[SOLVED] xdm - black screen - startx occasionally works

Hailst0rm · n00b Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 10

Hi!

I have already spent a long time on trying to solve this issue, my problem is the following:

Roman_Gruber · Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:49 am Post subject:

hi,

Are the monitor settings correct?

vsync, hsync?

Is the vesa driver with 60 hz vsync working? Try this. If this does then something with vsync or your binary driver is wrong!

Hailst0rm · n00b Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 10

Thanks for having a look at my problem!

I tried the following:
- added vesa to the VIDEO_CARDS section of my make.conf
- re-emerged xorg-server (which installed the vesa driver)
- looked up the correct hsync values of my monitor, set VertRefresh to 60 and replaced fglrx driver with vesa

startx and "/etc/init.d/xdm start" both give a black screen with red and blue artifacts at the top. Now I cannot switch back to the console anymore. I also tried disabling AutoAddDevices and AllowEmptyInput.
Still doesn't work

It seems like the vesa driver doesn't work either.

here is my new xorg.conf
http://pastebin.com/m6b9cf699

and the corresponding Xorg.0.log:
http://pastebin.com/d70fa7e4c

koppa · n00b Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 2

Hello

Maybe I have the same problem? I just updated xorg, and found out that I can't get kdm login screen at start-up. I too see no errors or problems with kdm.log or Xorg.0.log. However, startx works fine, and I also get kdm login by doing manually: "/etc/init.d/xdm restart", or "kdm -nodaemon". When I get to KDE everrything works fine? I have checked that I (still) have xdm at default run level. I cannot think of much else to try. Maybe this is some timing issue, or has something to do with the order things happen at start-up?

Roman_Gruber · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:11 am Post subject:

http://pastebin.com/d70fa7e4c

that doesnt work. repost it again pls

try to build a newer xorg conf with some tools. e.g. xorg-config

First step should be a much smaller and minimalistic xorg.config file.

you have too much options enabled, if any of them makes problems you are screwed up.

Hailst0rm · n00b Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 10

Hi,

Again, I tried several things:
- installed Xfce4 -> the problem persists so it is an X-related problem not a problem of kde
- I did as you, tw04l124, suggested and created a new xorg.conf with xorgconfig -> changed graphics card driver to fglrx and vesa and locked VertRefresh of my monitor to 60 -> same problem with both drivers (didn't try "/etc/init.d/xdm start", though)

This is what Xorg.0.log says on a successful startup:
http://pastebin.com/m5cdc0ff2
There seems to be a problem with the microsoft habu mouse (which i do NOT recommend to anyone, btw.

), so I tried another mouse. The error was gone, but the flickering is still there

.

This is my new xorg.conf:
http://pastebin.com/m9c9cd0b

One more information: I looked up the kdmrc file and noticed that ServerAttempts and ServerTimeouts are set to the default values after reinstallation.

@koppa:
your problem seems similar to mine, BUT:
- /etc/init.d/xdm start does not work on my machine
- startx works, but the monitor keeps flickering while loading kde (see my first post), after loading everything is fine

which xorg version did you update from? And which version are you running now?

wsauerteig · n00b Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 1

Hailst0rm · n00b Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 10

Switching to the console while loading X/kde makes kde play the starting sound, nothing more. I only see a black screen and I can move my mouse. X also responds to keyboard events (such as ctrl+alt+backspace).

I disabled HAL today: no improvement

Roman_Gruber · Posted: Mon May 25, 2009 5:50 am Post subject:

habu mouse = razer mouse. I have a copperhead mouse. I think razortool is also capable to change the software of the mouse.

I considered buying this mouse, so there are "linux" support inoffical.

Never give up.

Hi,

did you try to figure out, which drivers and xorg.configs livecd uses if you fire them up on your hardware. Maybe you get a hint so your xorg.config will work.

Also use google and search for your hardware. My Bios has a bug, so no x-Server will ever run without changing some lines of the bios.

Damn Microsoft shit.

here is my config for my notebook, have a look, maybe you find something useful.
use the internet and try to read as many howtos to get the baby started.

This config works on the latest xorg-server.

Hailst0rm · n00b Joined: 19 May 2009 Posts: 10

I did not complain about the hardware or the functionality of my habu mouse. It's fine!
It is the quality of manufacturing that I complain about. The wire is way too stiff. For me, this resulted in a cable break within (!) the case in less than a half year. It was only transported once and was not used as extensively as my other mice. I searched the internet and found out that there are several people with the same problem. Some soldering fixed the problem

Back to topic:
Messing around with the xorg.conf the livecd created gave no results.
Then I read in another thread here on the forums that some versions of ati-drivers don't work with certain kernel versions. Since I already tried upgrading my drivers to a newer version I thought upgrading the kernel could fix the issue. A pity the current ati-drivers (8.582 and 8.593) don't work with kernel version 2.6.29-r5

Thus, my only option was to downgrade my graphics card drivers and it worked!

Summary:
x11-drivers/ati-drivers-8.582 and x11-drivers/ati-drivers-8.593 seem not to work (assuming you use fglrx) with gentoo-sources-2.6.28-r5. Use x11-drivers/ati-drivers-8.573-r1 instead.

There are still some questions left:

Why did it work with the same xorg version, the same drivers and the same kernel before?
Why does the ebuild of ati-drivers not stop emerging (like with kernel 2.6.29-r5), telling you they are not compatible with your system?

Concerning the first question: I might have overlooked something when checking the emerge.log. I might have.

If anybody can confirm that the issue is solved after downgrading the drivers, I am probably going to file a bug report. The ebuild should prevent you from installing.

Thanks for your help!

koppa · n00b Joined: 23 May 2009 Posts: 2

Hello

Good to hear your problem seems solved. My situation was probably not from the same origin (I'm on nvidia), but I too have now a working environment. The sad part is I don't know why. One night I was tinkering with various things, including compiling xorg, nvidia etc. with differing USE flags, trying different xorg.confs, setting some kdm -configs etc. I could swear that I rebooted one more time before I went to bed, and X did not come up. However, next morning I was greeted by kdm login screen! So, quite unsatisfactory, since I do not know what solved it. First time with gentoo that this happened to me.

k9dog · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 2:20 am Post subject:

Pretty old thread, but same problem is showing up here. At least it looks like the same problem. I started getting black screen after an update. I managed to disable the the xdm service and could boot to console enviroment. I experimented a bit and found out I could run startx, but not the xdm. Neither could I run in daemon mode from command line. If I ran slim from command line desktop didn't start but just returned, which make me think xdm/daemon crashes from retrying endlessly. I am not sure why startx starts X enviroment and slim/lightdm doesn't. It was a new kernel with a bit different options, maybe thats a place to look.

gent2one · n00b Joined: 09 May 2017 Posts: 1 Location: Earth