ATI x850/9200 startx problems
 

hi, I'm fairly new to linux but I've tried alot of different distros. The problem that keeps stopping me in all of them is my video card.

In Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Gentoo and now this distro I can never get the X server to start and it always leads back to this one config file. "etc/X11/xorg.conf"

This time its telling me

(EE) Failed to load module "ati" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) No devices detected

I've read numerous threads about this and tried "patching" with the CD and no combination of ati/radeon drivers worked.

one of the threads reccomended typing as root /sbin/init 5
that didn't do anything

one said type as root
"drakxconf"

wasn't recognized as a command, and neither was # "XFdrake"

I'm using Mandriva one, the latest version on AMD 64.

I wish to use an ATI Radeon x850 GTO2 but I also have a 9200 if that will be alot easier.

I'm still new to this so any detailed help you can give me would be much appreciated.

(also I don't know the command to edit files in this distro yet, like nano -w or gedit)

Thanks in advance

Hi,

I have some sort of difficulty figuring out what your situaiton is.

The following link is usually helpful.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=402003

Happy Penguins!

ati under Linux is not always nice. However, if you don't need full on 3d for games, don't worry about the ati drivers, just use the generic "vesa frame buffer" driver. Then test for best resolution during the configuration procedure. Button at bottom of the config screen says "test", do it, freddy do it.
Graphics under linux is a real bitch for the newbie, I know. The system will usually detect your monitor just fine, but needs details on horizontal and vertical sync speeds, monitor refresh rates, and screensize, and bit depth for colour, for your graphics card\chip.
Monitor sync speed, refresh rate, and screen size are usually Okay with auto probeing.
The main input from you will be, screen size(800x600, 1024x766) in pixels
and colour depth (8 bit, 15 bit, 16 bit) which relates to the number of colours seen on the screen. The higher the colour bit depth, the more colours. Start conservatively, low numbers, test, if no good, you will be put straight back to the config screen to try again.
The generic "frame buffer driver" is the thing that makes for the pretty graphical installs for the new versions of Linux.
If you are desperate for 3d gaming under Linux, it is the opposite to Windows, use nvidea graphics cards. With the nvidea made drivers.

Don't get frustrated, it does work, and very well at that. Just not the Windows way.

Keep at it and good luck. Hope this helps.

Shorty943.

registered Linux user 437639
registered Linux machine 77042