BootX and kernel args

[mascarasnake]

On Mon, 2003-09-22 at 01:38, Isaac Wingfield wrote:
> I have recently gotten YDL 3.0 up on two Macs; an 8500 and a Beige G3. Both
> work fine after I get into "X" and KDE. The 8500 works fine in text mode
> also, but not so for the G3.
> 
> On the 8500, after BootX has booted into Linux, and there's a screenful of
> scrolling text, it's in a small, readable fontsize. The Mac was running at
> 1152x864, and I think that's what the Linux screen is, too.
> 
> On the G3, which also started out at 1152x864, after BootX has done its
> thing, I get a few lines that are readable (same size as on the 8500), and
> then something pokes the video, the screen loses sync, and the font gets
> real big, and (because of the lost sync) unreadable. The last readable line
> is "arch:exit", and the first messed-up one is where the YDL logo gets
> displayed (I can see the yellow dog). The problem is that I'm using a
> Sun/Sony monitor (a GDM-20D10) that can't synch at such a low resolution.
> 
> Although I can't read anything, I can see all the lines of text go by, and
> after it all stops, I can blindly login and type "startx". The graphic mode
> then comes up fine, and, I think, at 1152x864. I can see a sync change as X
> takes over.
> 
> The result of this is that, while "X" works OK, I can't use text-only mode.
> I don't want to play around with the graphic mode, because, outside of "X",
> I can't read the screen. If I goof up the video in "X", there's no way to
> edit a file to recover. (Well, telnet maybe, but that's a PITB).
> 
> I've tried a number of variations on BootX's kernel args to get the video
> to behave, but nothing changes things from that low resolution mode. I'm
> beginning to believe that you can add all the video kernel args you want,
> but nobody is paying any attention to them.
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Isaac
> 
Howdy ho, Isaac!
	Welcome to the world of Linux. I had some similar (but not exact)
issues on my 7500 604e 200 and it all had to do with communication
between the video card (standard Apple), the monitor, (a 19" Samtron
96B) and Linux (X).1152x864 was the res I was shooting for and the
Display Coontrol panel on the linux side was not helping.
	There is a file to edit that may help. If your able to see all the
bootup commands, you may be able to edit the "inittab" file /etc/inittab
using a console as root, type in 

	pico /etc/inittab

A few lines down from top, you'll see a statement:

	id:5:initdefault:

Change that to:

	id:3:initdefault:

This will make your computer boot up in text mode without starting x at
all. If you can get to the text login, then the whole thing is X's fault
(we gotta blame someone). Changes can be made in there
"/etc/X11/XF86config" file. Careful, tho, you can fix things there or
make things completely FUBAR.
	I eventually 
	1 - rebooted to mac
	2 - DFA'd all my drives
	3 - Rebuilt the desktop
	4 - zapped the ol' PRAM (resetting all the video settings on the
hardware)
	5 - reformatted the drive I use for Linux
	6 - set my Display res abd depth to all available settings (restores
those values to the PRAM)
	7 - and finally reinstalled Linux, paying closer attention to the X GUI
setup.
	If you can get the text only boot to work, and can't fix things in the
XF86config file, Ican send you my XF86config file (set for a generic
monitor with a generic OF compatible video card that works on my system.
You may not need to go thru all the crap I did.
	Let me know what happens in this episode of "As The Dog Turns"

I 

                               Bossa Nova

                              masarasnake
                        dontdrill@earthlink.net