Stop Microsoft
Operating Systems => Linux and UNIX => Topic started by: Master of Reality on 21 April 2002, 21:08
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i just got a new computer(just the box with some stuff in it.) not a new monitor.
Its got an onboard video, sound, and ethernet card. Kudzu picked up on the ethernet, new USB ports, sound (maybe), but not the new onboard video. When it logs into linux and tries to start the graphical login, the screen just keeps blnking. How should i go about fixing and gettting into the command line to fix it?
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YAY! i got me a faster comp.!
its a:
MSI SiS board
128MB SDRAM
64 MB onboard video
3d surround sound card onboard
onboard 10/100 ethernet card
no new HD or monitor.
ts only gonna cost me $300
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Well you didn't say what OS you installed on it. I'll assume you put RedHat 7.2 on it like your other machine. This usually means your system has started up in runlevel 5 (Graphical Login) and your Xwindows is not configured properly. X dies, then tries to restart, then dies etc.. When this has happened to me in the new RedHat 7.2 it has detected that X could not start and backed itself out into runlevel 3 so I could fix it. If you are running a different distro or an older RedHat it may just continue to be stuck in this loop.
To fix it, boot up your Linux in single user mode (type "linux single" at the LILO prompt). Once in with a root shell edit the /etc/inittab file and change the initdefault from 5 to 3. Save and exit, then reboot. This should bring you up to a normal non-graphical login prompt. Fix your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 with Xconfigurator. Make sure X works by starting it with "startx". Once you have it working you can change the "initdefault" back to 5 in the /etc/inittab file.
If you determine that onboard video chipset is some off brand and will not work with Linux then you may have to disable it and install a supported card.
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Uhhhh, I don't think so.
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ya, red hat 7.2 backed off and went to the command line, i ran x configurator. My onboard video card is not listed there. However, there is the older version of my onboard video card, which makes me think that the manufacturers website might have the linux drivers for the new card.
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i need to get the drivers for the SiS 650 chipset.
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hurra..... well i almost found the driver for it, but the link didnt work for some reason.
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I've got a cheap desktop system that I bought a couple of years ago from Microshack for $325. Is a 475Mhz AMD K6-2, 64MB, 4GB drive, on board sound and video (SiS 620). If I remember right RedHat had no trouble with this chipset but yours is newer so.. I could post my XF86Config-4 if you think it would help. I must say that I am not happy with the video speed with that shared video memory. Although it does work a regular video card such as a Geforce would blow away the onboard stuff that uses the shared system memory.
I just checked the RedHat compatibility list and the 650 is not listed, however I found this link:
http://www.linuxtested.com/results/asus_p4abt2101.html (http://www.linuxtested.com/results/asus_p4abt2101.html)
that states the onboard 650 does work on the ASUS main board and at the bottom of the link they list a link to the driver that should make it work...
And a side note, the link at the bottom of that page is incorrect. It *should* be:
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/beta/mb/driver/Sis650_rh72.zip (http://ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/beta/mb/driver/Sis650_rh72.zip)
If that doesn't get you going, check out this link:
http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml (http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml)
This looks *very* good!
[ April 21, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
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i found it at webit.at
yesterday i tried a link to webit.com/tw/sis630
but i guess it was an outdated link or something, because it didnt work.
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this file that i download from there is named sisdriver.2436625(not the actual numbers shown) i have no clue what to do with this file (or what the file is), and it doesnt explain what to do with it. Got any ideas?
the other file (sis650_rh72.zip) is sis650.o what am i supposed to with that file?
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]
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My guess is that you would stick it in the /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers directory.
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after i put the file in there, where do i change in XF86Config (or in the setup program)the chipset??
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Well, I'm hoping that if you run Xconfigurator after installing that driver that it will detect your card, but I don't know for sure if it *should*. Might want to do a "man Xconfigurator" for some other options as well.
I would suggest making a backup copy of the existing "sis_drv.o". Then copy your "Sis_drv.o" to "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/sis_drv.o" (note that the driver is all lower case) and make it executable "chmod +x /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/sis_drv.o".
Also you might want to make a backup copy of "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/Cards" and then edit it and add an entry under all of the SiS cards with your own entry. A copy of the "SiS 630" section might be a good candidate. Then just change the 630 to 650 and the SiS630 to SiS650. Then you should be able to do an "Xconfigurator --listcards" and see the SiS 650 listed. Without having a card I can't test it to see if it will work.
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
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quote:
Originally posted by VoidMain:
Well, I'm hoping that if you run Xconfigurator after installing that driver that it will detect your card, but I don't know for sure if it *should*. Might want to do a "man Xconfigurator" for some other options as well. Like what does "Xconfigurator --listcards" tell you after putting that driver in there?
Xconfigurator doesnt check for new cards (or hardware), does it? Doesnt kudzu do that detecting stuff?
I did Xconfigurator --kickstart (because its supposed to auto detect the card that way) and it said that the server didnt exist.
My chipset is not there when i did Xconfigurator --listcards
There is a place in the XF86Config-4 file for modules to be loaded, would i tell it to load the driver there?
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]
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Sorry, reread my previous post. I modified it while you were replying to it. I think my last suggestion will get you going.. I am fairly certain that kudzu will have nothing to do with this X driver or modify the "Cards" file.
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
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nvm... i got it to work, thanks
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]
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If you replace the "sis_drv.o" file with the file you got in the ZIP file (remember, make it lower case), then make a copy of the SiS630 section which includes "DRIVER sis" I believe this should work. I am pretty sure X will append the "_drv.o" part internally when it starts.
So basically you will have a new section in your "Cards" file that looks like this:
[ April 22, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
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this is part of the reason a chat room is a good idea.
I'm actually thinkin of setting up a chatroom site on my old comp. and get the virtual host from fuckmicrosoft "chatroom.fuckmicrosoft.com"
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But then no one else would benefit if we get this working...
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hmmmmmm....good point
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Also, "Variant 4" at the bottom of this page:
http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml (http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml)
looks like it should be just as easy, but use the module from that page and not the one from that ZIP file. Variant 4 doesn't require any recompiling of the kernel.
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WAAHAAA!!! YIP YIP! WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! YAYHAYY! et c.
Having had this EXACT same problem as you with red hat 7.0 AND turbolinux 6.1, i had about given up hope of being able to install linux without going through this arduous driver thing for the SiS630 video card that i have onboard.
BUT
I just got mandrake 8.0 from my sister, stuck it in the CDROM and switched on.
A GRAPHICAL INSTALL SCREEN came up!!! with more than 4 colours!!! WITH SUPPORT FOR MY PS/2 GLIDEPAD!!!
Gods, i cannot recommend this enough. red hat do not but mandrake DO provide support for the SiS onboard video cards. It will be well worth your while to check mandrake out. Although you can get it working in red hat (and no doubt a lot of others too) but i can't believe it's all going smoothly!!!
well, install is nearly finished, so next i will find out if there's automatic support for my onboard SiS 630 modem!!!
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quote:
Originally posted by Calum:
WAAHAAA!!! YIP YIP! WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! YAYHAYY! et c.
Having had this EXACT same problem as you with red hat 7.0 AND turbolinux 6.1, i had about given up hope of being able to install linux without going through this arduous driver thing for the SiS630 video card that i have onboard.
BUT
I just got mandrake 8.0 from my sister, stuck it in the CDROM and switched on.
A GRAPHICAL INSTALL SCREEN came up!!! with more than 4 colours!!! WITH SUPPORT FOR MY PS/2 GLIDEPAD!!!
Gods, i cannot recommend this enough. red hat do not but mandrake DO provide support for the SiS onboard video cards. It will be well worth your while to check mandrake out. Although you can get it working in red hat (and no doubt a lot of others too) but i can't believe it's all going smoothly!!!
well, install is nearly finished, so next i will find out if there's automatic support for my onboard SiS 630 modem!!!
redhat has support for the SiS 630 but not the 650.
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ha! well mandrake bloody doesn't!!!
as soon as the installer had finished, the GUI and the mouse support disappeared completely, and i'm left with the blank screen of frustration and the total inability to get a prompt back without rebooting.
I cannot figure out Thomas Winischoffer's instructions. i must be pretty dumb, eh?
SO, i am stuck at the bash prompt again, i have all of thomas' files, but i can't understand all his instructions.
If Master of Reality or anybody else gets their SiS graphics card up and running please let m eknow how you did it.
thank you.
[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]
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okay, let's get down to brass tacks here. I am not too knowledgeable, maybe someone can help me with the bits i don't know... from Thomas Winischhofer's site (http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml):
quote:
Variant 2: I want sisfb compiled as a module. I want to use X with a depth of 24 and with DRI.
Download the latest sisfb source code and decompress the archive to /usr/src/linux/drivers/video/sis/ (or whereever your kernel source tree is located).
Copy the file sisfb.h over the old one in /usr/src/linux/include/linux.
Configure the kernel to use the SiS framebuffer as a module; do only select SiS 300/630 support, not SiS 315 (unless your machine has a 315/550/650/740.
Apply the DRM kernel patch, choose the DRM module to be compiled as a module (not into the kernel) and re-compile the kernel. (The patch is not required as of 2.4.18-rc2.)
Before starting X, do insmod sisfb mode=none mem=12288 to start the framebuffer driver without changing the console mode.
Using mode:none is up to your preference; if you like a graphical console and sisfb works on your machine, specify a valid mode instead of mode=none, such as mode=1024x768x16.
Download the latest X driver and place it to /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/
Set up the X config file (in most cases /etc/X11/XF86Config-4) with a depth of 24 (DefaultDepth 24 in the Screen section) and specify Option "MaxXFBMem" "12288" in the Device section.
Set the video memory to at least 32MB in the BIOS.
Reboot.
That's it!
okay, i have the latest sisfb source code and i have decompressed them. I have copied sisfb.h over the old one in /usr/src/linux/include/linux.
Now how do i configure the kernel
to use the SiS framebuffer as a module? and how and where do i only select SiS 300/630 support?
I don't think i need the DRM module, since i am now running mandrake 8.0 and i think the kernel is recent enough, but i still would not know how to apply it if i did need to. Does this involve "make config"? if so, do you need to be in a certain directory for that to work?
Now, i am told to do insmod sisfb mode=none mem=12288 to start the framebuffer driver without changing the console mode, but is this necessary every time i want to startx? if so, where can i put it to make sure i don't need to type it on every boot?
Using mode:none is apparently up to my preference, but how should i know if i want to specify a valid mode instead of mode=none, such as mode=1024x768x16? will i see some picture improvement? by this stage in the instructions i am totally lost.
Now i haven't downloaded the latest X driver to /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/
and i haven't set up the X config file with a depth of 24 and Device, "MaxXFBMem" "12288" because i don't know how to do the steps before this. Nor have i set the video memory to at least 32MB in the BIOS, though i don't expect i will need to change the BIOS.
I should be able to easily do all those last things though, provided that the values given are correct, but it's just all that configuring and recompiling in the middle that foxes me. Can anybody help with this? I know it is possible, as i had it working before. A mate of mine got it working though, and I really need to be able to do it myself.
Thank you in advance...
[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]
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quote:
Originally posted by Calum:
okay, let's get down to brass tacks here. I am not too knowledgeable, maybe someone can help me with the bits i don't know... from Thomas Winischhofer's site (http://www.webit.at/~twinny/linuxsis630.shtml): okay, i have the latest sisfb source code and i have decompressed them. I have copied sisfb.h over the old one in /usr/src/linux/include/linux.
Now how do i configure the kernel
to use the SiS framebuffer as a module? and how and where do i only select SiS 300/630 support?
I don't think i need the DRM module, since i am now running mandrake 8.0 and i think the kernel is recent enough, but i still would not know how to apply it if i did need to. Does this involve "make config"? if so, do you need to be in a certain directory for that to work?
Now, i am told to do insmod sisfb mode=none mem=12288 to start the framebuffer driver without changing the console mode, but is this necessary every time i want to startx? if so, where can i put it to make sure i don't need to type it on every boot?
Using mode:none is apparently up to my preference, but how should i know if i want to specify a valid mode instead of mode=none, such as mode=1024x768x16? will i see some picture improvement? by this stage in the instructions i am totally lost.
Now i haven't downloaded the latest X driver to /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/
and i haven't set up the X config file with a depth of 24 and Device, "MaxXFBMem" "12288" because i don't know how to do the steps before this. Nor have i set the video memory to at least 32MB in the BIOS, though i don't expect i will need to change the BIOS.
I should be able to easily do all those last things though, provided that the values given are correct, but it's just all that configuring and recompiling in the middle that foxes me. Can anybody help with this? I know it is possible, as i had it working before. A mate of mine got it working though, and I really need to be able to do it myself.
Thank you in advance...
[ April 25, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]
what linux are you running?
linux red hat 7.2 comes with sis630 supported.
run "Xconfigurator" at the command-line and try to setup your video using that.
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mandrake 8.0, as i said somewhere else, the setup screen had multiclours and mouse support but once the system was setup, nada.
Tried configurator, no luck whatsoever :(
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RedHat is similar that they give you that nice graphical configuration utility at install time but then it's not an option aftarwards. I believe it is "anaconda" that does this graphical configuration. But I believe it will do a lot more than just configure X which may not be what you want.
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Calum, did you try "XFdrake"?
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nope, will do though...
i'd probably be able to sort it all out myself, except i am hairy on the whole framebuffer concept, thanks for the input guys!