scrambled picture on laptop display
 

I have recently bought a toshiba laptop and installed red hat 7.3 on it. It doesnt detect the display and so I have to select generic laptop display with 1024x768 in Xconfigurator. It only shows proper display on 800x600 even after installing nvidia drivers. I have a geforce4 420 go in it. Otherwise it either shows scrambled display on 1024 or it doesnt show display. My laptop is capable of showing 1024x768 as it is the normal display in it. What can I do.

Hmm ...

One chance would be to try using xf86cfg
(the graphical setup-tool that comes with X)
or read up on your notebooks displays spec's
and run xf86configure and go through the
process manually (text-mode) ...

Cheers,
Tink

same happend tome now using vesa drivers on 16 bit 1024 768 doing that solved my problem in a dell inspiron with geforce card

Vesa mode works but doesn' t allow Accelerated Graphics,

I ended up compliling the NVIDIA driver, go to the NVIDIA site and download the tar.gz files. Use the NVChooser Program this will tell you which files to download, if you are lucky you will be able to use RPMs. You will need to download 2 files, one is the GLX librairies, the second the kernel driver.

You will want to install the Kernel package first then the GLX librairies.

If you have to use the source tar file for the kernel you will have to use

tar -zxvf NVIDIA-kernel*

cd into the directory that is created

then type make SYSINCLUDE=/lib/modules/linux-2.4xx/build/include/linux
make install

If you are able to use an RPM type RPM -Uhv NVIDIA-kernel*.rpm

After that do the same for the GLX file

tar -zxvf NVIDIA-GLX* if using the source code
make
make install

rpm -Uhv NVIDIA-glx* if able to use RPMs.

If you can use the RPMs use them rather than the source for ease of installation. If using the source you will need your kernel source installed on your system.

Once the files are installed you will need to edit your XF86Config file which is located at /etc/X11.

Where it says Driver "VESA (generic)" change to Driver "nvidia"

Uncomment Load "glx"

Make sure you delete these lines

Load "dri"
Load "GLcore"

If they exist.

That should be it and when you start X you will see the NVIDIA splashscreen just before X loads.

Thanks guys but I did install the Nvidia drivers and still it doesnt display 1024x768 resolution. I would try it on 16 bit color, but if it displays 800x600 resolution in 24 bit color it should do the same on a higher resolution. After all everything is fine in xp. Anyway let me know if some one figures this thing out.

do you get a massive flickiring after exiting from x?

Yes I did get massive flickering when exiting X, what you have to do is go into your system bios, look for the monitor section and make sure it is set to LCD only, the default is LCD/CRT, change this and there is no more flicker

Enjoy :)

onlyhuman.. do you have a 1500?? My Toshiba uses a Geforce 4 420 Go also. I ended up ditching the old RedHat for 8.0 which autodetected the monitor and card on install.

Kind of a lame way out but it worked. :(

thx that was the thing i was looking for :)

but what happens if something happens to the screen you cant hook it up to a screen to get the important file rigth if i disable it?

I don't think you would have to worry, if you plugged in a monitor you should still be able to access the bios and change it to CRT only.

thx

Yes I have a Toshiba with a 15 inch screen and a geforce 420 go. I guess than I will have to go for redhat 8.0. Anyway please confirm if I go for the lcd option in the bios than wont cause further problems and I would get the problem solved. Secondly how do you enter into the bios of a laptop. Probably seems a dumb question but there is always a first time for stuff.
cheers.

At power up try pressing F2, if its not that then the Toshiba boot logo might tell you.

Cheers
Amos
:newbie:

It's Esc. I couldn't find any options for LCD/CRT... althought I've been told I'm blind. :)