Hello all:
I am really new to Linux and recently installed a copy of SuSe 8.0. Everything was fine except for the fact that I saw a lot of image distortion while surfing the net with font as well as images. A buddy of mine recommended that I run Mandrake 9.2 so I decided to give it a spin hoping that perhaps since it was a newer version it would recognize my hardware a bit better (P4 2.53, GA-8INXP, 512 mb pc2700, ATI Radeon 9700 Pro, WD1200JB, Sony 19" G410) so that I wouldn't have any issues with the visuals. Setup was a breeze and I was cruising along until I had to reboot. When the GUI was supposed to load up the screen would flicker and then it would come to a dos like prompt asking me to login in as "localhostlogin:" and enter a "password:". After I'm logged in I type in startx to fire up the desktop. The screen flickers again and it spits out this error.....

Using vt 7
(WW)Radeon:No matching device section for instance (BUSID PCI:1:0:1) found
(EE)Radeon(0)No Valid mode found for this DFP/LCD
(EE)Screens found, but none have a suable configuration

Fatal Server error:
no screens found

XIO:fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer)on X server ":0.0" after 0 request (0 known processed with 0 events remaining

Vauth: error in lockin authority file /home/mr54mk/.Xauthority

I then thought it would be wise to configure the visual display settings so I type in drakconf. I must have tried every possible configuration with the the available ATI drivers given in the config. Nothing works so next I tried adjusting some of the monitor rates. I set that up to run @ 800x600 @56 & 60. That didn't work either. I've have been reading up on this issue on the forums and I noticed that Mr. Phillips helped out another guy by telling him to run XFree86setup. How do I run this? Do I need to download the file? Where do I get it? How do i execute it? I'm just a newbie on a mission so please help me out.

-Mr54mk

PS
I've noticed that when I reboot the machine that there is a "stopping display manage FAILED" as the machine powers down.

In Mandrake, use the command XFdrake. That's the tool you need to get X working.

That command doesn't do anything. Are you sure that's the right command? When I type in "drakconf" in takes me straight to the menu. That command doesn't do a thing... Any other suggestions LQ people?

-Mr54mk

Get yourself a live linux CD (like knoppix, gnoppix, morphix etc). Run it and rip off the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file from it.

I'm a newbie...How exactly do I do that? I have a copy of Knoppix. Do I just put it in the cd tray and when I'm at the dos prompt? Doesn't the cd drive need to be mounted???

Step 1. Boot knoppix and make sure that X loads.

Step 2. Right click the desktop icon that represents your main linux partition and go to properties. Make sure it's not read only and give yourself all the permissions. Then right click it again and select mount.

Step 3. Navigate to the /etc/X11 directory by typing cd /etc/X11 into the konsole (the icon with the seashell on it).

Step 4. Copy the XF86Config-4 file from the current directory to /mnt/<the partition you mounted in step 3>/etc/X11/ and rename it with the command cp XF86Config-4 /mnt/<the partition you mounted in step 2>/etc/X11/XF86Config-4.knoppix.

Step 5. Navigate to the directory you just copied the file to and save a copy of your old config file with the command cp XF86Config-4 XF86Config-4.orig. Note: there may be no "-4" on the end of your config file, some distros call it XF86Config-4 and some XF86Config.

Step 6. Replace your current file with the knoppix version by typing cp XF86Config-4.knoppix XF86Config-4. If your original file had no "-4" in it then omit it here too.

Step 7. Reboot and see if it works.

You need to be logged in as root, and you need to type the command in exactly as I typed, it is case-sensitive.