scrambled text when going to shell

[jlarter]

Hi everyone!

I've been looking for information on this problem but havne't been able to find anything. I hope that someone can help!

When I install mandrake without the nvidia drivers, I can go to a shell by pressing ctrl+alt+f2 and no problems.

now that I've insttalled the nvidia drivers, when i do the same, i get scrambled characters. it looks like the shell resolution is set wrong or something and i have no idea on how to fix it..

here's my xf86config-4 file:

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
    # Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
    # By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
    # the X server to render fonts.
    FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    #DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> &#40;server abort&#41;
    #DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> &#40;resolution switching&#41;
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
    Load "extmod"
    Load "type1"
    Load "freetype"
    Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Keyboard1"
    Driver "Keyboard"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
    Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Mouse1"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Generic"
    ModelName "1280x1024 @ 74 Hz"
    HorizSync 31.5-79.0
    VertRefresh 50-90
    
    # Sony Vaio C1&#40;X,XS,VE,VN&#41;?
    # 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "1024x480"    65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344   480  488  494  563 -hsync -vsync
    
    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630
    
    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce4 &#40;generic&#41;"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Virtual 1152 864
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Virtual 1152 864
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Virtual 1152 864
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Virtual 1152 864
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection

if anyone can help, it would be MUCH appreciated!!

[zeeone]

Have you run configurater or from the desktop run Drake to set the video?

[jlarter]

Have you run configurater or from the desktop run Drake to set the video?

Thanks for the reply!

well, I have run the video setttings in the 'configure your computer' (is that what you are mentioning?), and everything in X is perfect.. it's just when I leave X and go into a shell that it screws up..

[drakebasher]

I don't know much, but I would try this:

First, when you see the scrambled console, try the reset command. If that fixes it, you still have a problem, but at least you can use the console.

Next, are the xf86config-4 entries okay? Is your monitor really generic and 1280x1024?

Finally, I'd try commenting-out the line "Load "glx" # 3D layer". I've had lots of problems trying to get Mandrake 9.2 to work right in X. I don't understand why something that seems so easy for Fedora Core 1 is so consistently problematic for Mandrake 9.2.

I hope this is helpful.

[monkey8]

Finally, I'd try commenting-out the line "Load "glx" # 3D layer". I've had lots of problems trying to get Mandrake 9.2 to work right in X. I don't understand why something that seems so easy for Fedora Core 1 is so consistently problematic for Mandrake 9.2.

Probably a bad idea, since nvidia's readme says to load it.

I'm not sure what's wrong, but your config does look "strange". You could try backing up your config, and run "xf86config", and make sure you apply the nvidia settings again. Here's part of my config, maybe it'll help (i'm using nvidia also and I don't get this problem)

Section "Module"
    Load        "dbe"  	# Double buffer extension
    SubSection  "extmod"
      Option    "omit xfree86-dga"   # don't initialise the DGA extension
    EndSubSection
    Load        "type1"
    Load        "speedo"
    Load        "freetype"
    Load       "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "DellM781S"
    HorizSync   30-85
    VertRefresh 50-160
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen 1"
    Device      "nvidia geForce FX 5600"
    Monitor     "DellM781S"
    DefaultDepth 24

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
EndSection

[franklinbeezy]

More than likely it's your bootloader (grub/lilo) resolution

I had the same problem. After spending hours narrowing the cause down to my grub "/boot/grub/menu.lst" settings I found this post on Ubuntu forums.

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...ing+parameters