BootX and kernel args

[mascarasnake]

On Mon, 2003-09-22 at 10:06, mascarasnake wrote:
> 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. 

oops - forgot this part:

exit root
reboot

> If you can get to the text login, then the whole thing is X's fault
> (we gotta blame someone). 
As root type in 

Xautoconfig	#reconfigs your X settings
startx		#boots the system into X

You can change some settings manually.

> 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
> 
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