I just updated from Mandrake 9.1 to 9.2 but I have a display problem. After boot the display simply goes black. Everything else seems to work (network, web server, mail server etc.). I have no clue about what to do right now, so any help is appreciated.

I use an ATI XPERT 128 graphics card with the following XF86Config-4 setup:

# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # 3D layer
Load "dri" # direct rendering
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "dk"
Option "XkbCompat" ""
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Generic"
ModelName "1024x768 @ 70 Hz"
HorizSync 31.5-57.0
VertRefresh 50-70

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
BoardName "ATI XPERT 128 AGP"
Driver "r128"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen1"
EndSection

im guessing you get a login screen at least.. :-)

Have you tried: (as root)

# startx

if that didn't work, how about this:

# service dm start

or:

ctrl+Alt+F7

...If none of that helps, try www.xfree.org and download a newer version of XFree

I do not get a login screen and none of the above worked. Ctrl+Alt+F7 gives me just a cursor on a black screen, but it does not seem to respond on any keyboard input. All other services seem to work but I can only login from a remote shell. This is the output from my /var/log/XFree86.0.log file:

XFree86 Version 4.3.0
Release Date: 9 May 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.4.19-36mdkenterprise i686 [ELF]
Build Date: 10 December 2003
Before reporting problems, check http://www.XFree86.Org/
to make sure that you have the latest version.
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 Jan 2 14:55:33 2004
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
(==) ServerLayout "layout1"
(**) |-->Screen "screen1" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "monitor1"
(**) | |-->Device "device1"
(**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard1"
(WW) Option "XkbCompat" requires an string value
(**) Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
(**) XKB: model: "pc105"
(**) Option "XkbLayout" "dk"
(**) XKB: layout: "dk"
(WW) Option "XkbOptions" requires an string value
(==) Keyboard: CustomKeycode disabled
(**) |-->Input Device "Mouse1"
(**) FontPath set to "unix/:-1"
(==) RgbPath set to "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
(==) ModulePath set to "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
(**) Option "AllowMouseOpenFail"
Using vt 8
(--) using VT number 8

(II) Open APM successful
(II) Module ABI versions:
XFree86 ANSI C Emulation: 0.2
XFree86 Video Driver: 0.6
XFree86 XInput driver : 0.4
XFree86 Server Extension : 0.2
XFree86 Font Renderer : 0.4
(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 4.3.0, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: XFree86 Font Renderer
ABI class: XFree86 Font Renderer, version 0.4

Try Ctrl+Alt+F12 and see if there are any errors listed. Then try Ctrl+Alt+F1 and see if you get a login screen (at least).. If you are able to get a login screen, log in as root. Then run XFdrake and see if your settings are correct. If they are, then try the test button (if you have the option)...

I found the following display related errors:

Jan 3 00:45:05 blofeld mdkkdm[1910]: server open failed for :0, giving up
Jan 3 00:45:05 blofeld mdkkdm[1840]: Display :0 cannot be opened

This time I was able to get the console login screen with Ctrl+Alt+F1, login as root and start XFdrake. Neither test nor setup experiments produced any results.

I then tried another kernel since there were a couple of choices. Initially I used the default secure kernel and when I tried the non-secure version the display would work again. It must somehow be kernel related or it could maybe have something to do with the /etc/grsec/acl configuration?

Cheers, I apreciate the help.

/etc/grsec/acl:

role admin sA
subject /
/ rwcdmxi

role default G
role_transitions admin
subject /
/ r
/opt rx
/home rwxcd
/mnt rw
/dev
/dev/grsec h
/dev/urandom r
/dev/random r
/dev/zero rw
/dev/input rw
/dev/psaux rw
/dev/null rw
/dev/tty0 rw
/dev/tty1 rw
/dev/tty2 rw
/dev/tty3 rw
/dev/tty4 rw
/dev/tty5 rw
/dev/tty6 rw
/dev/tty7 rw
/dev/tty8 rw
/dev/console rw
/dev/tty rw
/dev/pts rw
/dev/ptmx rw
/dev/dsp rw
/dev/mixer rw
/dev/initctl rw
/dev/fd0 r
/dev/cdrom r
/dev/mem h
/dev/kmem h
/dev/port h
/bin rx
/sbin rx
/lib rx
/usr rx
/etc rx
/proc rwx
/proc/kcore h
/proc/sys r
/root r
/tmp rwcd
/var rwxcd
/var/tmp rwcd
/var/log r
/boot r
/etc/grsec h

-CAP_LINUX_IMMUTABLE
-CAP_NET_RAW
-CAP_MKNOD
-CAP_SYS_RAWIO
-CAP_SYS_MODULE

Found a solution on grsecurity.net forum:

chpax -sp /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86

chpax is available from chpax.grsecurity.net

They also describe a more secure solution:
http://forums.grsecurity.net/viewtop...hlight=xfree86

Cheers!

Great..!

I'm glad I was able to help.. (at least a little bit.. )


Welcome to Mandrake 9.2