New to Linux, Installtion Question

mulatto · June 15, 2005

Im new to linux, and really don't know nothing about it yet. Im tryin to install the Mandrakes 10.1 onto my dell Inspiron 2600, and the only problem I think I have is the video card. My laptop has on-board graphics, and every setting I test gives me that "No Video BIOS modes for chosen depth". I played with ALL of the setting and still nothing. I tried flashing my dell BIOS with the new updated BIOS but still nothing, I googled for a week and still nothing. Can anyone help me, or has had the same problem in the past?

Thanks

OldSpiceAP · June 15, 2005

can you get to a command line - i.e. login and type stuff? If you caN, then try typing this:

xfreecfg

or

xf86cfg

or

xfree86cfg

or

xf86config

or

xfreecfg

I use xorg so I don't remember what xfree's config tool is as my remembery is broken.

if none of those do anything try typing

xorgcfg

anyhoo it might do something - or at least give a useable error.

eventually you may need to hand edit your /etc/X11/xfree86.conf file or whatever its called as mines xorg.conf - to give it a video mode it can use

Let us know what happens

also try startx - just to see if it does anything.

egorgry · June 15, 2005

I second teh startx suggestion. also try dells website. they have linux community forums

http://linux.dell.com/

This is the site I reffernced when reserching my laptop purchase. I got the 600m running ubuntu.

http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/dell.html

matrix3000k · June 16, 2005

what type of video card do you have in your laptop is it an ATI or nvidia if you can post that info i would help you more with your problem.

mulatto · June 16, 2005

Im not sure what video card but i do know its intergraded intel, nothing like ati or nvida. When I install mandrakes it auto picks 830 and so does red hat, drivers for windows on dell.com which is 830 and 855 is also compatible.

see - http://support.dell.com/support/download...=WW1&osl=EN

I've tried startx, just gives me the video error, Ill get you the full details later today. I can get to the login, but nothing graphical just login and just stays in the dos-type program

I found this - http://dominia.org/~jlee/inspiron/

does this mean 830 intel graphics are incompatible?

egorgry · June 16, 2005

is X staying up? I mean do you get dumped back to the fullscreen console or do you have a grey background with a terminal?

try to start gdm if you're using gnome or kdm for kde... I think I'm not a kde fan, if those fail try xdm. good luck and the more information the better.

danleff · June 16, 2005

The article that you referenced about the graphics in RedHat 7.3 is very old an does not apply to the newer distros.

What is important is the error message that you are getting. You are getting dumped to a terminal window, with a message? Try to post the message, such as "no screens found."

I'll see if there are any articles on your system with Mandrake installation that may shed some light on the issue.

mulatto · June 16, 2005

thats what it says "No Screens Found" and also "No BIOS for chosen depth", and I tried all of the resolutions and all generic video cards, its no use. I upgraded my dell BIOS also, still nothing. I wonder if I have to do somethin in the kernel (no clue how to). When mandrakes goes to the login, you can tell its tryin to boot the graphics login, so it flashes to black screen and back to the command line, then gives up and stays in the command and asks for login. When i type startx it gives the error, i dont have the exact error right now, but i will post it up soon, maybe you guys have see it before.

egorgry · June 16, 2005

if you can post your xf86config file that would help a great deal.

mulatto · June 17, 2005

you see i dont kno how to access that file. how do i do this? I know nothing of linux commands or how to access files on it.

danleff · June 17, 2005

Ok, this is a problem. I found this link.

It is a problem with the bios and how it allocates memory for video, which is very limited. The fix will be complicated for you.

What bios revisison did you update to?

You can try the following, but I doubt that it will work.

When you are logged in as root user, type in;

XFdrake (hit the enter key)

The syntax is important...capital X and F, small drake.

Try setting the video card to vesa and the default depth to 16.

Just remember that these systems are made to run Windows only, so it takes a little work to get it going. Not good for someone just starting out with Linux.

Are you willing to try another distro of Linux other than Mandrake?

mulatto · June 17, 2005

I have upgraded my BIOS to A11, but in the BIOS setting there is nothing that allows me to change the MB of video RAM, it doesnt even show any video RAM in the BIOS. And another thing too is that the command "XFdrake" never works, just says command not found. IF I cant get mandrakes to work you think a different distro would work? Dont they have simalar structure and just wouldnt work with this dell?

error msg:

Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log"

using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"

Using vt 7

(EE) Failed to load module "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libglx.a" (once-only module, 135962511)

(EE) I180(0): No Video BIOS modes for chosen depth.

(EE) Screen(s) FOund, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:

no screens found

OldSpiceAP · June 17, 2005

Hmmm xorg... alright. Go ahead and post the contents of your config file - here's how:

type this in the "dos-type" program

vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf

note that it is case sensitive so capital X, the numbers one and one, and all else lowercase. Also note the foreward slash used in linux / as opposed to the backslash used in windows \ .

There may be a setting we can manually help you with. once you run that command, then you should be dumped into a text editing program - just use the aarow keys to scroll down. Lots of it will look confusing but worry not. There will be a spot that looks like this sort of:

EndSection

Section "Device"

Identifier "Intel Corporation 82810E DC-133 CGC [Chipset Graphics Controller]"

Driver "i810"

BusID "PCI:0:1:0"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

Identifier "NEC FPD15"

Option "DPMS"

HorizSync 30-50

VertRefresh 59-61

EndSection

Section "Screen"

Identifier "Default Screen"

Device "Intel Corporation 82810E DC-133 CGC [Chipset Graphics Controller]"

Monitor "NEC FPD15"

DefaultDepth 24

SubSection "Display"

Depth 1