Can't Start GUI

[milheim05]

Hey All,

After much searching and no luck, I've come here to find the answer.

I'm trying to install Fedora 9, 32-bit on my home pc. It's an AMD 4000+ X2, MSI K9A Platinum Mobo, ATI Radeon 1950 GT (x2 in Crossfire), 80 GB SATA, 160 GB SATA (Vista). I'm going to set it to dual-boot... if I can get Fedora to work.

The installation goes smoothly, GUI and all, but when trying to start the OS the small GUI comes up (Udev I think) and then drops me to a command line asking for a login. I've tried "startx" and "xonf -configure" then copying the new file to the X11 folder, but none of this has worked so far. When I run "startx" it shows the process then says "giving up" and exits.

Any ideas? :confused:

[blitzo]

try system-config-display and see if that gets you anywhere.

[Phuein]

In general? Rename/remove the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf and try startx again.

I used to have a similar problem with my previous graphics card (gf4 mx440), and that worked. But I'm just a noob, so who knows. Wiser users will arrive soon to reply :+P

[milheim05]

try system-config-display and see if that gets you anywhere.

Upon running system-config-display I get the following:

Couldn't start X server on card 0
Couldn't start X server on card 1
Error, failed to start X server.

In general? Rename/remove the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf and try startx again.

I used to have a similar problem with my previous graphics card (gf4 mx440), and that worked. But I'm just a noob, so who knows. Wiser users will arrive soon to reply :+P

I tried that already, but at least I feel as if I'm going in the right direction!!! :D

[milheim05]

Update:

I reinstalled and this time took some notes from the hardware profile at the end of the install. It seems to see the the graphics cards just fine. I see two occurences from each card.


(4098:29320:5963:57744) pci, Unknnown, VIDEO, Radeon X1950GT
(4098:29352:5963:57745) pci, Unknnown, VIDEO, Radeon X1950GT (Secondary)

I also checked the Xorg.0.log file to see if I could decipher anything. It showed drivers for my cards, but at the end read:

"(II) Primary Device is:
(EE) No Devices Detected:

xinit: Connection refused (errno 111): Unable to connect to X Server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error"

Hopefully this helps.

[oneofmany]

there are a couple of things that spring to mind for me here. firstly, is X actually installed? I remember a time where a typical installation without gnome/kde ticked or using the console version of the installation wouldn't install X at all.

the other thing to consider, though this probably isn't your issue since startx doesn't work, is the boot up init level. if this is set to 3 your system will only ever boot to console rather than gui. it needs to be 5 for gui as i recall.

[blitzo]

@ milheim05: Can you post the out out of lspci as well as your xorg.conf ?

@ oneofmany: I am pretty sure we can rule out X not being installed as well as the init level.

[milheim05]

I'd say X is definitely installed because I get the initial Udev splash screen where it's running through the checklist. I checked the runlevel settings and it was set for runlevel 5. I'm at work right now, but I'll post everything you need when I get home this afternoon. I'll have quite a fun time typing it all up. :eek:

[milheim05]

I've been doing some research while at work and come across a few interesting things. I found an ATI installation guide stating that to use of the ATI driver "requires patching and a downgrade of the X server". Anybody know anything about this?

Which brings up another question. If I have to roll back X, should I just try a clean install of Fedora 8?

[milheim05]

lspci - command not found

WTF?!?!?!?

[oneofmany]

need to be logged on as root (su -)

[milheim05]

I am... Fedora 8 runs just fine (I just installed)

Oh, but lspci and fdisk -l don't work still (even as root)

[oneofmany]

definately "su -" and not just "su" ?

[oneofmany]

it should be in /sbin