Howto: Display With Ati Radeon 9600 Se

This howto will include setting up and configing "Graphic Card and Monitor Properties" & "Desktop Effects" within "The Does & The Don't". For most of this howto I will use the GUI, but there are some terminal/console work if needed. I explain everything down to the last period, so you shouldn't get lost.
Directed towards the new comers.

The Graphic card "ATI Radeon 9600 SE"

Frame Buffer: 128MB DDR
Memory Interface: 64-bit
Rendering Pipelines: 4
Pixel Fillrate (Gpixels/sec): 1.3
Engine Clock (MHz): 325
Memory Clock (MHz): 200
Output Connections: VGA + S-VIDEO + DVI


Within "Graphic Card and Monitor Properties", you can enable two monitors on this graphic card. Clone mode is default, but you can also enable Xinerama mode. It works flawlessly and out of the box. Make sure "Add 3D Acceleration" is checked for any "Desktop Effects".

Within "Desktop Effects", this feature says there is no support for this graphic card. Well, there is support for the graphic card, but it's not fully supported. You can and should be able to tweak anything in the list of Desktop Effects without any problems. But it's limited to only one monitor OR two monitors with Clode mode enable and you should be able to have multiple display beyond two monitors within Clone Mode. Note, Xinerama Mode doesn't work with "Desktop Effects". It will toss you into the console mode during boot up and tell you the X Server failed.


Review:

"Graphic Card and Monitor Properties"
Multiple Monitors = Prefect
Clone Mode = Prefect
Xinerama = Prefect

"Desktop Effects"
Desktop Effects with Single Monitor = Prefect
Desktop Effects with Multiple Monitor in Xinerama mode = Failed
Desktop Effects with Multiple Monitor in Clode mode = Prefect


Troubleshooting:

- If you are tossed into the Console because of failed X server and if replacing the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file with a working copy of xorg.conf does NOT fix the failed X Server issus.

Try this:

Load yourself into the Console
*@ Desktop Ctrl+Alt+F4*

su

init 1

- Wait one minute
- Login into root

yast

- Hardware --> Graphics card and monitor
- SaX2
Then all you got to do is Config it
by add "Add 3D Acceleration"

reboot

Now, you have a working Desktop


- If your able to access your Desktop, but everything appears to be frozen except your Mouse.
Then you should also use the method above or below.

Load yourself into the Console
*@ Desktop Ctrl+Alt+F4*

su

init 1

- Wait one minute
- Login into root

yast

- Hardware --> Graphics card and monitor
- SaX2
Then all you got to do is Config it
by add "Add 3D Acceleration"

reboot

Now, you have a working Desktop

NOTE:
You could also try these commands below, direct access to disabling desktop effect, but I, myself haven't tried it.

Switch to a console,
login to the console (or open a console window if you have that)
and grant yourself root rights with
' su - '
Then you can enter
' gnome-xgl-switch --disable-xgl '
Restart X or your system and you should have your normal 2D desktop.
Then you can use Sax to set the correct resolution again (if needed).

Cheers,
Wj
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I hope this helps & credit, swerdna provided console commands & WJM for more command lines.

Cheers,
Ocha