Linux Debian support - Etch + X: new video card installation

Author

Etch + X: new video card installation

Marty

2007-05-09, 7:13 pm

I recently installed Etch on a system with a cheap ATI video card. Every
other time or so that I start the system, it comes up in VGA mode, and I
can't change the resolution without restarting, which normally fixes the
problem for that session.

Call me picky, but I'd rather have it boot the first time all the way.

So, I have a spare nvidia card that's somewhat better than the ATI, I think,
and I tried switching cards, but X would not start.

I tried searching for info, and found a couple of suggestions, neither of
which worked as suggested. One was an X config file edit, but I didn't know
the right format, and the other was a command-line "dpkg-reconfigure
xerver-xorg", but I got an error from dpkg that I didn't know how to handle.

I'm not at home right now, and I don't remember the exact error, but it was
something to do with conflicts, I think.

Is that the way to do it? Anyone have any definitive suggestions that I can
try, preferably with suggestions for what might go wrong?

I'm pretty good with the command line, mostly from past unix experience, but
I'm pretty new to the administration side of running linux (I've been using
another OS for the past 15 years).

Thanks for any help (I hope).

-- Marty - public.forums @ gmail . com

Sabine Engelhardt

2007-05-10, 1:15 pm

Hi Marty,

Marty wrote:

> So, I have a spare nvidia card that's somewhat better than the ATI, I think,
> and I tried switching cards, but X would not start.

If xorg says "Caught signal 11", then you experienced the same bug I
found these days.

To solve this, you need to change an entry in xorg.conf regarding the
framebuffer device:

Section "Device"
Identifier "nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model
64/Model 64 Pro]"
Driver "nv"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "UseFBDev" "false"
EndSection

The last section has to be false and is in standard set to "true".

HTH, Sabine
--
http://www.atari-frosch.de/
PGP encryption welcome! Key-ID: 0xCC0AEF3E @ usual places.

Marty Fried

2007-05-11, 1:13 am

Somewhere around Thursday 10 May 2007 07:09 am, while hiding out in
alt.os.linux.debian, Sabine Engelhardt blurted out:

> Hi Marty,
>
> Marty wrote:
>
>
> If xorg says "Caught signal 11", then you experienced the same bug I
> found these days.
>
> To solve this, you need to change an entry in xorg.conf regarding the
> framebuffer device:
>
> Section "Device"
> Identifier "nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model
> 64/Model 64 Pro]"
> Driver "nv"
> BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
> Option "UseFBDev" "false"
> EndSection
>
> The last section has to be false and is in standard set to "true".
>
Thanks for the tip. setting this to false, in combination with running
the dpkg command, worked, and I'm now using the nvidia card.

-- Marty Fried
public.forums @ gmail . com

Marty Fried

2007-05-20, 1:13 am

I've found out that my problem with resolution is caused by not having the
monitor on and connected when linux boots. It seems to dynamically detect
the monitor, and if it's not on, it defaults to low-res vga.

Is there a way to tell it to always use the same monitor, and don't try to
find new ones? I have it on a KVM switch, so sometimes it's switched to
another system.

Thanks,
-- Marty Fried
public.forums @ gmail . com

Linonut

2007-05-20, 1:14 pm

After takin' a swig o' grog, Marty Fried belched out this bit o' wisdom:

> I've found out that my problem with resolution is caused by not having the
> monitor on and connected when linux boots. It seems to dynamically detect
> the monitor, and if it's not on, it defaults to low-res vga.
>
> Is there a way to tell it to always use the same monitor, and don't try to
> find new ones? I have it on a KVM switch, so sometimes it's switched to
> another system.

Not sure, I think you have to tweak a "discover" or "hotplug" config
file in /etc.

--
Windows Vista -- Super-size me!