Video

[mugs]

I installed RH 8 on my laptop and install went fine, but when it tries to boot for the first time, I just get a box with veritcal lines. I assume my Video card config is wrong. How can I get into something to reconfig that? Thanks

[JimH]

What is the make/model of your laptop? What is the video hardware?

Linux installation tip #1
This is why after doing installs you should choose to boot runlevel 3 and not 5 until you make sure X works correctly.

You need to boot runlevel 3 and either run:
redhat-xfree86-config --reconfig

or

Just hand edit /etc/XF86Config, which you might end up doing anyway. redhat-xfree86-config is a new tool and a work in progress.

[mugs]

Thanks for the reply. It is a Dell Inspiron 8200.

Refresh my memory, please, on how I get to runlevel 3 from the point I am at? It boots right into 5 and gives me the box with lines.

I appreciate the tips.

[JimH]

Well it seems to either have am ATI Radeon M9 or a Nvidiot 440.

Radeon M9 is unsupported by XFree86 4.2.0 and will not be supported by Open Source drivers until the release of 4.3.0. Although I believe ATI's binary drivers support it. Plus the 9000 is based off the RV200 chip, you are supposed to be able to fake the chip ID as a 7500 and get 2D support under 4.2.0.

You will have to look and see if the Nvidiot chip is supported. Probably is Imagine. Although I don't believe they have released 8.0 specific drivers yet.

Reboot into runlevel 3....

# At the Grub boot loader screen, select a boot label and press "e" to edit it.
# Use the arrow keys to select the line that starts with the word "kernel". Press "e" to edit it.
# At the prompt, add the number 3 to the end of the line and press "enter".
# Press the "b" key to boot the system into runlevel 3.

[mugs]

Well....I took your advice got into runlevel 3 and got into X. The screen is very small, I tried some new settings, and now when I try to get back into X...I get this:

XIO fatal IO error....

I cant seem to make that XF86 config work, says no such command.

To do it manually...what do I need to open first?

[JimH]

Let me see your XF86Config.

[mugs]

That is the thing, how do I get to it, to view or edit it?

[JimH]

Copy it to a floppy, so you can paste it here.

Edit it with anything you want. Emacs, vi, etc....

[mugs]

I dont know how to edit it emacs, etc. I can start Emacs or Vi, but dont know what to do next. Plus, no floppy drive on the laptop....

[JimH]

Open it....
emacs /etc/XF86Config

Save changes....
F10 f s

or

CTRL+x CTRL+s

exit emacs....
F10 f e

or

CTRL+x CRTL+c

F10 brings up the menu.

I'm mostly interested in the Device, Monitor, and Screen sections for now.