PC Fails to console after running X

BuckRogers01 · 03-12-2006, 07:29 AM

Hi, I have an annoying problem where once I've started X, I can never get back into the console. I've tried all the key combos, (shift + ctrl + backspace, the F keys etc..) but I end up with my monitor turning off. X stops, but then the console doesn't appear, IE my screen goes blank and turns off (meaning no output from gfx card).

has anyone else had this problem, or does anyone know how to fix it.

Heres my info
Distribution: Gentoo
xorg.conf:

Code:

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.custom
#   sudo sh -c 'md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf >/var/lib/xfree86/xorg.conf.md5sum'
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier     "Default Layout"
        Screen      0  "aticonfig Screen 0" 0 0
        InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard"
        InputDevice    "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "Files"
                        # local font server
        # if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
        # paths to defoma fonts
        FontPath     "unix/:7100"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
        FontPath     "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
        FontPath     "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
        FontPath     "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load  "bitmap"
        Load  "dbe"
        Load  "ddc"
        Load  "dri"
        Load  "extmod"
        Load  "freetype"
        Load  "glx"
#       Load  "int10"
        Load  "record"
        Load  "type1"
        Load  "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "Generic Keyboard"
        Driver      "keyboard"
        Option      "CoreKeyboard"
        Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"
        Option      "XkbModel" "pc105"
        Option      "XkbLayout" "gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier  "Configured Mouse"
        Driver      "mouse"
        Option      "CorePointer"
        Option      "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
        Option      "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
        Option      "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
        Option      "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "Generic Monitor"
        HorizSync    30.0 - 65.0
        VertRefresh  50.0 - 75.0
        Option      "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "aticonfig Monitor 0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier  "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon X850 XT PE (R480)"
        Driver      "fglrx"
        BusID       "PCI:5:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Device     "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon X850 XT PE (R480)"
        Monitor    "Generic Monitor"
        DefaultDepth     24
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     1
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     4
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     8
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     15
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     16
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     24
                Modes    "1280x1024"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "aticonfig Screen 0"
        Device     "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon X850 XT PE (R480)"
        Monitor    "aticonfig Monitor 0"
        DefaultDepth     24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport   0 0
                Depth     24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
        Mode         0666
EndSection

PS.PS. After I installed the ATI proprietry drivers, when I try to restart or shutdown, X closes but then my PC hangs (and I can't see anything cause of the problem mentioned above)

If anyone kows how to fix this as well, PLEASE TELL!

thanks in advance, Buck

kevkim55 · 03-12-2006, 07:55 AM

I used to have this problem with olde versions of linux. Seemingly because of the video driver's (or kernel's) inability to reset the video mode. Later versions of linux don't seem to have this problems though it still is possible. I have found it is easier to avoid this problem with vesa/framebuffer support compiled into kernel and also the proprietory video drivers loaded.
As far as why your system hangs during shutdown, it could be directly/indirectly related with the first problem. Try and find out the probable reason in /var/log/messages.
One thing to check would be to boot into console mode by passing the number 3 as the kernel parameter and see if shutdown fails. If it doesn't, it would have to do with the video problem. If it does hang either way, you should try to look into the system logs to learn more of the cause.

BuckRogers01 · 03-12-2006, 08:43 AM

for some reason (I think because I managed to get the ATI drivers working) I can now switch to another console (which is good enough). When I reboot, KDM hangs (unable to kill), I think thats what's causing my inability to shutdown or reboot, as when I disable any graphical manager from loading, it works

BuckRogers01 · 03-12-2006, 10:03 AM

I worked out exatly whats wrong, X FAILS TO CLOSE !?!?.

I was in KDE, when I switched to tty2, which gave me a console, I switched back to tty1 and KDE didn't laod up, instead I got the last message from X (normally before the Graphics kick in when you run startx), so I decided to Ctrl + C X, that sent the terminate signal, but X didn't close, it just hung, a thing came up saying X closing slowly, send somethingorother signal, which didn't work either. So I switched to tty2 and logged in as root and issued reboot, everything was shuting down fine until it came to remounting the filesystem, at which point the system hung (I think due to X still being active).

So I think there is something from xorg.conf which is causing X to prevent from closing, either that or the ATI drivers are locking X up when it's trying to close.

Another thing, glxgears, and glxinfo also hang, so maybe this problem is related.

I'm probably going to start a new post, but if anyone has any ideas, please tell me

Thanks in advance, Buck

kevkim55 · 03-12-2006, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
# Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

I don't have these load items in my xorg.conf except glx, freetype, type1 and dbe. Try commenting one of these or some of these and see if that helps.

Like I said before, check the logs as these logs almost certainly lead to the cause of the problem. Check /var/log/messages and any other appropriate logs under /var/log and you'll find some logs by X and kde under your home directory. Read thru' and see if you find anything supsicious which possible might lead you to the cause.