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I've just started out with Slackware and have run into a snag with X. I've run XF86Config and it didn't have my card in the database (ATI Radeon 9500 Pro) so I changed the driver to "ati" in the config file and messed with a few other things, but I keep getting the same error:
(EE) No devices detected.
Fatal server error:
no screens found
...(stuff about sending crash report)...
XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requests (o known procecssed) with 0 events remaining.
I thought the problem might have been it not knowing where my card is, but scanpci didn't seem to provide much help.
I ran /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 -configure and it gave me a list of video drivers (should I be using "radeon" instead of "ati"?) and then this message immediately following:
Fatal server error:
XFree86 has found a valid card configuration.
Unfortunately the appropriate data has not been added to xf86PciInfo.h.
Please forward 'scanpci -v' output to XFree86 team.
...(same stuff about sending crash report)...
I don't have this new computer online yet so I hope I don't have to download new drivers or anything. Can anyone shed some light on this (or if all else fails, tell me how to use the framebuffer display)?
There are two modes you might try to start with, framebuffer you mentioned, and VESA mode. There are sample configs in the /etc/X11 directory for both. I believe I have used both on the ATI Radeon cards. XF86Config-fbdev and XF86Config-vesa respectively. I would think the VESA is the most easiest to try first, no special booting arrangements required. For either config file just use the following commands for the file desired.
cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-vesa /etc/X11/XF86Config
or
cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-fbdev /etc/X11/XF86Config
Either may require editing for the proper operation of your mouse. For framebuffer support, you need to check the /etc/lilo.conf file for a line that reads "vga = xxx", if it is vga = normal then change it to vga = 791. (1024x768x64k) Then run the command "lilo" to write the change. Reboot and it should now be in framebuffer mode. If other numeric value, then it should be framebuffer mode at present. I think a penquin appears in the upper left when frambuffer mode is turned on.
vesa may work but yuo should be aware that it's very very simple and basic and limited in it's performance. you should keep trying to make the radeon work (i have no experince of radeon card though)
Distribution: Knoppix to play, Slack current, OpenBSD stables
Posts: 111
Rep:
I am having the same errors norfenstein had, only with Red Hat 8.0 and a Biostar M7VIG pro integrated mobo, with an integrated S3 that Red Hat could not figure out what to do with.
I had VESA running as default, but in trying to force variations of S3 onto it, my config file has somehow rendered xinit problemmatic (both same error reports as norfenstein when using XFree86 to try to get it going)
First of all, does anyone know *exactly* what chipset this mobo is, biostar says its s3 Savage pro 8, Red Hat doesn't have that.
Your problem sounds more like an X support issue than a RedHat support issue. XFreee86 site listed three different drivers for up to 4.3.0. They are the "s3", "s3virge", and the "savage" drivers. They did not list specifically the chipset BioStar states in their description "S3 ProSavage 8." The link to the site is below.
Distribution: Knoppix to play, Slack current, OpenBSD stables
Posts: 111
Rep:
Very helpful Excalibur, thank you...
I think you are right, I tried savage and s3 as probe and actually setting, and they don't work. VESA worked from the getgo, at 16bit and 1024x768 it looked good, but refresh rate was slow and choppy.
1) how can I simply config XFree86 back to VESA for it's adapter?
2) how could I enhance the settings for VESA once running (I will assume within my GUI's settings...)
I wish I could be of some assistance, but unfortunately I do not know much about any distro other than Slackware. I would only be dangerous attempting to provide any assistance. That is why I restrict myself to this forum only. I make enough mistakes here!
But I would think that RedHat would even use the X config file XF86Config. If you could locate that file, then maybe they will have provided some others with a default config, like VESA that you could use. You might also do a search here on LQ using "XF86Config" or "VESA" and see if anything turns up for RedHat.
For the second question, at first glance seems to be more of a monitor related issue, again within X. So the X site might be of some assistance. I would think that 1024x768 24 bit color at 75Hz should be workable and help the problems that you described provided your monitor would support it.
It sounds like your X system is down though, and it will not start up to be able to use any of the RedHat supplied tools. So editing the file if you can locate it might be the only choice to fix it. So I will post what Slack uses as the Graphic Deivce section to the end of this post. Perhaps you will be able to mix or match the settings to at least get your system back in operation.
Good Luck.
Code:
# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************
# Any number of graphics device sections may be present
Section "Device"
Identifier "VESA Framebuffer"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection
# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************
# Any number of screen sections may be present. Each describes
# the configuration of a single screen. A single specific screen section
# may be specified from the X server command line with the "-screen"
# option.
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "VESA Framebuffer"
Monitor "My Monitor"
# If your card can handle it, a higher default color depth (like 24 or 32)
# is highly recommended.
DefaultDepth 8
# DefaultDepth 16
# DefaultDepth 24
# DefaultDepth 32
# "1024x768" is also a conservative usable default resolution. If you
# have a better monitor, feel free to try resolutions such as
# "1152x864", "1280x1024", "1600x1200", and "1800x1400" (or whatever your
# card/monitor can produce)
Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection
EndSection
The first thing to do is try the new XFree86-4.3.0, the easiest way to install it on a slackware-8.1 box is to install the latest version of Dropline GNOME.
I am having the same problem with Debian 3.0r0 and a Geforce4 440mx, i have tried to upgrade to unstable (xfree86 4.1 -> 4.2) and i still get the same error. I had it working in slackware 8.1 without any problems.
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