was in use), trashed LILO, and forced me to "install"._ Good job I make backups :-)_

The 7.3 install went AOK until rebooting, when X failed._ I got a
scrambled screen of vertical lines, plus an ~2.5cm square of white in the centre of the screen._ Sounds familiar?_ I've been trying to hack this on my own, following multiple web postings that nearly match my predicament.

So I've got my RH 7.3 partition up in run level 3.
I''ve followed threads to no avail.....
I've tried...

Xconfigurator_ (4.10.7)
Xf86config_____ (4.2.)
__ XFree86______ a/a
and manually editing /etc/X11/XF86Config

All attempts produce variations of the above description,
then "hang" and I must reboot.

Here's the config.....

Linux Kernel: 2.4.18-3
Xfsconfig: 4.2.0
Xconfigurator: 4.10.7
XFree86: 4.2.0
Cpu: Celeron 400MHz, 128Kb ram
Video card:_ S3 Trio 2D/3X__ (86c368)_ AKA verge
Monitor: ADI Microscan 5P+_ with 4Mb

I've not included /var/log/XFree86.0.log cos it's so big -
but it does indicate success. (some one can tell me how to
attch things & stay under 25k ? )

Here's /etc/X11/XF86Config... I've deleted most of the comments...

-------------------------------------------------
# File generated by XConfigurator.
Section "Files"
___ RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
___ FontPath__ "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
___EndSection
Section "Keyboard"
___ Protocol___ "Standard"
___ AutoRepeat_ 500 5
___ LeftAlt_______ Meta
___ RightAlt_______ Meta
__ ScrollLock_____ Compose
__ RightCtl_______ Control
__ XkbKeycodes____ "xfree86"
__ XkbTypes_______ "default"
__ XkbCompat______ "default"
__ XkbSymbols_____ "us(pc101)"
__ XkbGeometry____ "pc"
__ XkbRules_______ "xfree86"
___ XkbModel_______ "pc101"

___ XkbLayout______ "us"
EndSection

# Pointer section

Section "Pointer"
___ Protocol___ "PS/2"
___ Device_____ "/dev/mouse"

___ Emulate3Buttons
___ Emulate3Timeout___ 50

EndSection

# Monitor section

Section "Monitor"

___ Identifier_ "ADI 5P"
___ VendorName_ "Unknown"
___ ModelName__ "Unknown"


___ HorizSync__ 30 - 69
___ VertRefresh 50 - 120

Modeline "640x400"____ 31.5__ 640_ 672 736__ 832__ 400_ 401_ 404_ 445 -HSync +VSync
Modeline "640x480"____ 45.8__ 640_ 672_ 768_ 864__ 480_ 488_ 494_ 530 -HSync -VSync

-----------blah blah blah

Modeline "480x300"____ 29.952 480_ 504_ 584_ 624__ 300_ 319_ 322_ 333 Doublescan

EndSection

# Graphics device section

Section "Device"
___ Identifier_______ "Generic VGA"
___ VendorName_______ "Unknown"
___ BoardName "Unknown"
___ Chipset__ "generic"

EndSection

# Device configured by Xconfigurator:

Section "Device"
___ Identifier_ "S3 Trio3D/2X"
___ VendorName_ "Unknown"
___ BoardName__ "Unknown"
___ #VideoRam___ 4096
____ # Option "no_accel" # You may enable this if there are timeouts when starting X
___ Clockchip__ "ics5342"
EndSection

# Screen sections
# The Colour SVGA server
Section "Screen"
___ Driver_____ "svga"
___ Device_____ "S3 Trio3D/2X"
___ Monitor____ "ADI 5P"
___ DefaultColorDepth__ 32
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Depth______ 24
_______ Modes______ "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Depth______ 32
_______ Modes______ "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
EndSection

# The 16-color VGA server
Section "Screen"
___ Driver_____ "vga16"
___ Device_____ "Generic VGA"
___ Monitor____ "ADI 5P"
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Modes______ "640x480" "800x600"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
EndSection

# The Mono server
Section "Screen"
___ Driver_____ "vga2"
___ Device_____ "Generic VGA"
___ Monitor____ "ADI 5P"
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Modes______ "640x480" "800x600"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
EndSection
Section "Screen"
___ Driver_____ "accel"
___ Device_____ "S3 Trio3D/2X"
___ Monitor____ "ADI 5P"
___ DefaultColorDepth__ 32
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Depth______ 24
_______ Modes______ "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
___ Subsection "Display"
_______ Depth______ 32
_______ Modes______ "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
_______ ViewPort___ 0 0
___ EndSubsection
EndSection

----------------------------------
I've seen two slightly different specs for the monitor...

Max 1280 x 1024 @ 65Hz
recommended 1024 x 768 @ 85Hz
Horizontal rate 30 - 69 kHz
Vertical rate 50 - 120 Hz

Max 1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz
(no recommendation)
Horizontal rate 30 - 69kHz
Vertical rate 50 - 160Hz

From Windows98, the monitor & video card work fine with
24 bit colour at 800x600 (higher densities work, but are too
hard to read).

Hoping someone can help.
:-(

Try nabbing RH 8.0, or if you don't feel like that, de-grade your system to 7.0 again, shouldn't be that much different.

It sounds like your resolution is set to high for the video card to handle have you tried any other monitor "generic" or backing down the resolution

I have a database product I wish use that need RH7.1+ and
is not certified for 8.0. I have tried forcing lower resolutions
to no avail. I have not tried other generic driver - I thought
S3 Trio was pretty widespread - at least it is here in OZ.

I find upgrading a bit of a pot luck solution. You may find it easier to save all your special files in another partition and do a new install. If you haven't got room for a new partition, install another disk, make a linux file system on it and mount it under say /mnt/extra. Copy all your /home, /root, /usr/local, /etc, /opt files to /mnt/extra before doing the new install.
I've also used rpm under init 3 to erase all the X, KDE and Gnome files and then done a new install loading only X, KDE, and Gnome, without formatting any of the file systems, except swap of course. This seems to work as the new install sets up the X server.
One more point, odd numbers have bugs that get fixed in even number releases or so I've found.
I've used RH5.4, 6.2, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 8 and always had trouble doing an upgrade, so I generally use method one. On my own system I use another drive for /root, /home, /opt, and /usr/local partitions so upgrading is much easier, just remember to copy /etc. I always install extra programs in /usr/local or /opt.

Ok, I'll try to help, but don't burn me if its not right:

This is more or less what you should have:

Section "Monitor"

Identifier_ "ADI 5P"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"

HorizSync 30 - 37.9
VertRefresh 50 - 60


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



Section "Screen"
Driver "vga"
Device "S3 Trio3D/2X"
Monitor "ADI 5P"
DefaultColorDepth 24
Subsection "Display"
Depth______ 24
Modes______ "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection

You'll notice I've deleted some stuff. Put this in, and delete all other Screen sections, so that you only have the one above. Lets see if that works. If not, don't panic, I am running the same card at work, so the answer can only be as far away as monday.

TO THE USER WITH A NICK ZVEZDA:

Napred Zvezdo samo napred gde ti igras tu smo mi nikad neces biti sama mi smo tvoji sinovi!!!!!

If you don't know what that means (the guy with the nick Zvezda) then never mind.....

Vlad_M,
I tried as you suggested (deleted everything in screen
section) and substituted your config. Same problem. I even
tried a generic driver.
I'm unclear why you quote the Red Star anthem in
Serbo-croat and expect anyone to understand.

Pune tribine ludih navijaca
Baklje se pale ceo sever gori
Bubnjevi tutnje I pesma se ori
Jedite govna jer mi smo sampioni
Ale,ale,ale,ale

Napred Zvezdo
Samo napred
Gde ti igras tu smo mi
Nikad neces biti sama
Mi smo tvoji sinovi
:-)

Shit, I forgot about your post and I didn't check the config file at work. I thought that what I suggested would work (obviously) but I will now check the config at work and will post it to you tonite.

How the hell did you now the RS anthem???? That really made my day!

Pity we lost to Lazio......

BTW I expected the other guy to understand cos of his nick....

Jesi li ti Jugosloven?

Cheers!!!!

I am also a newbie on Linux with over 20 years on DEC VMS, so I greatly understand you!!
I use a RedHat 7.3 on my mobile ASUS L2000 and it works fine at all resolutions: I suggest you to try to delete into "Screen" sections the resolution "1024x768" (by duplicating and commenting the lines...) because I guess they are the first chances used by the server; this will probably force it to reduce resolution giving then you the capability to re-enable the resolution you want direclty from X.
I hope to have helped you, if the suggestion was too banal, I beg your pardon!

I have reduced the resolution to the one that work in Win98
(800 x 600).
The strange part (I forgot to mention this before), is that I installed RH7.3 in graphical mode. I.e. anaconda detected both the screen and video card and got the settings right first time.
It's only now when I try for run level 5 it go wrong.

Vlad_M .... no I'm not slavic, and I don't follow soccer!! Hows that for a teaser! BTW "Zvezda" means "star" in many languages.

I also got angry for the same reason (installation works fine with screen and video and USB mouse, then the installed system fails!).
Now a stupid question: are you sure X11 is using /etc/X11/XF86Config? I don't know why, but on some systems the one used has another name eg. /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, so it happened that I was editing one file and startx used another. I know that it is possible to force it to use the file you have edited when you start X by means of a parameter (something like
$ startx -f /etc/X11/XF86Config )
but I don't remember how.
Unfortunately I am forced to access internet (and this news group too) through Micro$oft XP (the worst XPerience) because on Linux my winmodem doesn't work, so I cannot try the solution while posting :-(((

OK, we're on the right track now. The file is /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 - - I've copied Vlam_M changes to it... she still no work. Then I've found /var/log/*0.log recording X errors.

This caused "telinit 5" to result in ...
"INIT: Id "x" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes."

I've removed the offending config directives, added a "driver"
to the "device section" ('cos it complained).

Now when I "telinit 5" my monitor *flashes* at about a rate of once/second.

here's /etc/XF86Config-4 (minus comments)...
------------
Section "Files"
RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection


Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Section "Pointer"
Protocol "PS/2"
Device "/dev/psaux"
Emulate3Buttons
Emulate3Timeout 50
EndSection

Section "Keyboard"
Protocol "Standard"
AutoRepeat 500 5
XkbRules "xfree86"
XkbModel "pc105"
XkbLayout "us"
#XkbVariant ""
#XkbOptions ""
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "ADI MicroScan 5P/5P+"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"
HorizSync 30.0-38.0
VertRefresh 50.0-60.0
# --- 800x600 ---
# 800x600 @ 56 Hz, 35.15 kHz hsync
ModeLine "800x600" 36 800 824 896 1024
600 601 603 625
# 800x600 @ 60 Hz, 37.8 kHz hsync
Modeline "800x600" 40 800 840 968 1056
600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "S3 Trio3D/2X"
Driver "svga"
VendorName "S3 Incorporated. 86C362"
VideoRam 4096
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Driver "svga"
Device "S3 Trio3D/2X"
Monitor "ADI MicroScan 5P/5P+"
DefaultColorDepth 32

Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

--------------
Here's /var/log/*0.log --- The "x" log


XFree86 Version 4.2.0 (Red Hat Linux release: 4.2.0-8) / X Window System
(protocol Version 11, revision 0, vendor release 6600)
Release Date: 23 January 2002
If the server is older than 6-12 months, or if your card is
newer than the above date, look for a newer version before
reporting problems. (See http://www.XFree86.Org/)
Build Operating System: Linux 2.4.17-0.13smp i686 [ELF]
Build Host: daffy.perf.redhat.com

Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Fri Nov 8 18:08:47 2002
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
(WW) No Layout section. Using the first Screen section.
(**) |-->Screen "svga" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "ADI MicroScan 5P/5P+"
(**) | |-->Device "S3 Trio3D/2X"
(==) |-->Input Device "Implicit Core Pointer"
(==) |-->Input Device "Implicit Core Keyboard"
(**) Option "Protocol" "Standard"
(**) Option "AutoRepeat" "500 5"
(**) Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
(**) XKB: rules: "xfree86"
(**) Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
(**) XKB: model: "pc105"
(**) Option "XkbLayout" "us"
(**) XKB: layout: "us"
(==) Keyboard: CustomKeycode disabled
(**) FontPath set to "unix/:7100"
(**) RgbPath set to "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
(==) ModulePath set to "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
(--) using VT number 7

(II) Open APM successful
(II) Module ABI versions:
XFree86 ANSI C Emulation: 0.1
XFree86 Video Driver: 0.5
XFree86 XInput driver : 0.3
XFree86 Server Extension : 0.1
XFree86 Font Renderer : 0.3
(II) Loader running on linux
(II) LoadModule: "bitmap"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/fonts/libbitmap.a
(II) Module bitmap: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.2.0, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: XFree86 Font Renderer
ABI class: XFree86 Font Renderer, version 0.3
(II) Loading font Bitmap
(II) LoadModule: "pcidata"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libpcidata.a
(II) Module pcidata: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.2.0, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.5
(II) PCI: Probing config type using method 1
(II) PCI: Config type is 1
(II) PCI: stages = 0x03, oldVal1 = 0x80000058, mode1Res1 = 0x80000000
(II) PCI: PCI scan (all values are in hex)
(II) PCI: 00:00:0: chip 8086,7190 card 0000,0000 rev 03 class 06,00,00 hdr 00
(II) PCI: 00:01:0: chip 8086,7191 card 0000,0000 rev 03 class 06,04,00 hdr 01
(II) PCI: 00:07:0: chip 8086,7110 card 0000,0000 rev 02 class 06,01,00 hdr 80
(II) PCI: 00:07:1: chip 8086,7111 card 0000,0000 rev 01 class 01,01,80 hdr 00
(II) PCI: 00:07:2: chip 8086,7112 card 0000,0000 rev 01 class 0c,03,00 hdr 00

------------

Hopeful - BTW my name is David. :-) getting there.

OK folks, I'm still a "no go".

I've done everything imaginable.

I reloaded RH7.0 - got the working XF86Config - - doesn't work on RH7.3 - - way too many changes to syntax have been made.
I downloaded "XFree86-4.2.0-72.i386.rpm" I now have some
better results - but no X11.

From run level 3, "startx" produces a lot of flashing screens, and eventually a "fanfare" of "bom diddly oomp" etc (which I've heard before, so I presume it is KDE equiv of Eno's MS fanfare). BUT then I have a white screen, and cursor about 15mm square (which indicates to me X is trying for a res of 1280x1024.

When I reloaded RH7.0 it came up in 1280x1024.

Here is my current "/etc/XF86Config" (I've removed all the other possible places X can load its contig from.

Hoping ...... :-) :-)

All comments have been removed.......
----Begin XF86Config

Section "Files"
RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Section "Pointer"
Protocol "PS/2"
Device "/dev/psaux"
Emulate3Buttons
Emulate3Timeout 50
EndSection

Section "Keyboard"
Protocol "Standard"
AutoRepeat 500 5
XkbRules "xfree86"
XkbModel "pc105"
XkbLayout "us"
#XkbVariant ""
#XkbOptions ""
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "ADI MicroScan 5P/5P+"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"
HorizSync 30.0-38.0
VertRefresh 50.0-60.0
ModeLine "800x600" 36 800 824 896 1024
600 601 603 625
Modeline "800x600" 40 800 840 968 1056
600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "S3 Trio3D/2X"
Driver "svga"
VendorName "S3 Incorporated. 86C362"
VideoRam 4096
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Driver "svga"
Device "S3 Trio3D/2X"
Monitor "ADI MicroScan 5P/5P+"
DefaultColorDepth 32

Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

---End XF86Config

:-( help! :-(

Hello world!

Well, I eventually installed RH8.0. No problems with X now!

Hello,
I am happy for you, but perhaps have you discovered WHY usin RH8.0 it's now working? Otherwise the behavior is M$-like and we (Linux) are not better then them!
I am sorry for thse crude words, but it's a period of time when the battle is very hard!