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Linux Problem, Please Help!

Started by rpgdeveloper Nov 11, 2004 at 4:37 PM 20 replies 3.3k views

Original Post

Nov 11, 2004 at 4:37 PM

I installed Linux Red Hat 8.0 on my mom's hp pavilion 513n desktop. It has 256mb ram, 40gb hard drive, integrated graphics, 1.80 ghz processor. Anywho, when I install Linux, you have setup the graphics (x-window) or skip it. I have to set it to 640x480x8 for graphics. If I set it higher, Red Hat goes to command prompt, at any time, and wont let me start x windows. I've tried startx, startkde, and about a thousand other commands. Is there an update that I can download so that it will work?

C-Junkie

139

C-Junkie

Nov 11, 2004 at 4:40 PM

Redhat 8.3 is old, so an update would pretty much mean reinstalling a new version.

The real solution to your problem involves giving us the error you get when you startx.

clayasaurus

Nov 11, 2004 at 4:44 PM

or you could just use a user friendly distro like mepis

C-Junkie

139

C-Junkie

Nov 11, 2004 at 4:47 PM

Quote:
Original post by clayasaurus
or you could just use a user friendly distro like mepis

Or instead of installing a new distro and having to back up and restore all your data only to discover you've now run into a different problem, you could ask a proper question that involves an error messages, fix the problem and get on with things.

We haven't gotten to the point where the problem isn't fixable yet.

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 12, 2004 at 4:15 PM

when I try to start x it says it cant start because x windows is configured incorrectly. it only does this when I switch to a resolution higher than 640x480x8. any suggestions? the graphics card is an intel 845 onboard chip.

Wildfire

Nov 12, 2004 at 4:29 PM

Take a look into the XF86Config-4 (should be in /etc/X11, could come without the -4), what kind of graphics card is configured there?

Could be you're missing the proper drivers (custom kernel?), or your config is using the wrong ones.

Doesn't hurt to take a look into the /var/log/XFree86.0.log either =)

Try posting the question to some specific linux newsgroup or forum (isn't there an 'everything linux' forum around here?) this should provide better results then the lounge ;)

edit: ok, it's everything unix, but it's here, alright =D

etothex

Nov 12, 2004 at 4:29 PM

Quote:
Original post by C-Junkie
Quote:
Original post by clayasaurus
or you could just use a user friendly distro like mepis
Or instead of installing a new distro and having to back up and restore all your data only to discover you've now run into a different problem, you could ask a proper question that involves an error messages, fix the problem and get on with things.

We haven't gotten to the point where the problem isn't fixable yet.

But if he doesn't have any data on the laptop yet, now's the time to reinstall a newer distro. RH8 is quite old, and support for devices(especially laptops) has improved tremendously since then.

novadragoon

Nov 12, 2004 at 4:30 PM

this might be a little off from your system

but in /etc/X11/

there should be a XF86Config or some such file that has all the settings Xfree uses.

There might be a xfree86config scipt in there also, that will sorta walk you through it.

Sorry i cant be more specific, i moved from Xfree to Xorg a whiles ago.

but what you are looking for is something like this in XF86Config:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "radeon"
Monitor "My Monitor"
DefaultDepth 16

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

which gives the resolutions that each bitdepth can go

Doc

Nov 12, 2004 at 9:42 PM

Do note, if you have both XF86Config and XF86Config-4 files, edit the XF86Config-4 one. The other one is for an old version and it won't be used.

C-Junkie

139

C-Junkie

Nov 12, 2004 at 9:48 PM

Quote:
Original post by rpgdeveloper
when I try to start x it says it cant start because x windows is configured incorrectly. it only does this when I switch to a resolution higher than 640x480x8. any suggestions? the graphics card is an intel 845 onboard chip.

That's part of what it might say, but that's still not the error message.

The error message look like

(EE) Something

Flarelocke

Nov 12, 2004 at 9:55 PM

How are you setting the resolution? Normally, the first graphics mode listed is used as default, but these are typically in descending order (as shown in the example XF86Config-4 in a previous post). Does this mean the higher resolutions are being skipped? Does it mean that you're using Ctrl-Alt-+ to attempt to increase the resolution? Something else I haven't thought of?

Posting a copy of the XF86Config-4 file would be most helpful. If this is difficult, then just give the Device and Display sections.

Offhand, I'd say that X has defaulted to a VGA driver (like Windows' safe mode) for whatever reason, and this driver does not have the capability to increase the resolution beyond 640x480x8, and that the VGA driver's Device section specifies otherwise.

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 13, 2004 at 11:23 AM

Ok. I cannot edit any files etc, because when I set my graphics mode (in x windows) by clicking on the red hat, and going into desktop settings or something like that in the system properties or settings in the red hat menu. i change the resolution, and it goes to a text interface, like dos with the # prompt. i cant open any files or anything, and everytime this happens, the only thing I can do is reinstall red hat 8.0. and just so you know, I am not using a laptop, I have an HP Pavilion desktop pc.

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 13, 2004 at 11:38 AM

Intel Released Documentation, Holy Crap!

Leffe

Nov 13, 2004 at 12:10 PM

I recommend learning how to use the command line.

I'm not sure of where to start learning however :/

tentoid

Nov 13, 2004 at 12:37 PM

This may be a bit offtopic but you might want to try and install Fedora (if you like RH) and stop using an old outdated version of Red Hat Linux.

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 13, 2004 at 1:17 PM

i downloaded the 845 graphics driver for linux from intel and it dosent work:

[root@user-0c6svdn root]# /root/dripkg/install.sh
Could not locate 'pkginfo' file. Aborting.

the weird thing, is that, pkginfo is in the folder with the file.?..

George2

Nov 13, 2004 at 1:22 PM

Quote:
Original post by rpgdeveloper
i downloaded the 845 graphics driver for linux from intel and it dosent work:

[root@user-0c6svdn root]# /root/dripkg/install.sh
Could not locate 'pkginfo' file. Aborting.

the weird thing, is that, pkginfo is in the folder with the file.?..

try running it from /root/dripkg, the script probably just looks in the current workin directory.

cd /root/dripkg
./doinst.sh

Anyway it's probably better to go with the latest Fedora, RH 8.0 is old.

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 13, 2004 at 2:34 PM

well, after 38 minutes of redhat 8 install, i tried installing the intel driver from intel for linux, and logged out. it did it again... this is the error:

(ee)vesa(0): no matching modes
(ee)screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

i downloaded mepis earlier, and it wouldnt run or install from the live-cd I downloaded.

is fedora the same as red hat? will it run everything that redhat does?

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 14, 2004 at 11:11 AM

well, i downloaded the gentoo universal cd, and it was just too complicated to install. currently downloading suse linux. hopefully I wont have to waste anymore disks, as I have downloaded suse, gentoo, and a couple other versions...

rpgdeveloper

Author

rpgdeveloper

Nov 14, 2004 at 11:12 AM

oh, if anyone wants a copy of gentoo, suse, etc, just let me know, and I will send you a copy, of course, you pay for shipping :)

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