newbee in trouble. (video) Please help
 

Hi just got mandrake linux 10 installed it and it was working fine. i tinkered with the video settings and changed the res from 800x600 to 1024x768 now i cant see anything it's all garbled. Can anyone tell me how to fix it so that i can see again? and the sound doesn't work for me either i tried sndconfig but nothing. I want to thank you in advance for your help.


I'm installing on IBM Aptiva E2U model. memory and hd upgrade only video and sound built in.


ThanX ThanX ThanX ThanX

hey,

do you have your video card module loaded?

Hamish

Everything loads but the video is distorted and it moves to right so fast i can't even get a chance to try and change the settings.


Is there some kind of safemode i can boot to and change the setting?

Thanks for your reply Hamish

couldnt he just edit his XF86Config file located in etc/X11? I'm new so I could be wrong...

yeah, you can do that.

the file you want is /etc/X11/XF86Config

Make a backup of your old one first though.
Hamish

The problem with that would be that i cant get to the drive from windows.

gezz i feel i really messed it up. :(

Ok,

Shall I guess that your linux install automatically boots into a graphical mode?

In that case, you have to change that AND we will fix your graphics at the same time.

Firstly, download RIP Linux (this is a Live CD which lets to fix linux stuff) http://www.tux.org/pub/people/kent-r...IP-8.5.iso.bin and burn the ISO in windows.

Boot the computer with RIP linux in the cd drive.
then
1. mount /dev/<partition where linux is> /mnt/linux
I appreciate that <partition where linux is> isn't very helpful, but you will have to find this out. You might be able to do "fdisk -l" and it will tell you. if the hard drive is the primary master, then it will be "/dev/hdaX", if primary slave "/dev/hdaX". The X is the partition number.

2. nano /mn/linux/etc/X11/XF86Config
here, you will find a section called "Screen sections" and there will be some lines in there like:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "nvidia integrated 32Mb"
Monitor "multisync 75F"
DefaultDepth 16

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
# Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
Modes "1024x768"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"

Find which Display is your default (eg "DefaultDepth 16") and the go tothe appropriate
Depth (eg "Depth 16"). Set the mode there to whatever you want. Of coruse, your graphics card might not support 16 depth, so try something like 8. You could also go back to 800x600 to test that it works.

Then exit (ctrl + X) and save on your way out.
Assuming that your video card module is loaded, this will work.

OK, that will maybe fix your graphics.

Now we have to fix the fact that your PC boots in graphical mode. THis isn't a good idea because, as has happened here, if your graphics screw up, you can't do anything.

go to
#nano /etc/inittab
and change the line which looks like:
# Default runlevel.
id:5:initdefault:

to

# Default runlevel.
id:3:initdefault:

Now, when you start the computer, it will boot into a black creen and you have to use command line to start the graphics. THis is done by:

1. logging in
2. typing
$ startx

This will do it.

hamish

ok i'm downloading the file now. It's taking a long time. when it is done i will follow your instructions and post again.

I can't thank you enough for your help. It's very nice of you.

ThanX again

ok
i tried it but to no avail. i get a message saying

can't find in
/etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
my drive is identified as hdb1. even tried a few combo words and spaces but nothing.

I'm sorry, i'm sure this is very easy but i have only been doing linux for two days. Please bare with me.

I have been trying to fix this all day. I think i'm going to just re-install linux and this time i'm going to take your advice and not have the gui boot at startup at least until i get better at this.

Hamish, I want to thank you very much for all your help on this. i thought that by fixing it would give me better understanding of how linux works but i guess i have to read a whole lot more.

Thank you Thank You Thank You

Try opening up a terminal from start applications.

Then type cd /etc/x11/

then alter the XF86config

or alter the /etc/inittab

by vi inittab and alter the runlevel

:newbie:

LOLOLOL This is funnyI booted the computer ready to re-install then i selected the upgrade feature instead of the install. I figured that since it was the last version and recently installed that i wouldn't have to go through the whole thing. and soon enough, in less than fifteen minutes i was writing this post. the installer gave me the chance of changing my video settings and thats that. here i am again. tired but happy.:D :)

Hey hadesThunder Thanks for the reply.
I got to tell you that while in my travels through the system i found those directories and files i even got a chance to edit the xf86config file but i couldn't put it back from windows i could only read the drive. but i did look into inittab to see if i could change anything but couldn't. same thing.

Once again thanks for your help.

Now if i can only get my sound to work... hahahahahaha

You need to su to root before you can make changes to system files.

The setup program for video on Mandrake Linux is called 'XFdrake'.
You can run it from a terminal if you video setup isn't working. (run it as root)