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Linux - Laptop and Netbook Having a problem installing or configuring Linux on your laptop? Need help running Linux on your netbook? This forum is for you. This forum is for any topics relating to Linux and either traditional laptops or netbooks (such as the Asus EEE PC, Everex CloudBook or MSI Wind).

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Old 03-05-2004, 09:51 AM   #1
1kyle
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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: 'Ol Blighty
Distribution: SLED 10, SUSE 10.3
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SUSE 9 Success -- Nvidia for GRT816S 1400 X 1050 Screen


Finally got the glitch out of Nvidia where I couldn't go back into Console mode or exit X-Server without garbled screen.

I have a Sony PCG-GRT816S Laptop with a HUGE 16.6 inch Onyx black screen and SUSE 9.0 looks really great on it now especially at 1400 X 1050. This Sony has the Go 5600 64 MB card in it. (Under "Laptops to Die for")

Here's how I fixed it --- I'm relatively new to Linux so rather than use VI or other text based editors I re-booted various times -- however the purpose of this post is to show what I did -- I'm sure you can do it much better if you know commands etc which I'm still not very good at yet.

so do the following

1) During installation use the ONLINE UPDATE (YOU) to update the kernel source and anything else you want -- BUT UNTICK (if it is ticked) Fetch nvidia driver --it's at the bottom of the list. This will run depending on your network connection for a while. I have ADSL but it still takes around 20 mins -- the kernel patch is around 170 MB. You will eventually get prompted -- Install Fetch Nvidia -- INSTALL this -- but ensure the NVIDIA driver DOESN't get loaded yet -- It shouldn't if you unticked the NVIDIA update.

2) Accept the system monitor / graphics card --- this will work for the first part of the process. In other words don't change the final configuration proposed by YAST.

3) VERY IMPORTANT -- or you'll get stuffed -- before the final re-boot is requested during the install process click on the Run YAST and then set the Run Level Editor into 3 -- DON'T LEAVE IT AS 5 because you need to be in command mode BEFORE X gets started and you won't be able to start a console (garbled screen when you shut down the X server).

4) Let the system re-boot. If it boots into X then use a CONSOLE to shut the system down and re-boot. You can't get a plain console shell yet -- the screen will be garbled. This boot is usually the final one after install has completed.

5) Re-boot the system login as root and start X manually.

6) use Konqueror or other web browser to retrive the 5328 version of the Nvidia driver at http://www.nvidia.com it's in the archive and is the one before the latest one. The latest one might work but as mine (5328) is working I'm not messing around and changing it. I saved it in /tmp.

7) Save file /etc/X11/XF86Config as /etc/X11/XF86Config_old or whatever. You'll need this again as after we've installed the new driver you'll just get a black screen -- don't panic as we fix this later.

8) Re-boot -- again using the console shell (you can't come out of X without the garbled screen remember.) Login as root -- but don't start X.

9) Now cd /tmp or wherever you downloaded the nvidia driver.

10) run sh NVIDIA-Linux-X86-1.0-5328-pkg1.run follow all the instructions

11) Now ONCE ONLY run SAX2 -- You'll end up with a blacked out screen -- OK we have to re-boot. The object of this is we want a config file with the NVIDIA options. You will have to Hard Boot -- i.e power off and on -- normally not a good idea but Reiserfs file system is quite robust these days.

12) After re-booting DON'T START X. Rename the /etc/X11/XF86Config file created by SAX to something else like NVIDIA_NEW.
This is now the proper XF86Config file for the new driver which we can edit later.

13) Rename the old file you had to XF86Config. This was the config file for the default nv driver.

14) Start X -- should work as it's the old driver (NV) being started.

15 with Konqueror edit the file you had as NVIDIA_NEW (the one for the NEW NVIDIA driver) and ensure this line is in it

Section "Device"
BoardName "0x031a"
BusID "1:0:0"
Driver "nvidia"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Option "NvAGP" "0" <=====================
Screen 0
Option "Rotate" "off"
VendorName "NVidia"
EndSection


You'll probably see the initial file had a 3 in it for this line.

16) Save your current XF86Config file again as something else in case you need it again.

17) Save the modified NVIDIA_NEW file or whatever you called it as XF86Config.

18) Shut the system down from a shell console -- remember you still can't leave X without a garbled screen.

19) On reboot start X manually -- you should see the NVIDIA Logo and it works. The start up screen looks a little boring and grey but you soon are in X and you can exit without problems.

Sorry for the long post -- but the Sony 1400 X 1050 is such a marvellous screen it was worth trying to get this to work properly.

Last edited by 1kyle; 03-05-2004 at 10:11 AM.
 
  


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