Can't start X - Absolute newbie to Linux

[conradwoo 0]

Hi!

 

I just finished installing Mandrake 10.1 and I restarted and typed in 'startx' hoping to see a nice gui startup. Well, that didn't happen. Instead, I got an error like "Fatal Server Error: No screens found". I didn't see the Geforce 6600GT driver in the Mandrake setup, so I just chose the Nvidia generic driver. And as for my monitor, I really don't have a clue as to what the vertical and horizontal refresh rates are since my LCD's manual is total garbage. But its a Norcent LM730.

 

Can anybody help me?

[danleff 0]

Once you are at the console, make sure that you are at root user;

 

su(enter key)

input your password for root user when prompted.

 

Once there, type in;

 

drakxconf (hit the enter key)

 

Choose "display"

 

I believe you have xorg (or xfree) scroll down to that and choose "vesa" as your driver.

 

Test this and see if it works, by hitting the test button.

 

If this works,then we can see about fine tuning the xorg file. This should give you a gui when you boot into Mandrake (Mandriva).

[conradwoo 0]

Alright, so I finally got into X.

 

Some stuff is still slow popping up, but I guess its cause it's not the right driver. So after downloading the Nvidia driver, and doing the "sh NVIDIA-......" stuff that's on their website, but when I do it, I get an error saying it couldn't find my kernel's source tree.

 

How do i fix this?

[Edited by conradwoo on 2005-08-05 20:14:32]

 

[danleff 0]

OK, good, now the system is booting directly into a GUI?

 

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Did you download the correct driver for your system? Could you post some system specifications, so that we can see what you are running?

 

Also, what is the exact name of the driver installation file that you downloaded?

 

1. Motherboard make and model, or computer make and model?

 

2. Processor - this will determine the NVIDIA driver to use

 

3. How much ram in the system?

 

4. How are you connecting to the internet? Do you have a working internet connection? The reason that I ask, is that the NVIDIA installation script will look for the kernel source. If it does not find one, it will attempt to download one for you for the drivers.

 

5. What are you going to be doing with this installation, in terms of tasks? Gaming, or just everday tasks?

 

When installing nVIDIA drivers, you should be at a "runlevel" of just a console (like when "X" was not running and you tried to invoke it using "startx"). It's important to read the "readme" instructions on the drivers page. I don't recoommend doing the installation from the GUI, as if something goes wrong, then it is much easier to recover from the console. Obviously, your video card is not directly supported with the native drivers in Mandrake 10.1, which may have been released before your video card came out.

 

But, once we know a few things, you can install the kernel sources easily, if you have the three Mandrake installation cd disks at the ready.

 

But to answer the question, go to the Mandrake Control Center to install the kernel source. If you are just using the installation cd's then;

 

Menu-->System--> Configuration-->Configure Your Computer (put in your root password)..Look at installable packages.

 

Once there, type in kernel-source

 

Click on the kernel source package and tell Mandrake to install it.

 

[conradwoo 0]

Yup, the system boots directly into the GUI now..

 

My system is as follows:

 

AthlonXP 2500+ (Barton)

Asus A7N8X-X nForce2

1 GB PC-3200 RAM

BFG Nvidia 6600GT 128 MB

M-Audio Revolution 7.1

 

My internet connection is working, as I'm using Firefox inside linux right now as I type this. But when the Nvidia installer tries to look for it, it seems like it doesn't even try to look as it only takes it maybe 1 sec to look and say that it couldn't find the driver. I plan to just learn Linux with this installation, and then possibly try some games once I'm a little more comfortable. But I guess for now, it'd just be everyday tasks.

 

The Nvidia driver I downloaded was "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7667-pkg1.mun"

 

I think thats the right one?

 

 

I also have a few more questions after this, pertaining to getting sound to work (the driver was auto-detected is selected but I can't get sound come out) and also, I've tried installing some themes and also a newer version of Kopete, but when I follow the instructions and do the "./configure", I always end up with an error saying something about X includes and headers?

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

EDIT: FINALLY! Got the video drivers to work..lol..now...for sound and everything else...

[Edited by conradwoo on 2005-08-06 10:32:07]

 

[danleff 0]

Great! They were the correct NVIDIA drivers, btw.

 

So, on boot, you get the short NVIDIA splash screen?

 

The sound...nice board. I have the A7N8X-E Deluxe.

 

One of two problems. If the onboard sound is active in the bios, then you may need to disable it there, if using a PCI card. Or, the sound may be muted. Now that you are used to the console, get into a console as root user and get into alsamixer. Type in the console;

 

alsamixer

 

If the mixer comes up, what does it say at the top for the following values;

 

card: (what is here)?

 

chip: (what is here)?

 

If it says;

 

card: nvidia nForce2

Chip: Realtek ALC650F

 

..alsa is trying to use the onboard sound.

 

In terms of Kopete, why not use the one that comes in the Mandrake cd disks? Remember, per the Kopete web page;

 

version 0.9.3 works with kde 3.2 and above

" " 0.10.1 works with kde 3.3 and above

" " 0.10.2 works with kde 3.4.1 and above.

 

Using the one provided in the mandrake CD disks will also resolve any dependency issues with development packages.

[Edited by danleff on 2005-08-06 18:13:30]

 

[conradwoo 0]

My onboard sound is disabled. So when I goto 'alsamixer' I see

 

card: M Audio Revolution 7.1

CHIP: ICE1724 - multitrack

 

All the levels are up at 80 so I really don't know what the problem is. The only thing I don't understand is the first bar (which says ICE958 under it cannot be adjusted. Maybe this is a meter instead?)

 

As for Kopete, I wouldn't mind at all using the one provided, its installed and everything, however when I tried using it, I couldn't log onto MSN. I kept getting "Wrong password" even though it IS the right one.

 

EDIT: Alright, this is wierd lol...I've tried the alsamixer thing before where I've read on other sites, and nothing ever came of it...and when you told me to do it, it worked perfectly and now I have sound

 

Now...is there a better program for MSN than Gaim, cause I really don't like its interface..particularly its inability to minimize to "systray" when I click on the "x"..

[danleff 0]

I don't use MSN, but I did a google search and found this mention about the problem.

 

Maybe try aMSN via an rpm package. I found a link to it here.

[conradwoo 0]

Alright one more question..Thanks for all your help btw.

 

I printed something once, and now everytime I start linux...my printer starts printing it again. Its quite annoying. Is there anyways to stop this or find out what's causing this?