Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 16596
(Trident blade3d): problems both with xf3 and xf4
Last modified: 2008-05-01 11:37:58 EDT
Xconfigurator set up my XF86config for Acer54e (blade 3d). startx, X starts at 640x480, I can ctrl_alt_+ to get 800x600. Then I edit XF86config and change Modes "640x480" "800x600" to Modes "800x600" "640x480" X does not start anymore, the monitor goes blank, but not failsafe or something to protect the monitor (light would go yellow); Light stays green and monitor stays black. To get 800x600 I have to start at 640x480 and then switch to 800x600.
You are kidding now, right? Please tell me you are. You sure you did the right thing when changing the file? Does it work if you just specify the 800x600 as the only resolution? If so, we can always say that this is the reason for writing 640x480 first ;) Also, if this really is happening I would expect to be an X bug (or simply buggy/broken hardware)
I attach the 2 config files. With 640x480 -> 800x600 (config1) I start at 640 and can switch back and forth to 800x600. With 800x600 -> 640x480 (config2) I start blank and can switch back and forth to 680x480 (switch between black screen and 640x480). If I try a config with just 800x600 it starts blank and stop. I understand it's very difficult for you to try to debug such a thing, so if you close this I'll take no further action. But what should I do? This is the 2nd monitor I'm trying. This afternoon I'll try another one (AcerFP551) that is in the Xconfigurator list.
Created attachment 2779 [details] X config files
Try Xconfigurator 4.3.53+ at http://people.redhat.com/teg/xc/ , and specify "--preferxf4".
I've tried the new Xconfigurator. 1) even if I start it with --preferxf4 it sets the /etc/X11/X link to the 3.6 server 2) even if I start it with --preferxf4, it refuses to start if the 3.6 SVGA server is not installed 3) I made /etc/X11/X --> /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 (hope this is correct) and then I could start v4.0 straight at 800x600 (thing that is not possible with v3.6); however as soon as I try ctrl_alt_+/- the system hangs and I have to reboot. You'll say "be happy and stay at 800x600" :-). But there are problems (like the ones I have with 3.6): if you open any window you see that the vertical lines are not perfectly drawn, it seems the monitor is not set up 100% correctly. The same monitor is perfect under win98. So, I think I'll give up on this. You can close this. Later today I'll try v.40 with #16681. Is there a list of combinations of videocard and monitors that you have tested in house so that I can try asking my boss to buy them and be sure they will work out of the box? I just want to get at least 800x600@75, no games, no 3d, nothing more. I've looked at the hardware compatibility list of rh62, but I didn't see monitors listed.
"--preferxf4" works in 4.3.54, from the same place. Which server would you prefer? The server/driver being broken is probably an X issue... I'll change components.
3 for reliability, 4 for "performance"; So basically it's 3. More details === v3: Cannot start at 800x600. Can start at 640 and then switch to 800. Vertical lines of windows are not straigth/regular. === === v4: Can start directly at 800x Vertical lines of windows are not straigth/regular. IMPORTANT NOTE: v4 regularly hangs the system (power cycle needed) running xvidtune or ctrl_alt_+/-. === See bug 16681 for similar results.
You were right when saying it was an XFree86 problem. Today I've tried the same Acer54e monitor and an OlidataMR1502 on an i810 system (using the updated i810_drv.o from rc1 updates, the rc1 one has some issues); they work perfectly now. Acer54e is set up 800x600@85; it goes straigth to 800x600 with no problem. So, it seems the problem is that Trident Blade3D is not a good card for Linux/XFree86. You can close this bug. I didn't do it myself because I didn't know how to close: deferred, wontfix, notabug?
No need to close it - it is a bug which I'm pretty sure will be deferred, but it's not "fixed".
7.1beta1: blade3d+Acer54e (Acer54eL) anaconda and Xconfigurator try xf3 by default. Both of them fail to configure the card appropriately, because the X tests (anaconda and Xconfigurator) and startx give blank screen (not powersave) Xconfigurator --preferxf4 is able to set up the card so that X starts, but there is a lot of noise; it's usable but just for testing purposes. As I've learnt (different monitors and same results), this is due to poor support for the blade3d in X, or to me having a bad blade3d (works ok in windows, though).
*** Bug 16681 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
FWIW, FloBeta2 GUI install, though it works and does its job, has video-noise problems, while FloBeta1 had not.
The XFree86 4.1.0 release contains updated Trident support. I don't know if it fixes this problem or not, but it might be worth testing in a month or so.
Roswell (first beta of this cycle I could try due to cd media problems) is much better: 1- for the first time anaconda didn't hang when testing X config 2- screen image is acceptable in kde and gnome; you can work with it and your eyes would not suffer. Quality is like Windows. 3- xvidtune does not hang the system anymore So it seems this can be closed.