Can't get GUI when I try to load "kdm" at startup.

**panthrax** · 03-31-2004

Yo,

I am new to linux. I got to playing around with /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config trying to change my screen resolution, and now when I type "kdm" at startup, I don't get any GUI. I went back and changed some stuff in the xf86config file and I managed to get it to where the monitor will "flip" or "flicker" over, like it is about to load the GUI, but it always just flickers back to the "startup" screen.

When I say startup screen, I mean the "root@darkstar" prompt you get where you would normally type "kdm" and go from there.

Can someone help me edit this file so I can get my GUI back? I don't know what settings I am choosing that it doesn't like but I think it may be the refresh rates or something.

I am using a Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 15FS monitor and running a 128MB ATI RADEON 9200SE video card, if that helps any.

Well, thanks for any help you can provide. I just hope I won't have to go as far as reinstalling slackware and losing all my data just to fix this problem...

**zdawg** · 04-01-2004

What is in your /var/log/XFree86.log? Look in there for a clue to the errors as well as /var/log/messages. You could try running xf86config, there is access to the vcard db there. You will need to know the refresh rates for your monitor.
Google for them or check the mfg. website.

**panthrax** · 04-01-2004

Yeah man, I did all of those things. I've ran xf86config, xf86cfg, XFree86 -configure, and XFree86Setup.

I had went out and got the refresh rates of my monitor which were:

"Input Signal
H Frequency: 30-64 KHz
V Frequency: 50-90 Hz"

And its resolutions are:

"Maximum Resolution
Maximum: Up to 1280x1024
Macintosh: 1024x768, 75 Hz
Flicker free: 1024x768, 76 Hz"

*Information taken from http://www.griffintechnology.com/arc...s/Mitsu11.html
<The reason I put my monitor information is incase someone decided they'd do a "step-by-step instuction" on what I should do to fix it. Ya know, make things easier.>

I didn't however know where or how to manually edit the values and stuff in the file. I always used kind of an automated or "question/answer" type setup.

If anything, I need to know how to generate the default settings, cause it worked fine untill I decided to play around with stuff I didn't really understand in hopes I'd have a bigger resolution than 1024x768, it might have been 800x600.

I don't understand what options I am choosing that are not working, I've been through almost all of them.

Maybe it is my video card. It is a PCI video card. And if I didn't mention it before, it is a 9200SE not just a 9200. Although there was several "xf86" setups I went through were it had drivers for an ati radeon video card.

Pfft....I hope someone can help. I was beginning to really like linux....

**panthrax** · 04-01-2004

I used XFree86 -configure and used the file that it generated and it allowed me to at least load the GUI for kdm. But when I logged into KDM, the normal loading screen would appear and begin to load all the stuff for KDM but when it got to Display, the screen "flickers" back or "goes black" and my monitor shows this message:

"ATTENTION: SIGNAL FREQUENCY IS OUT OF RANGE. PLEASE CHANGE SIGNAL FREQUENCY."

So it seems to me, the automatically generated file that Xfree86 -configure made got everything right except for the refresh rates for my monitor. If I could go in and edit just that area of the file, I should have the problem solved.

But like I said, I don't know how to do that really. So it is either go in and edit that file to get the frequencies right, or try to load the default file. I wonder, can I use the Slackware 9.1 setup disks to use to help? Just trying to think here...

Please, if you can help me, let me know what to do. Thanks

**Opnosforatou** · 04-01-2004

Remove your old entry for the section Monitor and paste the following:

Code:

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier  "Mitsubishi"

# HorizSync is in kHz unless units are specified.
# HorizSync may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE&#58; THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY.  REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.

    HorizSync   30-64

#    HorizSync  30-64         # multisync
#    HorizSync  31.5, 35.2    # multiple fixed sync frequencies
#    HorizSync  15-25, 30-50  # multiple ranges of sync frequencies

# VertRefresh is in Hz unless units are specified.
# VertRefresh may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE&#58; THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY.  REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.

    VertRefresh 50-90

vendorname "&#91;Mitsubishi&#93;"
modelname "&#91;Mitsubishi&#93;"
ModeLine "1024x768/70Hz" 75 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806  -HSync -VSync
EndSection

Be sure to make a copy of you XF86Config FIRST.
and in the future when you want to manualy edit it...
If somethings screws up you have a working backup.

**panthrax** · 04-01-2004

Just got back from trying to get it to work.

I tried looking in the /var/log/XFree86.log as well as /var/log/messages.

For one, I had to use dir /var/log/XFree86.log and it turns out, I have many of them!

XFree86.0.log
XFree86.0.log.old
XFree86.8.log
XFree86.8.log.old

Those .old files make me think that one of the might be a backup of my original settings. I think the XFree86.0.log.old file is the one too but I am not sure. Which one do I need to edit? Should I just waste all of them except for one, and just work with it? Or should I keep all of them and somehow just use each one untill I get my original settings?

I really don't know what to do. When I tried to edit one of them, I got this error:

"Permission Denied!"

I was logged in as root! I loaded Linux from the bootmenu, and at the first prompt to login, I logged in as root, typed my password, then I started all this other junk. If I have root permission shouldn't I be able to do anything? Why am I getting this message?

**panthrax** · 04-01-2004

Originally Posted by Opnosforatou

Remove your old entry for the section Monitor and paste the following:

Code:

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier  "Mitsubishi"

# HorizSync is in kHz unless units are specified.
# HorizSync may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE&#58; THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY.  REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.

    HorizSync   30-64

#    HorizSync  30-64         # multisync
#    HorizSync  31.5, 35.2    # multiple fixed sync frequencies
#    HorizSync  15-25, 30-50  # multiple ranges of sync frequencies

# VertRefresh is in Hz unless units are specified.
# VertRefresh may be a comma separated list of discrete values, or a
# comma separated list of ranges of values.
# NOTE&#58; THE VALUES HERE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY.  REFER TO YOUR MONITOR'S
# USER MANUAL FOR THE CORRECT NUMBERS.

    VertRefresh 50-90

vendorname "&#91;Mitsubishi&#93;"
modelname "&#91;Mitsubishi&#93;"
ModeLine "1024x768/70Hz" 75 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806  -HSync -VSync
EndSection

Be sure to make a copy of you XF86Config FIRST.
and in the future when you want to manualy edit it...
If somethings screws up you have a working backup.

Wow! Yes! This is just what I need. But like I said, it says "Permission Denied!" when I try to access the file. Even as root! What should I do? Do you have MSN Messenger? It would be alot faster if you did...

**Opnosforatou** · 04-01-2004

Auch, you screwed up your file permissions.... type

Code:

 ls -lha /etc/X11/XF86Config

and paste the whole line in the forum, please.

a quick

Code:

 chmod +rw /etc/X11/XF86Config

should fix the 'unable to write and read' problem.

Dohhh, didn't read your earlier posting about the file(s) you are trying to access. Only saw the part that said unable to ....

XFree86.0.log
XFree86.0.log.old
XFree86.8.log
XFree86.8.log.old

These are log files only. Don't change them. You can delete the .old files.

[quote]
Those .old files make me think that one of the might be a backup of my original settings. I think the XFree86.0.log.old file is the one too but I am not sure. Which one do I need to edit? Should I just waste all of them except for one, and just work with it? Or should I keep all of them and somehow just use each one untill I get my original settings?
[/qoute]
Sorry, none of these hold you previous config.. Maybe a XF86Config.old in the /etc/X11 dir... or the same file but with a ~

**panthrax** · 04-01-2004

Bleh, I hope I am not annoying you by asking this but, would you just type me up a instruction list of what I should run first, what I need to type, blah, blah.

I am new to linux so I still kinda need direction and help on basically everything. I've done a few things on my own but something of this nature is too much for me.

I would REALLY appreciate it if you would do that. You can email to me at: mentarded@hotmail.com or something. Thanks man!

**Opnosforatou** · 04-01-2004

Okies... When you login to your system.
Change or login as root
type: cd /etc/X11
Type: ls -lha XF86Config and
check if you see something like:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15K Jan 28 21:07 /etc/X11/XF86Config

Not the first rw this says that you as root can edit and write this file.
All others can only read the file.
To create a backup copy type: cp XF86Config XF86Config.backup
This will create a new file XF86Config.backup; just in case...
Use a text editor to open the XF86Config.
Delete the lines from the section : [monitor] from the XF86Config.
And insert the ones I posted earlier.
then save the file to disk.
and start X with: startx

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