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Old 01-23-2005, 09:12 AM   #1
Daninchina
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Registered: Nov 2004
Distribution: Ubuntu/Kubuntu
Posts: 12

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updated Kernel via Redhat's up2date; now X won't start


Still very new to Linux.

Anyway, loaded up FC3 (which was running beautifully), and I let the up2date software run for a day and download (and install) all of the updates for the software I had.

After everything was installed (including an update to the kernel), I rebooted -

The kernel listed during start up is stil the original one I had 2.6.9-1.1.7 (or something like that - it's one of the earliest revisions of the FC3 kernel).

The GuI would never load - Kept getting the "init start x respawning" error.

Went in via the command line and changed the :id5:initdefault: line to
:id3:initdefault:

not getting any more init start x respawning errors - but x still won't start.

When I try, the screen goes black and seems to flash a few different shades of black and nothing happens - I have to hit the reset button on my box.

I sure hope that there's a fairly simple fix for this...

I'll Appreciate any advice that people may have.

Thanks,

-Dan
 
Old 01-23-2005, 09:17 AM   #2
bigjohn
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Registered: Jun 2002
Location: UK .
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Any hints in /var/log/Xorg......... ???

regards

John
 
Old 01-23-2005, 07:45 PM   #3
Daninchina
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Distribution: Ubuntu/Kubuntu
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Xorg.0.log

I checked the /var/log/Xorg - here's what I found.

There were two logs, one Xorg.0.log, the other was Xorg.0.log_old - both seemed to have identical content and the same errors noted below.

The log seems to show that everything appeared to be going fine until this point right after the input devices were dectected.

(II) PS2 ...data reporting

Could not init font path element unix/:7100, removing from list!

Fatal server error: could not open default font 'fixed'

Please consult the X.org foundation support at http://wiki.X.org

***if unresoled symbols were reported above, they may not be the reason for the server aborting

Fatal Error re-entered, aborting

Caught signal 11. Server aborting.

___________

Is that helpful in diagnosing the issue?

Thanks for your help!
 
Old 01-23-2005, 09:15 PM   #4
Daninchina
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Registered: Nov 2004
Distribution: Ubuntu/Kubuntu
Posts: 12

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a few more notes

following the advice in the log, I went to the wiki.X.org site and checked their FAQ;

Apparently the "fatal server error: could not open default font 'fixed'" issue is very common...

The advice on the site was to check the /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc folder and make sure it had

~/speedo/, ~/Type1/, ~/CID?, ~/75dpi/, ~/100dpi/....


So I did that, and it seems like all of those fonts are there. On my setup, the default language is English (though it's supposed to support Korean and Chinese as well).

So what could the problem be?

I rechecked the Xorg.0.log, and I noted a few other things...

Near there beginning, there were these lines that may or may not be of interest:

(**) Font Path set to "unix/:7100"

(WW) Open APM failed (/dev/apm_bios) (no such file or directory)


Is it necessary (or helpful) that I somehow cut and paste the whole Xorg.0.log to the forum??? If so, how can I do it when I only have a command-line interface?
 
Old 01-23-2005, 09:16 PM   #5
__J
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Registered: Dec 2004
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try in the console:

fc-cache

and see if that helps
 
Old 01-24-2005, 07:08 AM   #6
Daninchina
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fc-cache didn't do much that I can tell

Quote:
try in the console:
I tried that, but X still won't start...seems like the same problem as before.

No changes in the Xorg.0.log that I can notice.

Any other ideas?

How is it that my command line interface is still fine but X is so unhappy?
 
Old 01-24-2005, 07:16 AM   #7
atom
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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Slovenia
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I had the same problem. Turned out i needed to reinstall nvidia drivers. If you own a NVidia card do that promptly. It's required after every kernel recompile or X won't start. It just may help.

Cheers,


Gasper
 
Old 01-24-2005, 10:04 AM   #8
Daninchina
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Tried that. Here's what happened (I'm getting a different series of messages, but no X ):

While installing the Nvidia driver, I got one warning message saying how the Nvidia drivers conflicted with some other module called nvefib (not sure on spelling there, had to jot it down very quickly)....the installation noted that the Nvidia driver would be installed, but would not work properly as long as this other thing was enabled.

After installation, I checked the xorg.conf file to see if there was anything like what the nvidia driver install wizard said, but I couldn't see anything.

I went ahead and removed the "load "dri" and "load GLcore" commands from the xorg.conf "module" section.

I also changed the "driver" section so "nv" became "nvidia".

Errors:

(1) Restarted, then saw the following error as soon as the boot went through:

KSDBNT invalid arguement. Failed to bind key 255 to value 3162.

(2) Checking Xorg.0.log I found these messages:

(EE) NVIDIA (0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA kernel module

Also

(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a useable configuration


(3) When trying to start x, I got the following error message:

no screens found

XI0: Fatal IO error 104 (connection reset by peer) on X server "l0.0" after 0 request


Then booted back into Windows to check google for all of the above listed problems...there are entries and resources around, but I'm not sure how (if) they all tie together...

Had to try one more time before I come crying for help

Of note:

While booting, this error appears early on:

usr/bin/rhgb: error while loading shared libraries: libgtk-x11-2.0.500: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory.


The problem I saw in (1) was no longer present. (2) and (3) still were there.

Which (and in what order, if any) do I need to go and fix?

I appreciate how helpful people are here!
 
Old 01-27-2005, 07:36 AM   #9
Daninchina
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Registered: Nov 2004
Distribution: Ubuntu/Kubuntu
Posts: 12

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It must be the driver...

As Atom helpfully pointed out, it seems that the lack of a properly installed Nvidia driver was the cause of most of my troubles.

I found that this thread has been very helpful:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/show...2&page=1&pp=15

However, after modifying my GRUB start up, running "modprobe nvidia" and copying /dev/nvidia to /etc/udev/devices/, I've only progressed to the point of getting an Nvidia logo to show up when I try to start X. It just goes to a black scren where nothing seems to happen right after that.

Now, I'm a bit stumped about what I should do next...seems like there's only 2 options

1. Re-install and make sure that (for the immediate future) have up2date NOT do any kernel upgrades? (and perhaps try my luck with the Nvidia driver again)
2. Hold out and see what happens - perhaps someone here has a good idea or I've missed something in a forum...

(I'll sit it out for the next few days)

- Dan
 
Old 02-01-2005, 12:52 AM   #10
Daninchina
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Registered: Nov 2004
Distribution: Ubuntu/Kubuntu
Posts: 12

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I got impatient...:)

Well,

I didn't have anything really important on my Linux partition anyway; I've become pretty adept at reconfiguring it from a clean install.

So, I just reinstalled FC3 (I think this is the 3rd or 4th time doing so), re-downloaded the Nvidia driver and installed it following some directions given on another forum (sorry, link is at home and I'm writing this at work).

System seems to be working fine; as a test, Tux Racer is running quickly and smoothly.

I'm sticking with using yum for obtaining other upgrades (rather than up2date).

CD audio is still a bit odd; it works just fine if I'm logged in as root but if I log in under a different account and try to play an audio cd, I keep getting the message "drive error".

do i just have to change the permissions for my cd drive?

Is the best way to to that with a Chmod or cmroot (?) command?
 
  


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