Out-of-whack screen display

[Ark]

A couple of months back, I installed Knoppix 3.3. There was a problem with the screen display which I eventually managed to track down to the fact that the monitor hadn't been properly recognised during the install. Once I manually entered the horizontal sync frequency/vertical refresh rate in the X config, the issue was sorted.

Now I've just installed Knoppix 3.6 on the same box and I'm stuck with a similar problem. The install again failed to pick up the monitor, but adding the missing information manually didn't do any good this time. The monitor shows an empty black band both above and beneath the window display, and the whole thing is shoved to the right, so that there's empty dark gray space to the left while the rightmost bit is cut off.

Any help?

[eon]

Hi, Sounds like an X issue. It might be helpful to post your /etc/X11/XFree86-4 config. Monitor section.

And maybe manually editing your x configuration doesn't work in 3.6 I don't know that for sure, but since this is debian you can open a terminal
and, as root, type "dpkg-reconfigure -plow xserver-xfree86" press enter and you can go through the program to setup X. This will let you choose you video card also.
Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

[Ark]

The X setup didn't change anything; same result.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the monitor section in the config file either:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Monitor0"
	Option	"DPMS"	"true"
	VendorName	"EIZO/Nanao"
	ModelName	"Flexscan T68"
	HorizSync 30-115# DDC-probed
	VertRefresh 50-160# DDC-probed
	#  Default modes distilled from
	#      "VESA and Industry Standards and Guide for Computer Display Monitor
	#       Timing", version 1.0, revision 0.8, adopted September 17, 1998.
	#  $XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/etc/vesamodes,v 1.4 1999/11/18 16:52:17 tsi Exp $
	# 640x350 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
	ModeLine "640x350"    31.5  640  672  736  832    350  382  385  445 +hsync -vsync
	# 640x400 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
	ModeLine "640x400"    31.5  640  672  736  832    400  401  404  445 -hsync +vsync
	# 720x400 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
	ModeLine "720x400"    35.5  720  756  828  936    400  401  404  446 -hsync +vsync
	# 640x480 @ 60Hz (Industry standard) hsync: 31.5kHz
	ModeLine "640x480"    25.2  640  656  752  800    480  490  492  525 -hsync -vsync
	# 640x480 @ 72Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
	ModeLine "640x480"    31.5  640  664  704  832    480  489  491  520 -hsync -vsync
	# 640x480 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.5kHz
	ModeLine "640x480"    31.5  640  656  720  840    480  481  484  500 -hsync -vsync
	# 640x480 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 43.3kHz
	ModeLine "640x480"    36.0  640  696  752  832    480  481  484  509 -hsync -vsync
	# 800x600 @ 56Hz (VESA) hsync: 35.2kHz
	ModeLine "800x600"    36.0  800  824  896 1024    600  601  603  625 +hsync +vsync
	# 800x600 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 37.9kHz
	ModeLine "800x600"    40.0  800  840  968 1056    600  601  605  628 +hsync +vsync
	# 800x600 @ 72Hz (VESA) hsync: 48.1kHz
	ModeLine "800x600"    50.0  800  856  976 1040    600  637  643  666 +hsync +vsync
	# 800x600 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 46.9kHz
	ModeLine "800x600"    49.5  800  816  896 1056    600  601  604  625 +hsync +vsync
	# 800x600 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 53.7kHz
	ModeLine "800x600"    56.3  800  832  896 1048    600  601  604  631 +hsync +vsync
	# 1024x768i @ 43Hz (industry standard) hsync: 35.5kHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"   44.9 1024 1032 1208 1264    768  768  776  817 +hsync +vsync Interlace
	# 1024x768 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 48.4kHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"   65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344    768  771  777  806 -hsync -vsync
	# 1024x768 @ 70Hz (VESA) hsync: 56.5kHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"   75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328    768  771  777  806 -hsync -vsync
	# 1024x768 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 60.0kHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"   78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312    768  769  772  800 +hsync +vsync
	# 1024x768 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 68.7kHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"   94.5 1024 1072 1168 1376    768  769  772  808 +hsync +vsync
	# 1152x864 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 67.5kHz
	ModeLine "1152x864"  108.0 1152 1216 1344 1600    864  865  868  900 +hsync +vsync
	# 1280x960 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 60.0kHz
	ModeLine "1280x960"  108.0 1280 1376 1488 1800    960  961  964 1000 +hsync +vsync
	# 1280x960 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 85.9kHz
	ModeLine "1280x960"  148.5 1280 1344 1504 1728    960  961  964 1011 +hsync +vsync
	# 1280x1024 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 64.0kHz
	ModeLine "1280x1024" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688   1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
	# 1280x1024 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 80.0kHz
	ModeLine "1280x1024" 135.0 1280 1296 1440 1688   1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
	# 1280x1024 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 91.1kHz
	ModeLine "1280x1024" 157.5 1280 1344 1504 1728   1024 1025 1028 1072 +hsync +vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 75.0kHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200" 162.0 1600 1664 1856 2160   1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 65Hz (VESA) hsync: 81.3kHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200" 175.5 1600 1664 1856 2160   1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 70Hz (VESA) hsync: 87.5kHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200" 189.0 1600 1664 1856 2160   1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 93.8kHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200" 202.5 1600 1664 1856 2160   1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 85Hz (VESA) hsync: 106.3kHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200" 229.5 1600 1664 1856 2160   1200 1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync
	# 1792x1344 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 83.6kHz
	ModeLine "1792x1344" 204.8 1792 1920 2120 2448   1344 1345 1348 1394 -hsync +vsync
	# 1792x1344 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 106.3kHz
	ModeLine "1792x1344" 261.0 1792 1888 2104 2456   1344 1345 1348 1417 -hsync +vsync
	# 1856x1392 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 86.3kHz
	ModeLine "1856x1392" 218.3 1856 1952 2176 2528   1392 1393 1396 1439 -hsync +vsync
	# 1856x1392 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 112.5kHz
	ModeLine "1856x1392" 288.0 1856 1984 2208 2560   1392 1393 1396 1500 -hsync +vsync
	# 1920x1440 @ 60Hz (VESA) hsync: 90.0kHz
	ModeLine "1920x1440" 234.0 1920 2048 2256 2600   1440 1441 1444 1500 -hsync +vsync
	# 1920x1440 @ 75Hz (VESA) hsync: 112.5kHz
	ModeLine "1920x1440" 297.0 1920 2064 2288 2640   1440 1441 1444 1500 -hsync +vsync
	# Additional modelines
	ModeLine "1800x1440"  230    1800 1896 2088 2392  1440 1441 1444 1490 +HSync +VSync
	ModeLine "1800x1440"  250    1800 1896 2088 2392  1440 1441 1444 1490 +HSync +VSync
	# Extended modelines with GTF timings
	# 640x480 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 50.90 kHz; pclk: 43.16 MHz
	ModeLine "640x480"  43.16  640 680 744 848  480 481 484 509  -HSync +Vsync
	# 768x576 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 35.82 kHz; pclk: 34.96 MHz
	ModeLine "768x576"  34.96  768 792 872 976  576 577 580 597  -HSync +Vsync
	# 768x576 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 43.27 kHz; pclk: 42.93 MHz
	ModeLine "768x576"  42.93  768 800 880 992  576 577 580 601  -HSync +Vsync
	# 768x576 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 45.15 kHz; pclk: 45.51 MHz
	ModeLine "768x576"  45.51  768 808 888 1008  576 577 580 602  -HSync +Vsync
	# 768x576 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 51.42 kHz; pclk: 51.84 MHz
	ModeLine "768x576"  51.84  768 808 888 1008  576 577 580 605  -HSync +Vsync
	# 768x576 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 61.10 kHz; pclk: 62.57 MHz
	ModeLine "768x576"  62.57  768 816 896 1024  576 577 580 611  -HSync +Vsync
	# 800x600 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 63.60 kHz; pclk: 68.18 MHz
	ModeLine "800x600"  68.18  800 848 936 1072  600 601 604 636  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1024x768 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 81.40 kHz; pclk: 113.31 MHz
	ModeLine "1024x768"  113.31  1024 1096 1208 1392  768 769 772 814  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1152x864 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 53.70 kHz; pclk: 81.62 MHz
	ModeLine "1152x864"  81.62  1152 1216 1336 1520  864 865 868 895  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1152x864 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 77.10 kHz; pclk: 119.65 MHz
	ModeLine "1152x864"  119.65  1152 1224 1352 1552  864 865 868 907  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1152x864 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 91.50 kHz; pclk: 143.47 MHz
	ModeLine "1152x864"  143.47  1152 1232 1360 1568  864 865 868 915  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1280x960 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 72.07 kHz; pclk: 124.54 MHz
	ModeLine "1280x960"  124.54  1280 1368 1504 1728  960 961 964 1001  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1280x960 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 75.15 kHz; pclk: 129.86 MHz
	ModeLine "1280x960"  129.86  1280 1368 1504 1728  960 961 964 1002  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1280x960 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 101.70 kHz; pclk: 178.99 MHz
	ModeLine "1280x960"  178.99  1280 1376 1520 1760  960 961 964 1017  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1280x1024 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 108.50 kHz; pclk: 190.96 MHz
	ModeLine "1280x1024"  190.96  1280 1376 1520 1760  1024 1025 1028 1085  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1400x1050 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 65.22 kHz; pclk: 122.61 MHz
	ModeLine "1400x1050"  122.61  1400 1488 1640 1880  1050 1051 1054 1087  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1400x1050 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 78.77 kHz; pclk: 149.34 MHz
	ModeLine "1400x1050"  149.34  1400 1496 1648 1896  1050 1051 1054 1094  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1400x1050 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 82.20 kHz; pclk: 155.85 MHz
	ModeLine "1400x1050"  155.85  1400 1496 1648 1896  1050 1051 1054 1096  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1400x1050 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 93.76 kHz; pclk: 179.26 MHz
	ModeLine "1400x1050"  179.26  1400 1504 1656 1912  1050 1051 1054 1103  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1400x1050 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 111.20 kHz; pclk: 214.39 MHz
	ModeLine "1400x1050"  214.39  1400 1512 1664 1928  1050 1051 1054 1112  -HSync +Vsync
	# 1600x1200 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 127.10 kHz; pclk: 280.64 MHz
	ModeLine "1600x1200"  280.64  1600 1728 1904 2208  1200 1201 1204 1271  -HSync +Vsync
	ModeLine	"1024x768/100Hz" 115.5 1024 1056 1248 1440 768 771 781 802  -HSync -VSync
EndSection

The KDE X Config tool has two sections that might be relevant here: one called Monitor, one called Screen. The Monitor section is where I manually filled in the monitor specs, including the make, the ranges and the resolution. The Screeen section seems only interested in the resolution and lets me choose anything provided it's 640x480. I can change that value to 1024x768 but it never gets saved and defaults back to 640x480. Funny.

[eon]

The X setup didn't change anything; same result.

I can change that value to 1024x768 but it never gets saved and defaults back to 640x480. Funny.

All I have is questions but perhaps we will ask enough to figure this out.
First when you say that your changes don't get saved- are you doing these changes as root?
Second what graphics card are you using? Have you selected that for your video? Did dpkg-reconfigure... ask you to save your changes?
And lastly, for now, what was your video like when you ran knoopix from CD? Did you have the same problem?

[shah]

Adding a question,

You did a knoppix-style, beginer-style or Debian-style hdd install?


Better do the Debian style.

[Ark]

I think I did the Beginner style because it was the pre-selected default. I've just re-installed the whole thing Debian style, but I get exactly the same screen display even now.

> when you say that your changes don't get saved- are you doing these changes as root?

Yes, I am.

> what graphics card are you using?

It's an Nvidia Tornado TNT2.

> Have you selected that for your video?

No, it isn't on the list of supported cards. The installer picked "Generic nv" instead. Also, here's the shell output at install time, which complains about the video card twice:

knoppix@ttyp0[knoppix]$ sudo knoppix-installer
cp: reading `var/lib/dpkg/info/xfonts-75dpi-transcoded.md5sums': Input/output error
Can't remove /usr/share/applications/./Ethereal.desktop: Read-only file system, skipping file.
Can't remove /usr/share/applications/./EtherealAsRoot.desktop: Read-only file system, skipping file.
Can't remove /usr/share/applications/./qtparted.desktop: Read-only file system, skipping file.
Can't remove /usr/share/applnk/./Settings/Peripherals/kxconfig.desktop: Read-only file system, skipping file.
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
Incompatible libdevmapper 1.00.19-ioctl (2004-07-03)(compat) and kernel driver
Warning: Unable to determine video adapter in use in the present system.
mke2fs 1.35 (28-Feb-2004)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=1024 (log=0)
Fragment size=1024 (log=0)
184 inodes, 1440 blocks
72 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=1
1 block group
8192 blocks per group, 8192 fragments per group
184 inodes per group

Writing inode tables: done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 21 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first.  Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
Ignoring entry 'boot'
Ignoring entry 'install'
Ignoring entry 'map'
Warning: COMPACT may conflict with LBA32 on some systems
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
/dev/mapper/control: open failed: No such device
Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
Incompatible libdevmapper 1.00.19-ioctl (2004-07-03)(compat) and kernel driver
Warning: Unable to determine video adapter in use in the present system.
Added Linux *
Added Linux(2.4)-1
Added Linux(2.6)-2
Added Windows(hde1)
knoppix@ttyp0[knoppix]$

> Did dpkg-reconfigure... ask you to save your changes?

I only used KXConfig. I'll look into dpkg-reconfigure in a minute.

> what was your video like when you ran knoopix from CD?

Off the CD, the display looks almost the same, although slightly better: it doesn't fill the whole real estate either, but at least it doesn't run off the screen. From the HD, the rightmost bit gets cut off: I can see the the hour and the colon in the clock bottom right, but the minutes don't display.

A clue, maybe: when I had a seemingly identical problem with Knoppix 3.3, I accidentally managed to solve it by removing all the ModeLines from /etc/X11/XF86config-4. I've just tried this again to no avail.

[Ark]

I just went through dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86, which didn't change anything. Next, I looked at XF86Config and XF86Config-4, neither of which seemed affected by the reconfiguration. XF86Config has the monitor's VendorName and ModelName wrong, XF86Config-4 has "EIZO/Nanao" for the monitor's VendorName, which is correct, but I'm positive I entered "Eizo."

What's the difference between XF86Config and XF86Config-4?

[shah]

You should install nvidia driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-6629.html
Read on how to install nvidia:
http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12061

[Ark]

Hmm -- I downloaded the driver and tried to install it. Then I got a message saying that I was about to compile the Nvidia kernel module with gcc 3.3, whereas the kernel itself was compiled with gcc 2.95, which may or may not "lead to instability".

I aborted the install at this point, but I have no idea how to set the cc environment variable to gcc 2.95.

Should I just ignore the warning?

[Ark]

Okay -- let's just say compiling Nvidia with the wrong compiler wasn't a good idea. I'm reinstalling the system as I type.

Earlier today I tried xvidtune; I managed to pull the display further to the left and stretch it laterally so that it covered the whole screen width. I couldn't get rid of the black space at the top and the bottom, however.