Frozen X display in KNOPPIX v5.01/5.0.1 CD on an K8V SE...

[ant]

Hello!

I am having problems booting up my new KNOPPIX v5.01/5.0.1 burned CD. I get all the way to the part where it will start X (it did detect my old ATI Radeon 9700 card), but it hangs in blackness. Pressing num lock, cap lock, and scroll lock did not change the light status. Ctrl-Alt-F1 failed as well. I have to hard reset to reboot. So I am going to assume my computer locked up here.

I also tried running KNOPPIX in VMware v4.5.1 (Windows 2000 SP4 guest image; NTFS) in Windows XP Pro. SP2 (all updates), but it freezes at udev hardware detection. I don't know if this is related to why I can't boot from the real machine (ASUS K8V SE Deluxe; Athlon 64 3200+ (754 CPU), etc.).

CD should be fine since I was able to boot up without problems on my Dell Dimension 8250 machine. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

[rwcitek]

Welcome to Knoppix, ant,

I am having problems booting up my new KNOPPIX v5.01/5.0.1 burned CD. I get all the way to the part where it will start X (it did detect my old ATI Radeon 9700 card), but it hangs in blackness.

Sounds like Knoppix is picking the wrong video driver.

Some questions:
- Have you looked at the Tips&Tricks section of the Cheatcodes page? If not, start there, especially try the third boot command.
- If yes, what boot options did you try and how far did you get in the boot process?
- Are you getting any error messages and, if yes, what exactly do they say?

Please post back letting us know how things go.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[ant]

Welcome to Knoppix, ant,

I am having problems booting up my new KNOPPIX v5.01/5.0.1 burned CD. I get all the way to the part where it will start X (it did detect my old ATI Radeon 9700 card), but it hangs in blackness.

Sounds like Knoppix is picking the wrong video driver.

Some questions:
- Have you looked at the Tips&Tricks section of the Cheatcodes page? If not, start there, especially try the third boot command.
- If yes, what boot options did you try and how far did you get in the boot process?
- Are you getting any error messages and, if yes, what exactly do they say?

Please post back letting us know how things go.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

I tried some of those, but managed to get my monitor to say this: "Not Optimimum mode. Use 1600x1200 60hz." for about five seconds. I forgot to mention that this is a 1600x1200 LCD flatscreen monitor (Samsung SyncMaster 2131). The video card doesn't have a DVI connector for the monitor.

Is this the problem? How do I fix this? I tried knoppix screen=1600x1200 but it didn't help.

[rwcitek]

I tried some of those, but managed to get my monitor to say this: "Not Optimimum mode. Use 1600x1200 60hz." for about five seconds.

Which did you try? Do you have the same problem when using failsafe? Can you boot into runlevel 3?

Is this the problem? How do I fix this? I tried knoppix screen=1600x1200 but it didn't help.

Dunno, but I doubt it. My guess is still the video driver, so let's try some possibilities. First let's try this: boot into runlevel 3 with boot: knoppix 3. Then in the virtual console type this bit of code:

true ; ( set -x
lspci
cat /etc/sysconfig/xserver
grep -i driver /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
) >& output.txt

Please post the contest of output.txt here.

If you want to see where I'm going with this have a look here.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[Proffey]

I too have exactly the same problem.

Have not used Knoppix for a very long time or any linux for that mater. But decided to come back and have a look. Unfortunatly I get the same thing, just freezes with a black screen when it gets to loading the X system stuff. I have tried the CD and the DVD version and both with the same result. Tis a shame because I tried it at work and it all goes fine and was thinking of setting up my older computer with knoppix. Will try what you posted to the other user.

BTW my graphics card is also a radeon, bit its a 9600 pro, and it is picked up as that during boot.

Anyone that can shed some ligth on it, I would be gratefull.

[ant]

I tried some of those, but managed to get my monitor to say this: "Not Optimimum mode. Use 1600x1200 60hz." for about five seconds.

Which did you try? Do you have the same problem when using failsafe? Can you boot into runlevel 3?

Is this the problem? How do I fix this? I tried knoppix screen=1600x1200 but it didn't help.

Dunno, but I doubt it. My guess is still the video driver, so let's try some possibilities. First let's try this: boot into runlevel 3 with boot: knoppix 3. Then in the virtual console type this bit of code:

true ; ( set -x
lspci
cat /etc/sysconfig/xserver
grep -i driver /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
) >& output.txt

Please post the contest of output.txt here.

If you want to see where I'm going with this have a look here.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

Well, I tried knoppix vga=791 (friend recommeneded this), knoppix screen=1600x1200, etc. knoppix failsafe didn't work as well.

I tried your little manual script:

+ lspci
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8385 [K8T800 AGP] Host Bridge (rev 01)
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 PCI bridge [K8T800/K8T890 South]
0000:00:07.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. IEEE 1394 Host Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:08.0 RAID bus controller: Promise Technology, Inc. PDC20378 (FastTrak 378/SATA 37 (rev 02)
0000:00:0a.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8001 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 13)
0000:00:0f.0 RAID bus controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA VT6420 SATA RAID Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:0f.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
0000:00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
0000:00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
0000:00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
0000:00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 81)
0000:00:10.4 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 86)
0000:00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8237 ISA bridge [KT600/K8T800/K8T890 South]
0000:00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 60)
0000:00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 80)
0000:00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
0000:00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
0000:00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
0000:00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]
0000:01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600] (Secondary)
+ cat /etc/sysconfig/xserver
XSERVER="Xorg"
XMODULE="ati"
XDESC="ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]"
+ grep -i driver /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
grep: /etc/X11/XF86Config-4: No such file or directory


grep: /etc/X11/XF86Config-4: No such file or directory seems like a problem? It looks like we use x.org now:

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "XFree86 Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
# PS/2 Mouse not detected
# Serial Mouse not detected
InputDevice "USB Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"

EndSection

Section "Files"
RgbPath "/usr/share/X11/rgb"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/PEX"
# Additional fonts: Locale, Gimp, TTF...
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
# FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/latin2/75dpi"
# FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/latin2/100dpi"
# True type and type1 fonts are also handled via xftlib, see /etc/X11/XftConfig!
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/latex-ttf-fonts"
EndSection

Section "Module"
# Comments: see http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=346408
Load "dbe" # Double Buffering Extension, very important.
Load "dri" # This shouldn't be available choice if user has selected driver vga, vesa or nv.
Load "glx" # GLX Extension.
Load "freetype" # Freetype fonts.
Load "type1" # Type 1 fonts
Load "record" # Developer extension, usually not needed
# Load "extmod" # This is okay, but if you look into "man xorg.conf" you'll find option NOT to include DGA extension with extmod, and for a good reason.. DGA causes instability as it access videoram without consulting X about it.
SubSection "extmod"
Option "omit xfree86-dga"
EndSubSection
# Load "speedo" # Speedo fonts, this module doesn't exist in Xorg 7.0.17
# The following are deprecated/unstable/unneeded in Xorg 7.0
# Load "ddc" # ddc probing of monitor, this should be never present, as it gets automatically loaded.
# Load "GLcore" # This should be never present, as it gets automatically loaded.
# Load "bitmap" # Should be never present, as it gets automatically loaded. This is a font module, and loading it in xorg.conf makes X try to load it twice.
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Serial Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "Microsoft"
Option "Device" "/dev/ttyS0"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "PS/2 Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "Emulate3Timeout" "70"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "USB Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Buttons" "5"
EndSection

# Auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "DPMS" "true"
VendorName "SAM"
ModelName "SAM0091"
HorizSync 30 - 81 # DDC-probed
VertRefresh 56 - 75 # DDC-probed
# These are the DDC-probed settings reported by your monitor.
# 1280x1024, 75.0Hz; hfreq=79.98, vfreq=75.03
ModeLine "1280x1024" 135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 75.0Hz; hfreq=60.02, vfreq=75.03
ModeLine "1024x768" 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 70.0Hz; hfreq=56.48, vfreq=70.07
ModeLine "1024x768" 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
# 800x600, 75.0Hz; hfreq=46.88, vfreq=75.00
ModeLine "800x600" 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 72.0Hz; hfreq=48.08, vfreq=72.19
ModeLine "800x600" 50.00 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 60.0Hz; hfreq=37.88, vfreq=60.32
ModeLine "800x600" 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
# 640x480, 75.0Hz; hfreq=37.50, vfreq=75.00
ModeLine "640x480" 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 72.0Hz; hfreq=37.86, vfreq=72.81
ModeLine "640x480" 31.50 640 656 696 816 480 481 484 504 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 60.0Hz; hfreq=31.47, vfreq=59.94
ModeLine "640x480" 25.17 640 648 744 784 480 482 484 509 -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
# 1920x1200 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 74.52; pclk: 193.16 MHz
Modeline "1920x1200" 193.16 1920 2048 2256 2592 1200 1201 1204 1242 -HSync +HSync
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
Identifier "Card0"
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "ati"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
# BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


I also noticed my USB Acer laser mouse wasn't working in console. I am not sure if that is normal for KNOPPIX.

[rwcitek]

+ lspci
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]
0000:01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600] (Secondary)
+ cat /etc/sysconfig/xserver
XSERVER="Xorg"
XMODULE="ati"
XDESC="ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]"

That helped in describing your video card. A google search for http://www.google.com/search?q=RV350...deon+9600+xorg found this thread:

http://lists.debian.org/debian-x/2006/04/msg01296.html

which suggests that xorg has issues with the ATI RV350. That was back in April and don't know if those have been resolved, yet. I had a glance through the Xorg Radeon manual, but didn't see any obvious solution to your problem.

If you discover anything new please keep us posted.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[ant]

+ lspci
0000:01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]
0000:01:00.1 Display controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600] (Secondary)
+ cat /etc/sysconfig/xserver
XSERVER="Xorg"
XMODULE="ati"
XDESC="ATI Technologies Inc RV350 AP [Radeon 9600]"

That helped in describing your video card. A google search for http://www.google.com/search?q=RV350...deon+9600+xorg found this thread:

http://lists.debian.org/debian-x/2006/04/msg01296.html

which suggests that xorg has issues with the ATI RV350. That was back in April and don't know if those have been resolved, yet. I had a glance through the Xorg Radeon manual, but didn't see any obvious solution to your problem.

If you discover anything new please keep us posted.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

Cute, so it is a known bug. Is there a way just to use normal VGA/SVGA to be slow? Gah, ATI sucks.

[rwcitek]

Cute, so it is a known bug. Is there a way just to use normal VGA/SVGA to be slow? Gah, ATI sucks.

Yes. Have a look at Tip #2 for a way to quickly try out different xmodules, including svga.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

[ant]

Cute, so it is a known bug. Is there a way just to use normal VGA/SVGA to be slow? Gah, ATI sucks.

Yes. Have a look at Tip #2 for a way to quickly try out different xmodules, including svga.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org

knoppix vga=0 debug -b 3 definitely shows launching X failing after I type startx. vga=0 is like the lowest and should work for all video cards and computers. Wow.
failsafe debug vga=769 worked for 640x480 256 colors.