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gooberdlx
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:02 pm    Post subject: Cheat on your XFree86Config Reply with quote

If your XFree86Config file is not working properly, here is a short tip that I used to get things going smoothly.

Use at your own risk, this has only been tested on my machine and would love some feedback...


    1. Install Gentoo and XFree.. X isnt working

    2. Boot a LiveCD! (Game CD) Let it autoconfigure your X for you!

    3. Mount your newly installed Gentoo directory and copy over the Xconfig file that the LiveCD! created

    4. If it uses a module for your hardware, make sure that its installed already...


This worked flawless for me and really made configuring X an easier job, plus you can get all the cool options and settings that the LiveCD! sets up for your graphics card and hardware.

Jake
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Last edited by gooberdlx on Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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apokalyptik
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thats a good idea, by jove!
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patsonrt1
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
#XFree86 -configure


IT will attempt to detect your hardware and create a XF86Config.new in your /root. Then edit the file and make sure to specify the resolution and colordepth you want.

I got this tip from this site (but I forget whom originally posted it) :roll:
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Isaiah
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

patsonrt1 wrote:
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand."
-Homer Simpson


LMAO :lol: - love these tips too - w00f!
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gooberdlx
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

even so.. the config script that comes with Xfree doesnt do all of the necessary stuff.. it can help you configure basic monitor and basic card.. but no other options ..

I guess I should have mentioned that there was an automatic one , but I implied that you didnt get that one to work... cause 50% of the time it doesnt..

Jake
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 12:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gooberdlx wrote:
even so.. the config script that comes with Xfree doesnt do all of the necessary stuff.. it can help you configure basic monitor and basic card.. but no other options ..

I guess I should have mentioned that there was an automatic one , but I implied that you didnt get that one to work... cause 50% of the time it doesnt..

Jake


When running XFree86 -configure, there are no scripts involved. The X server will run through a probe routine that will query your graphics card and then build a config file based on the information returned from your card. This is the preferred method of detecting your hardware and capabilities under XFree 4.x. See man pages and www.xfree86.org for more information.

Erik
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taskara
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 1:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

and doesn't the live cd just run Xfree86 -configure anyway ?

but this is a good idea.. never thought of leeching stuff from the cd! ;)
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odegard
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I was struggling with X aswell and a friend of mine almost talked me into installing redhat instead (this is my first linux experience as a "prof" not just a dumb user). I installed redhat on a minimum install, fired up x, everything worked except for the mouse. The mouse, however, worked in my gentoo config, so I just copied the problematic parts from redhat to gentoo and I was good to go :D

There's one thing though, I never got that nvidia logo when starting X...I'm not sure even now if I'm actually using my card to the fullest (Ti4200). Oh well, I'll have enough time in a few weeks when I've finished my msc.
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taskara
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

odegard wrote:
Yeah, I was struggling with X aswell and a friend of mine almost talked me into installing redhat instead (this is my first linux experience as a "prof" not just a dumb user). I installed redhat on a minimum install, fired up x, everything worked except for the mouse. The mouse, however, worked in my gentoo config, so I just copied the problematic parts from redhat to gentoo and I was good to go :D

There's one thing though, I never got that nvidia logo when starting X...I'm not sure even now if I'm actually using my card to the fullest (Ti4200). Oh well, I'll have enough time in a few weeks when I've finished my msc.


u prob just don't have the nvidia drivers installed. it's easy

emerge nvidia-glx
change the driver from "nv" to "nvidia" in your XF86Config file
insmod nvidia
add nvidia to /etc/modules.autoload

kill and restart X
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 11:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you don't want the nvidia logo to be displayed when starting the X-server just add this line in the device card section of the XF86conf
code wrote:
Option "NoLogo" "True"

and then you don't have this boring startup screen anymore ;)
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Diorf wrote:
if you don't want the nvidia logo to be displayed when starting the X-server just add this line in the device card section of the XF86conf
code wrote:
Option "NoLogo" "True"

and then you don't have this boring startup screen anymore ;)


Tried that, and X wouldnt give me tty1-6 anymore, and just black-out @ shutdown.
Removing the line fixed it..but I find that if you have a small error in you X config it has the same effect. How small the error might be, X just blacks-out on screen change.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe that if you're using devfs you don't even need to add nvidia to modules.autoload...

-Progster (should be studying)
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odegard
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

taskara wrote:
u prob just don't have the nvidia drivers installed. it's easy

emerge nvidia-glx
change the driver from "nv" to "nvidia" in your XF86Config file
insmod nvidia
add nvidia to /etc/modules.autoload

kill and restart X


Yeah, I did that and since I'm running at 12x10 at 24bpp I think it is recognized but I've never seen the logo...

Is there a benchmark I can test to see if it is used? I know a modprobe or something could tell but I seems that I've experienced a glitch in the install since I did the install but don't see the logo...
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gooberdlx
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 06, 2003 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Im not sure if the LiveCD uses xfree86 -configure... but I do know that if you get a gaming liveCD.. it will automatically detect your video card and make sure all of the optional settings are setup correctly. that is one thing that is missing from the -configure method, which is the main reason why I did this in the first place.. call me lazy :)

Thanks for all the comments...

as far as the "never thought of this..." all my programming education has "learned" (hehe) me to think in clever, different ways..

jake
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

odegard wrote:
taskara wrote:
u prob just don't have the nvidia drivers installed. it's easy

emerge nvidia-glx
change the driver from "nv" to "nvidia" in your XF86Config file
insmod nvidia
add nvidia to /etc/modules.autoload

kill and restart X


Yeah, I did that and since I'm running at 12x10 at 24bpp I think it is recognized but I've never seen the logo...

Is there a benchmark I can test to see if it is used? I know a modprobe or something could tell but I seems that I've experienced a glitch in the install since I did the install but don't see the logo...


Try this:

Start up an X session.
Bring up a console, xterm, whatever
type:
Code:

glxgears


and see how many fps its spitting out (the fps will appear in your console). I think you should get around 3000 FPS.. Anything less than 1000 and I'd say you have a problem.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 6:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This looks a lot simpler than my original way of installing Gentoo. First I installed Redhat, copied the /etc directory. Installed Gentoo over RedHat. Then copied a lot of the backed up files in /etc to my new Gentoo install. Say what you will about RedHat but Anaconda (RedHat's installer) rocks. I'm still using the XF86Config file generated by Anaconda, with a few tweaks. I'll try the Live CD method and report back which works better for me.
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gooberdlx
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I forgot about glxgears!

jake@brutus jake $ glxgears
3597 frames in 5.0 seconds = 719.400 FPS
5070 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1014.000 FPS
4950 frames in 5.0 seconds = 990.000 FPS
4816 frames in 5.0 seconds = 963.200 FPS
X connection to :0.0 broken (explicit kill or server shutdown).


PIII 600mhz .. 256mb RAM.. GF4 MX 440 (64mb).. NVIDIA 4349.. ck-sources
not bad while im emerging xine at the same time

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odegard
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

16946 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3389.200 FPS
16945 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3389.000 FPS
16937 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3387.400 FPS

I think it works :)

AMD XP2000+, MSI Gf4200Ti 128MB, 512 MB DD.

Thanks for the tip!!

Still, KDE is jerky sometimes but I know there are hundred of threads about that so I won't start the discussion here. I know what to do (I think).
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lurid
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I actually did this with the AA LiveCD. I've had my Gentoo system running for a long time now with no problems, but for some reason I could only get my monitor to do 60hz at 1280x1024.. so I lived with it. Flickered a little, but it didn't bother my eyes so I used it.

But when I booted the AA LiveCD, lo and behold, it started X at 1280x1024 at 75hz! So I just quit X, mounted my drive and copied over the frequency settings. Now I have 75hz at 1280x1024.

Score!
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Nicom
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 2:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

lurid wrote:
I actually did this with the AA LiveCD. I've had my Gentoo system running for a long time now with no problems, but for some reason I could only get my monitor to do 60hz at 1280x1024.. so I lived with it. Flickered a little, but it didn't bother my eyes so I used it.

But when I booted the AA LiveCD, lo and behold, it started X at 1280x1024 at 75hz! So I just quit X, mounted my drive and copied over the frequency settings. Now I have 75hz at 1280x1024.

Score!


I read through the whitepapers on my monitor and used it's exact frequencies, and everything looks great. I should really flesh out the options on my XF86Conf though, maybe set up the Tv-out stuff.
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The whitepaper on my monitor says the highest it can go is 1024x768@85hz. I was able to get it to 1280x1024@60hz which it technically wasn't supposed to do, so I delt with it. The AA LiveCD hiking it up to 1280x1024@75hz is quite a score indeed. ;)
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

387 frames in 5.0 seconds = 77.400 FPS
500 frames in 5.0 seconds = 100.000 FPS


AMD Duron 1400+, 512MB PC133 RAM,

and
of course

SiS 630 <-- DIE DIE DIE FUCKING WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT SUCKHOLE CARD! DIE!
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't forget your other options, these made a nice speedup on my wimpy Mobility M6:
Code:
        Option      "AGPMode" "4"
        Option      "AGPFastWrite" "true"
        Option      "EnableDepthMoves" "true"
        Option      "EnablePageFlip" "true"

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CD2
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2003 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to be a bunny but this is the first time i have ever installed a nix flavour, oh maybe i have done a couple of RH installs but anyone can do those and the first one i chose was Gentoo!

how do i copy the xf86config file from the live cd when i boot off that.
what are the commands i need to use,
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endtransmission
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2003 8:33 am    Post subject: Re: Cheat on your XFree86Config Reply with quote

gooberdlx wrote:


2. Boot a LiveCD! (Game CD) Let it autoconfigure your X for you!



not to be a dumbass here, but i've got the cd's and have the LiveCD! and what not, but what do you mean Game CD? is that a different version?

...thx
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