FC4 ATI Radeon 9200SE Xserver problem

[svanpoeck]

Hello,

I'm having a hard time setting up the X server.

I installed the "Workstation" option plus some servers (HTTP, PostgreSQL and MySQL) from a DVD made with an ISO from a Fedora mirror. I used the graphical install which worked fine. All my hardware seems to be correctly detected by anaconda.

After install & reboot, Fedora enters INIT 5 and that's where trouble starts: I have nothing on the screen. The screen isn't black, it's dark grey (the same grey you have right after the anaconda installer is initialised and enters graphical mode, but *before* you have the light grey screen with the first install page.

On top of that, I can't even get a console: ALT+F1 does not work (any other F either), CTRL+ALT+F1 neither and CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE does *not* kill X. So I'm bound to reboot and enter INIT 3 to have a console...

Some technical information:
- card: ATI Radeon 9200SE AGPx8
- monitor: Lite-on A1996NST (19")

From the monitor's manual:
- dot pitch: 0.26mm
- display area: 262 x 350 mm (typical), 280 x 372 mm (depends on signal timing)
- display colors: infinite
- max resolution: 1600 dots x 1200 lines
- compatibility: All graphic modes with horizontal frequencies between 30 Khz to 95 Khz
- synchronization:
* Horizontal sync: 30 to 95 Khz
* Vertical sync: 50 to 120 Hz
- bandwidth: 200 Mhz (pixel freq.)

- preset modes:
* 640 x 480 @ H31.4 V60
* 640 x 480 @ H37.5 V75
* 640 x 480 @ H43.2 V85
* 800 x 600 @ H46.8 V75
* 800 x 600 @ H53.6 V85
* 1024 x 768 @ H60.0 V75
* 1024 x 768 @ H68.6 V85
* 1280 x 1024 @ H80.0 V75
* 1280 x 1024 @ H91.1 V85
* 1600 x 1200 @ H75.0 V60
* 1600 x 1200 @ H93.7 V75

I've looked into the xorg.conf file and the display area indications were different from the ones indicated in the monitors manual, so I changed them but to no avail...

All this is running smoothly on XP, resolution 1280 x 1024 @ V85

If anyone could help me out that would be fantastic, I have been trying to solve this problem for over 3 days now !!!

If you need more info, please let me know and I'll try to answer as precisely as possible.

Thanks,
Steven

[BigA]

Hi,

if this was your first boot then u should expect to see some more configurations screens (set up first user account and stuff). Just wait a few minutes. I had the same problem with FC3. I waited a few minutes, the screen was just blank and suddenly when I was just about to hard reoboot I got some more seetings to finish.

With FC4 I had no problems.

Bye

[svanpoeck]

True, I forgot to mention that: I did pass through the post-installation setup of, maong others, the display. As the monitor and graphics card were correctly identified, I set it to 1024x768 with 24bit colors and after that->*no more* X...

I also tried letting X in that state, went out for a cup of coffee and 10 minutes later it was still grey. I can understand that once in a while it takes some time for the system to set things up, but more than 10 minutes seems a bit overdone IMHO

Any other ideas ?

Thanks anyway,
Steven

Originally Posted by BigA

Hi,

if this was your first boot then u should expect to see some more configurations screens (set up first user account and stuff). Just wait a few minutes. I had the same problem with FC3. I waited a few minutes, the screen was just blank and suddenly when I was just about to hard reoboot I got some more seetings to finish.

With FC4 I had no problems.

Bye

[BigA]

I don't thing it's the X server or graphic card problem, I have also Radeon 9200SE and works on 1152x864 and is much over my monitor capacity and works with no problem.

Try a rescue system (found on DVD if you boot from it) and look in /var/log of your installed system for any error messages. And you may also change your resolution in /etc/X11/xorg.conf under the 'screen' section to a lower state (maybe 800x600) if it's really a X server problem.

When I was playing with the X server if it didn't work eather I got a blank screen with cursor blinking or an error message.

Bye

[svanpoeck]

I even tried 600x480 in 16bit colors, but it's all the same... and I never have a blank screen with cursor nor an error message: the system simply freezes... :sigh:

Originally Posted by BigA

I don't thing it's the X server or graphic card problem, I have also Radeon 9200SE and works on 1152x864 and is much over my monitor capacity and works with no problem.

Try a rescue system (found on DVD if you boot from it) and look in /var/log of your installed system for any error messages. And you may also change your resolution in /etc/X11/xorg.conf under the 'screen' section to a lower state (maybe 800x600) if it's really a X server problem.

When I was playing with the X server if it didn't work eather I got a blank screen with cursor blinking or an error message.

Bye

[svanpoeck]

My problem still persists. Can anyone help me out please ?

Originally Posted by svanpoeck

Hello,

I'm having a hard time setting up the X server.

I installed the "Workstation" option plus some servers (HTTP, PostgreSQL and MySQL) from a DVD made with an ISO from a Fedora mirror. I used the graphical install which worked fine. All my hardware seems to be correctly detected by anaconda.

After install & reboot, Fedora enters INIT 5 and that's where trouble starts: I have nothing on the screen. The screen isn't black, it's dark grey (the same grey you have right after the anaconda installer is initialised and enters graphical mode, but *before* you have the light grey screen with the first install page.

On top of that, I can't even get a console: ALT+F1 does not work (any other F either), CTRL+ALT+F1 neither and CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE does *not* kill X. So I'm bound to reboot and enter INIT 3 to have a console...

Some technical information:
- card: ATI Radeon 9200SE AGPx8
- monitor: Lite-on A1996NST (19")

From the monitor's manual:
- dot pitch: 0.26mm
- display area: 262 x 350 mm (typical), 280 x 372 mm (depends on signal timing)
- display colors: infinite
- max resolution: 1600 dots x 1200 lines
- compatibility: All graphic modes with horizontal frequencies between 30 Khz to 95 Khz
- synchronization:
* Horizontal sync: 30 to 95 Khz
* Vertical sync: 50 to 120 Hz
- bandwidth: 200 Mhz (pixel freq.)

- preset modes:
* 640 x 480 @ H31.4 V60
* 640 x 480 @ H37.5 V75
* 640 x 480 @ H43.2 V85
* 800 x 600 @ H46.8 V75
* 800 x 600 @ H53.6 V85
* 1024 x 768 @ H60.0 V75
* 1024 x 768 @ H68.6 V85
* 1280 x 1024 @ H80.0 V75
* 1280 x 1024 @ H91.1 V85
* 1600 x 1200 @ H75.0 V60
* 1600 x 1200 @ H93.7 V75

I've looked into the xorg.conf file and the display area indications were different from the ones indicated in the monitors manual, so I changed them but to no avail...

All this is running smoothly on XP, resolution 1280 x 1024 @ V85

If anyone could help me out that would be fantastic, I have been trying to solve this problem for over 3 days now !!!

If you need more info, please let me know and I'll try to answer as precisely as possible.

Thanks,
Steven

[Lluisanunez]

Look at this thread:
http://fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77971

[wtg_photos]

hi hope this helps

you will need to download the driver from another computer or before you start this.
put it on a cd, Zip, or somewhere where you can mount and get at it while in text mode

you can download the .rpm and the binary installer from ati here
https://support.ati.com/ics/support...dge&folderID=27
if you know how i would recomend makeing your own package from the binary,
but if you dont know how stik to the .rpm

you can also install the fglrx driver with YUM (through livina)
but when i tried that it didnt work very well for me
if you want to try that see:
http://www.fedorafaq.org/#radeon

ATI's instructions are here
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/l...14.13-inst.html
PLEASE READ THESE

when you boot you need to go to runlevel 3 (text mode) until you can get your driver sorted out

to do this when you first boot you need to edit your GRUB boot comand

to do this you will hit the E key as your comp boots
if you have a grub password enter it
then hit E again to edit the boot time arguments
add this to the end of the one that you normaly boot from
"linux 3"

this will take you to runlevel 3
so that you can fix your driver before statring X

when you get a login
login as root
then navigate to the dir that contains the driver(you may have to mount that dev first)

run the rpm with this comand

#rpm -Uvh --force ati*.rpm

(replace ati* with name of your package)

if you get no errors

#cd /usr/X11R6/bin

run the config with this comand

#./fglrxconfig

folow the prompts
if you are unsure acept the defaults
the run this to check

#./fglrxinfo

then

#./fgl_glxgears

if that works you are good to go

start the Xserver with this comand

#startx

also just fyi
when i did this it was on the first boot after a clean install of fc4
i didnt have to restart for a whole week.

to kill a running Xserver go to the terminal you started it on and type

#telinit 3

also to restart

#startx

IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME