Unable to start xserver on Mandrake 9.2

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 02:30 PM

Ok, I got the report but it zoomed by really fast.

Newbie question is there a way to make it go page by page instead of blasting the whole thing past me?

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 02:43 PM

Code:

| less

works! I'm learning!

Under driver it says "svga"

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 02:47 PM

Apologies I forgot it'll do that.

Code:

cat | less /etc/X11/XF86Config

(the | character is shift & \) you can now use your enter key to step through the listing. Use the letter q to quit.

I have another thought, while we can spend a lot of time diagnosing the problem here's a quick test to see if it's related to your current login.

If you have the permission to do so:

1. Create a new user with the command:

Code:

adduser <username>

2. Create a password for that user with

Code:

passwd <username>

Once you have done this, login as that user and see if you get the desktop to load.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 02:57 PM

logged in under new user. startx -> same blue screen with x for cursor -> after a min back to command prompt with same error.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 03:09 PM

How are you at editing via commandline? If you are able I'd like to see what happens if you manually change the svga in your XF86Config to vesa if that works and you get a desktop, you can use the Control Centre to change the video driver. If it fails, try changing it to nvidia and if that fails try nv.

But before doing any of that make a backup of your current XF86Config file to your current location with:

Code:

cp /etc/X11/XF86Config .

check you have a copy at your currrent location with the ls command.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 03:16 PM

I meant the basic black command screen, not sure what is the proper term for that. The one it puts you in on booting

I am unsure on how to edit that file from that screen. Would I just change it in the XFdrake menu without using the test option?

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 03:20 PM

There's no special name for it. Terminal is generally used to let folks like me know you are at a command prompt. The XFdrake option doesn't seem to be generating a new XF86Config or we wouldn't still have svga under the driver section.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 03:24 PM

Yes, and no. It hung up when I when into the internal "Test" option it had, and had to hard re-boot.

So technically I never changed it, or so as I see it.

Possibly force it to a different driver, without it's internal "test", then try and startx would change the XF86Config file?

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 03:26 PM

I see what you're saying, yes I agree do the changes but not the test and see if the changes get written to the XF86 file.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 04:03 PM

Ok, it definitely changed the format of that file when I chose the NVidia GeForce4 (generic) option.

But well down the page now it still says Driver "svga" even though it says Nvidia for vendor and board name above it.

Also in XFdrake it said that the driver was supposed to be named nv...

So it is properly formatting the file just not using the proper driver as I can tell.

It's quitting time here again, though I am in tomorrow as well. If you are available I would love to resume this testing. Thanks again.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 04:05 PM

Sure thing. I think we're looking at manually putting the name of the driver to use. I'm not sure if you have your own text editor installed. If not you'll need to read up on vi that will most certainly be there as the default commandline editor.

sin667 · 07-09-2011, 01:08 PM

Ok, I worked in vi. Was pretty simple once I got the idea of command and input modes.

Changed the XF86Config file to read Driver "nv" like what it said in XFDrake.

Checked it after I was back in the terminal, It did change to be named "nv".

Tried a startx. Same hang, then same error.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-09-2011, 01:24 PM

How about if you change it to nvidia? Also can you check if the nvidia module is being loaded, type:

Code:

lsmod | grep nvidia

sin667 · 07-09-2011, 01:39 PM

I just tried naming "nvidia" and same thing.

I ran the lsmod command and got lsmod:command not found.

In root the lsmod command gave no return.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-09-2011, 01:40 PM

I've just taken another look at the /etc/X11/XF86Config contents you posted. There seems to be a lot of info missing. I want to make sure we are working with the correct one. Please do a

Code:

ls /etc/X11

and tell me how many XF86Config files you see. In particular is there one named XF86Config-4.