Unable to run Knoppix

[amiskwia]

Hello!!! I'm a completely new user to the linux world, so I have no knowledge about the system. I have a laptop running Windows XP Home Edition but it now refuses to boot. Therefore I downloaded Linux Knoppix 3.4 to try and rescue some of my data. The CD boots with no problem but after detecting the hardware and showing something like a splash-screen it goes back and finishes saying

X-Window session terminated with erors.
Please check and retry '/etc/init.d/xsession start'.

Could someone guide me through some way of fixing this and being able to run Knoppix??
I am very thankful for your help.
Thank you much.

[firebyrd10]

try knoppix testcd, it may just be a bad burn.

[eco2geek]

More likely, if you get all the way through to the X server starting, it's not a bad burn. The problem's that Knoppix isn't automatically configuring XFree86 correctly for either the video card (a driver problem) or the monitor (usually a vsync or hsync rate problem).

Since the X server actually quits on you, I could be wrong but I'd guess it's a driver problem. Especially since you have a laptop which may have an esoteric chipset.

After X quits, the reason why it quit may be explicitly displayed on screen. If not, take a look at /var/log/XFree86.0.log -- errors are marked "EE". If you can find and fix the error in your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file (that's the configuration file for the X server), save it, then restart X with the command "init 5".

Also remember that you can explicitly tell Knoppix which video card driver and refresh rate(s) to use with cheatcodes (see "knoppix-cheatcodes.txt" on the CD for more info).

If you do (hopefully) get it going after editing XF86Config-4, you can save your configuration files (Knoppix menu > Configure > Save Knoppix configuration), and Knoppix will save your modified XF86Config-4 for future use.

Finally, there's a section for laptops on this forum -- you could try posting your make/model and problem there, and see if anyone can recommend what to do to get X working.

[amiskwia]

I've run the testcd command and it says it's ok. when the x server quits what comes up on screen is something like this

Everything looks OK.
Processor 0 is Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.70GHz 1694MHz, 256 KB Cache
/etc/init.d/apmd: line 15: /usr/bin/apm_available: Input/output error
APM Bios found, power management functions enabled.
PCMCIA found, starting cardmgr.
cardmgr[89]: starting, version 3.2.5
USB found, managed by hotplug: (Re-)scanning USB devices... sync:[001 001 ] Done.
Firewire found, managed by hotplug: (Re-)scanning firewire devices... Done.
Autoconfiguring devices... Done
Mouse is Generic PS/2 Wheel Mouse at /dev/psaux
Soundcard: Intel Corporation|82440MX AC97 Audio Controller driver=i810_audio
fread magic: Input/output error
AGP bridge detected.
Video is ATI|Radeon Mobility M7 LW [Radeon Mobility 7500], using XFree86(radeon) Srever
Monitor is Genreic Monitor, H:28.0-96.0kHz, V:50.0-75.0Hz
Using modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
Scanning for Harddisk partitions and creating /etc/fstab... Done
Network device eth0 detected, DHCP broadcasting for IP. (Backgrounding)
Automounter started for: floppy cdrom.
INIT: Entering runlevel: 5
Executing /etc/init.d/xsession start:

Starting single X-Window session for user knoppix.
Please stand by a few seconds while the optimal configuration is being determined.

After this session terminates, the system will automatically shut down.

Starting X11...


X-Window session termianted with errors.
Please check and retry '/etc/init.d/xsession start'.


About what you suggested that I should do, I don't know how I'm supposed to do it :-s I wrote those commands after the X server quitted but I got this:

root@tty1[/]# /var/log/XFree86.0.log
bash: /var/log/XFree86.0.log: Permission denied

Am I doing it the wrong way???
Thank you for the help.

[eco2geek]

For a quick fix, try using the cheatcode "xmodule=svga" at the Knoppix boot: prompt and see if that works. Also try "xmodule=ati".

What kind of laptop do you have?

Oh, and to view XFree86's log, type "less /var/log/XFree86.0.log".

[amiskwia]

Those cheatcodes didn't work. Tha Knoppix I've been using is 3.4 release date 17-05-2004.
I tried downloading version 3.4 release date 10-05-2004 and this version works on my computer with no problem :-)

Now I have another problem: I don't know how to configure the connection to the inernet with Knoppix.
I use broadband cable with a Thompson cable modem that can be connected to the computer by USB or by Ethernet card. Wich one is better or is easier to configure? and how could I do that???

Thank you very much for all your help!!!

[amiskwia]

I've been able to connect to the internet with knoppix. But before I connect I always have to use the pump command. Is there any way to fix this?? Or is there some way of making the computer do the pump command everytime it turns on, by its self???
Thanks