64-bit won't install

A8N-SLI doesn't have onboard video. Why you then need SLI

Ok, it seems that this board being very new, it is causing problem while scanning for hardware, in one mode or other.

It's sad that I don't have nForce4 mobo, as I could have been of more help. But then again, let's try like this.

In your BIOS load "Optimal Settings", and then only change Video Shadow = OFF, save and restart. Also as A8N has got two SATA-2 controllers, one nVidia and the other Silicon Image, find in your BIOS the second one and disable. If doesn't help, also try switching your drives from nVidia to the other Controller, and turn the other controller, which is not being used to OFF

Try installing.
Also if you got web cam, joysticks, All-In-One USB Readers, etc hooked on your PC, try removing them for the time being.

Originally posted by linuxoid@Apr 14 2005, 05:16 AM
Hi,

Well, just as I feared... Just bought a new comp with

AMD64 3200+ S939
Asus A8N-SLI
Asus EN6600GT-TD128
Seagate SATA 250GB
Pioneer DVR-109

Windows installs perfectly, so all hardware is obviously OK.

Put a Suse DVD in, it showed the first menu / installation screen, I chose install - and then there was silence... and a black screen...

OK, 64-bit is stuffed, then I put a Suse CD in, it asked me if I really want to install a 32-bit version on a 64-bit comp, I said yes, it installed everything, I chose a root password, then it rebooted...and then there was silence... and a black screen...

WHAT THE!

Has anyone please got any idea what the... is wrong with it? How come it doesn't start the 64-bit version?

I read somewhere that the DVD is double layer or something and if I need a 64-bit version I have to turn it upside down and insert it into the drive, but there's a Suse green label printed on the other side of the DVD. ???

[snapback]75596[/snapback]

The DVD just give's you a choice for 32-bit or 64-bit is all. I have both set up on the same machine, which is pretty much the same hardware as yours. I'm using 2 SATAs The problem you're having has nothing to do with the SATA controllers. It's because the version of the Open Source 'nv' driver that is on SuSE, or any distrubtion to date except Ubuntu Hoary 5.04, does not support Nvidia's PCI-E 6600s or 6200s cards. You need the run the setup in text mode then 'not' let the install set the card up as 'nv'. Instead the first time, if you're going do the video setup in graphical mode, manually set it up as a VESA card. The black screen bit is also because YAST (or really sax2) rarely detects the sync rates of monitors correctly. You'll also need to manually select the monitor. After the intitial install you will need download install the closed source Nvidia Geforce drivers that are at least version 1.0.7167 if you want to use 64-bit. You can either run Nvidia's script file or there are some RPM packages out there. Don't bother using YAST's update because it's still trying to give you version 1.0.5336 (which doesn't support the 6xxx series Nvidia cards either). Oh yes, the joys of bleeding edge hardware.

OK, I think I've finally got to the bottom of the problem.

PART I

Hardware:
AMD64 3200+ S939
Asus A8N-SLI (standard)
Asus EN6600GT-TD128
Seagate SATA 250GB
Pioneer DVR-109

Problem:
When installing 64-bit Suse 9.2 Pro from DVD installation freezes when trying to load YAST, all hardware seems to be detected correctly incl. SATA HDD.

My steps:
I've installed the 64-bit version using text mode. Everything installed without a problem. The system booted OK, I can see all the drives and everything. I've installed all the development software incl. kernel sources.

Then I've installed the latest NFORCE-Linux-x86_64-1.0-0301-pkg1.run and NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7174-pkg2.run Linux drivers. The nVidia installer complained that my kernel is only 2.6.8 and may be unstable and that I need at least 2.6.11. But I've installed it anyway. So, after the system boots:

#> login: root
#> password: root_password
#> init 3
#> cd /drivers_folder (folder where the nforce and nvidia drivers are)
#> sh NFORCE-Linux-x86_64-1.0-0301-pkg1.run (and follow the prompts)
#> sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7174-pkg2.run (and follow the prompts)
#> modprobe nvidia
#> sax2 -m 0=nvidia

Here's the problem: now the sax2 starts, shows the nVidia screen, goes to the monitor setup screen for a few seconds and drops out back to the prompt.

OK then, this means that the problem is with the video card and monitor. The video card is detected by YAST correctly but when I click setup it spits out rainbow garbage on the screen and freezes. Does anyone know how to twick the video card?

If I reboot in graphical mode it shows a warning that the monitor is out of frequency:
HF: 74.5 kHz
VF: 60.0 kHz

HF: 30-70 kHz
VF: 50-160 kHz

Does anyone know how to change the monitor frequency? If I use YAST it again spits out rainbow garbage on the screen and freezes.

Hope this can help someone to get this far. I would really appreciate if someone helps me to nail this SOB and configure it properly.

To be continued...

Forget using SaX2. It's got issues with new stuff, and I doubt it's ever been tested on SLI.

Manually edit your syncs. It's really easy. Here's the manual for X.org, and I'll bump you right to the section you're interested in, since I'm such a nice guy.

http://www.x.org/X11R6.8.2/doc/xorg.conf.5.html#sect9

~~ Andrew D.

Thanx, Andrew. I'll try it tonight.

Thank you, guys for all your help.

First, I've installed the Linux source and did make cloneconfig and prepare-all before installing a 6111 driver. It didn't work, most probably because it doesn't support the new 6600GT chip.

Second, I've uninstalled the 6111 and installed the latest 7174. It complained that it should be used with kernel at least 2.6.11 but I've only got 2.6.8. And I've installed it anyway. But how can I update the kernel if I don't even have the whole system working properly.

Then, I've changed the monitor vertical and horizontal frequencies - this didn't help. By the way, how do I know what values I should put in there, I've got LG 17" Studioworks CRT.

Could anyone please tell me how I can update my kernel to 2.8.11, sax2 to 4.8-142 and xorg to 6.8.2 knowing that I can only work in text mode. I've got the latest kernel source in tar.bz2, latest sax2 and xorg as rpm files. Do I have to delete the old ones first or I can install everything on top of them?

Thank you.

Originally posted by linuxoid+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(linuxoid)</div>

Don't use 7174. Use 7167. Those work with older kernels just fine. And you're right, 6111 didn't work with the 6600GT chip.

<!--QuoteBegin-linuxoid
By the way, how do I know what values I should put in there, I've got LG 17" Studioworks CRT.

Head to the manufacturer's website and get the info from them, or get the manual that should have come with your monitor. Both should have the info. It won't work until those values are correct, BTW.

Originally posted by linuxoid
Could anyone please tell me how I can update my kernel to 2.8.11, sax2 to 4.8-142 and xorg to 6.8.2 knowing that I can only work in text mode. I've got the latest kernel source in tar.bz2, latest sax2 and xorg as rpm files. Do I have to delete the old ones first or I can install everything on top of them?

Just install the RPMs with YaST, and it'll take care of everything for you. As far as the kernel goes, you'll need to look at the HowTo we have for Kernel Compiling in Tips and Tricks. Kernel Compilation is different in SuSE than other distros; I can't really explain it that well... but you should be just fine with the default SuSE kernel.

LINUX ROCKS!

It's working! I can't believe I finally got it to work! It's not 100% stable, it needs intensive care but at least it's breathing. Huray!

Here's what I've done (I don't know what actually helped and what steps are really necessary, but I know for sure that when I did that it started working):

PART II

Referring to PART I earlier, when I started sax2 it froze. So I've done a new 64-bit Linux install in text mode again. I've only installed minimum packages necessary for it to work and install faster, X graphical system, KDE, Documentation, C++ and stuff, Development incl. kernel sources.

Everything installed without a problem. The system booted OK, I can see all the drives and everything. This menas that there was no problem with the SATA HDD ever at all. This is all only to do with the video card and nvidia drivers.

Have a copy of the nVidia drivers:
NFORCE-Linux-x86_64-1.0-0301-pkg1.run and NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7167-pkg2.run

Note the nVidia 7174 driver never worked for some reason even though it's newer than 7167!

login: root
password: root_password
#> init 3
#> cd /usr/src/linux
#> make cloneconfig
#> make prepare-all
#> cd /drivers_folder (folder where the nforce and nvidia drivers are)
#> sh NFORCE-Linux-x86_64-1.0-0301-pkg1.run (and follow the prompts)
#> sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-1.0-7167-pkg2.run (and follow the prompts)

It complained about my kernell and system instability but I've installed it anyway because I didn't have any other choice. Well, this may be the reason why the system is not fully stable. It works fine with one user logged in. But if I log in as a second user (eg. root), the mouse cursor erases everything it points at for the second user. When I close the second session, the first user works fine. Occasionally it boots and the monitor outputs heaps of color garbage and freezes as it did before, but so far it only happened once. Well, anyway

#> cd /etc/X11

Now I edited the xorg.conf file. I like MC more than any other editor, it the same as the old-days Norton Commander. But you can use any editor you like. So

#> mc

Scroll down to xorg.conf and press F4 to edit it. I've changed the HF and VF for the monitor to 30-70 and 50-160 respectively, then changed the "nv" driver to "nvidia". That was it. Press F2 to save it and F10 to quit the editor and again F10 to quit MC. Then

#> modprobe nvidia
#> sax2 -m 0=nvidia

And there you are! I mean and there I was! Bingo! It showed the display configuration, I clisked to change the monitor. It never detected my monitor correctly and I couldn't find it in the list anyway, so I've selected VESA 1024x768@85 and that's it! I've rebooted and bingo again, KDE popped in and ... bla-bla-bla, you know the rest from the begining.

Hope this helps someone. I'll make a separate Tips,Tricks or Howto post on this.

Now I have to update everything to newer versions and hope it works even better.

Thank you all who gave me suggestions. I wouldn't have done it without your help!

YAYYYY!

~~ Andrew D.

if there is a on-board video then it will be an on-board video plug at the back of your pc...