Newbie alert! Can't get StartX to work!

[Blackjack]

Ok I'm completely new to Linux... Tried installing Mandrake - no luck, installer hangs up, hardware incompatiblity apparently.

Tried installing Red Hat - ok, it installs but no GUI! Try typing StartX but it tells me:

Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config"
VESA(0) No matching modes
Screen(s) found, but none have usable configuration

Fatal server error:
no screens found

Ok so I try running in root Xf86config - it asks me what monitor type I have - none match so I try the most conservative option then it asks for my video chipset etc- again it's not on the list (I have a SiS 740), fill in the rest of the details as best I can but StartX is still not working - any ideas?

[Dolda2000]

Again, as root, try running "X -configure", then try that configuration with "X -xf86config XF86Config.new". If it works (a pseudo-grey screen with an X cursor; type CTRL+ALT+Backspace to exit), overwrite the default config file with the new one; run "cp XF86Config.new /etc/X11/XF86Config".

[Blackjack]

Now, I'm not sure what any of that means but I did try the "X - configure" thing first and the result was this:

> Fatal Server error:
> XFree86 has found a valid card configuration. Unfortunately the
> appropriate data has not been added to xf86Pcinfo.h
> Please forward 'scanpci -v' output to XFree86 support team

Naturally I don't have a clue how to go about doing that! I've tried various monitor combinations/resolutions/frequencies with xf86config etc but still no luck.

Any thoughts?

[Dolda2000]

Could you give me the output of "lspci -n"?

[Blackjack]

Er, nope, havn't a clue how to do that, sorry!

Someone on another forum told me to type "redhat-config-xfree86" and that got it working!

Thanks anyway

[slacker]

LOL...good try though Dolda

[Dolda2000]

Yeah, wasn't it? =)
I'd never have guessed that redhat's configuration tool was more capable than XFree86 itself... quite curious.

[0x90]

Well, I have a problem that is a continuation of this, so instead of creating a new thread, I'll just stick my post here.

Ok, I have the same problem as Blackjack. Just got RH 9 on a dell laptop with a rage mobility 128 video card. Install was fine, except for X. I get the 'no screens found' error. I did a 'X -configure', it told me to test it with 'XFree86 -xf86config /root/XF86config.new' which I did and got the same error. I also did what Blackjack did, that is, 'redhat-config-xfree86' and get this:

* ddcprobe returned bogus values:
ID: None
Name: None
HorizSync: None
VertSync: None

it tries again with a 'fresh configuration' but no marbles

any help would be great.

[Dolda2000]

Do the XFree86 -configure and -xf86config again, and tell us all the errors (which you can get from /var/log/XFree86.0.log).

[0x90]

i get these warnings/errors

.
.
.
(WW) R128(0): Mode pool is empty
(EE) R128(0): No valid modes found
.
.
.
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

There's a bunch of statements with (II) before them in between
the two (EE) statements, let me know if you need to see them

hope this helps