new 11.2 install displays only in failsafe

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hello - I am a novice Linux user. I installed 11.2/Gnome on Compac Presario laptop - 1.6 gHz AMD processor, 1.25 GB ram and ATI graphics. 74 GB hard drive newly partitioned with Win XP on 55 GB and Suse 11.2 on remainder. Had to fix grub (thanks swerdna) and it now boots into Win ok. On openSUSE boot it stays in console and I can’t get a GUI. After login/password I get “Error accessing systemtap module preloadtrace: operation not permitted” I get a GUI and access to yast, system and other stuff if I boot in Failsafe mode. I did a search here but didn’t come up with anything - TIA - d

ps Above in boot sequence it says “gdm[1443]: WARNING: Gdm display: display lasted 0.073955 seconds” This was repeated twice with different values then “WARNING: GdmLocalDisplayFactory: maximum number of X display failures reached: check X server log for errors”

#2

I think I fixed it. Sort of. I re-downloaded the 11.2 iso and checksummed it, burned a new image file and verified the data on it. Then I went back into Win XP and used Euseus to delete the Linux partitions and erase all data, leaving them unformatted. Then I tried to start windows and grub was still there. So I put the XP rescue disk in and tried to fix the boot with fixmbr and fixboot. It didn’t work. I had previously backed up the Win files so I went ahead and installed 11.1 on the whole hd. I used 11.1 because I had installed that on an old computer once before and it worked. I also installed KDE instead of gnome because gnome seemed to be hanging up. I was able to boot 11.1, so now I stuck in the 11.2 disk and it’s updating. We’ll see if this works - d

#3

dcburg, good luck with your efforts.

In case you encounter the same problem again - please note that when you boot to failsafe, often the boot does not use the ATI, radeon, nor radeonhd graphic driver, but may use the vesa or fbdev graphic driver.

You can read up more about graphic drivers for ATI hardware here: openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums In particular post#1.

Some users of ATI hardware that has been categorized as “legacy hardware” by ATI have found that they need to use the radeon or radeonhd drivers to get the best performance, but they also encountered problems with the versions of those radeon/radeonhd drivers as packaged in openSUSE-11.2. If you read post#11 in that thread that I quoted above, there is guidance for how to update the radeon and radeonhd drivers to a more cutting edge version that works better for many users of ATI legacy hardware on openSUSE-11.2.

Good luck !

#4

Thanks for the reply. I found that thread and tried updating the drivers in my previous install but it didn’t work. With the new install the screen is working but I can’t get the keyboard to input anything. The mouse works and I was able to use the virtual keyboard to put some keystrokes in but it is very tedious. Any suggestions? - d

#5

Is your nominal keyboard a USB keyboard? If so, do you have legacy USB support switched ON in the BIOS ?

#6

Unfortunately I only know enough to get myself into trouble! After searching another thread I tried booting into level 3 to run sax2 -r It ran and made a suggestion but both keyboard and mouse are dead so I can’t say yes or no to it’s suggested configuration. It’s a compac presario laptop. I’m using the laptop keyboard. How do I find out if it’s a USB keyboard? How do I switch legacy USB support on in the bios? I’m not very happy fighting with this - is there an easy way to go back to 11.1? - d

#7

Hi,

dcburg <dcburg@no-mx.forums.opensuse.org> writes:

> Unfortunately I only know enough to get myself into trouble! After
> searching another thread I tried booting into level 3 to run sax2 -r It
> ran and made a suggestion but both keyboard and mouse are dead so I
> can’t say yes or no to it’s suggested configuration. It’s a compac
> presario laptop. I’m using the laptop keyboard. How do I find out if
> it’s a USB keyboard? How do I switch legacy USB support on in the bios?
> I’m not very happy fighting with this - is there an easy way to go back
> to 11.1? - d

If you really want to go back to 11.1 the iso is still available at:
http://software.opensuse.org/111/en

–
Regards,
Barry Nichols

#8

So if I understood you right,you stop booting in runlevel 5 by loading X. And you can log in as root. So log in as root(su normal not work).
So you should type > init 3 < for going back to runlevel 3(no X yet) my you have to log in again as root. Now type >sax2 -r -m 0=vesa < .(my -r is enough)
If lucky sax will start now.

I think you forgot to tell sax witch driver he should use on witch display he should start.(0=vesa)

Hope it works

Greetings Erich

#9

Thanks Erich but that didn’t work either. It killed both the mouse and the keyboard so I couldn’t change the configuration once it came up. Since my reinstall using kde instead of gnome I have a gui but the keyboard doesn’t work. Therefore the title to this thread is misleading. I am going to start a new thread under a more appropriate title. Hope to see you there - d

#10

perhaps you could also show us what rpms you have installed so that we can do a quality check.

What is the output of:

rpm -qa '*Mesa*'
rpm -qa '*driver*'
#11

I’m sorry but it is extremely slow for me to do your request as I have to use the virtual keyboard to enter the command. Also I don’t recognize the symbol before and after the term inside the apostrophes. Is it an asterisk? - d

#12

Are you not able to boot to run level 3 and use the regular keyboard in run level 3 ? You can boot to run level 3 by pressing “3” (no quotes) when the initial grub/splash boot menu appears. Does your keyboard also NOT work then at the boot splash?

After booting to run level 3 you will be presented with a full screen ascii (text) and a login prompt. Assuming your keyboard works in text mode, login as a regular user with regular user password. Then type those commands.

If you have a digital camera, you can take a pix of the output and simply upload the pix to a site such as ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing and post here the URL.

And yes, it is an asterix inside the apostrophes.

#13

I couldn’t get a clear image so here are the numbers:

Mesa-7.6-3.1.i586

xorg-x11-driver-video-7.4-87.88.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-video-unichrome-20091020-1.1.1.i586
cups-drivers-1.3.9-4.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-video-radeonhd-1.3.0_20091026_8b89b9-1.1.1.i586
xorg-x11-driver-input-7.4-39.1.i586

#14

OK, these are all old. There are newer versions of Mesa, xorg-x11-driver-video, xorg-x11-driver-video-radeonhd, and xorg-x11-driver-input on the X11 : Xorg repository (see below link).

But 1st, … does your keyboard work in run level 3 ? Does your keyboard work at the boot splash screen ?

Please take a look (again) at this URL that I referenced above: openSUSE Graphic Card Practical Theory Guide for Users - openSUSE Forums
… in particular, look at both post#1 and also post#11.

#15

Yes the keyboard works in grub and level 3. Thanks I’ll look at those posts again but it might not be until tomorrow - d

#16

If you need help re: post#11 in installing the updated Mesa and updated drivers please advise.

If your PC has a wired connection, you can easily do this from run level 3 (ie from the text mode), and I can walk you through it. Doing this in run level 3 will be MUCH easier than messing around with a virtual keyboard in X Window (run level 5).

#17

I looked at the posts you recommended again. I will definitely want some help but I don’t know when I’ll be able to devote the time to it in the near future. I am using another computer to access these forums so I can do things to the Linux machine simultaneously. I will get back to you when I have a block of time. Thank you very much - d

#18

No worries …

I have to say this takes at most a few minutes, but that would be with an average user, and it could take SIGNIFICANTLY longer for a new user, who is still struggling with basics. … Actually, let me change that time assessment, … it may take 30 minutes or more for the software download if you have not updated any software as part of your install.

In essence what I would do (assuming that in Run Level 3 (the full screen ascii/text mode) that internet works) is boot to run level 3 by typing “3” (no quotes) at the grub/splash boot menu. That will place a ‘3’ (no quote) in the options line (with a space between it and the previous entry). Then boot the PC. It will take one to a full screen text display with a login prompt. Log in as a regular user with regular user password. Then type “su” (no quotes) to switch users to administrator/root (and enter root password).

Then very CAREFULLY enter the following to add the X11 / xorg software repository:

zypper ar http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/X11:/XOrg/openSUSE_11.2/ x11repos

note the difference between upper case and lower case and lower case and note the spaces (such as the one before the arbitrary name “x11repos” I made up).

That will add X11: / XOrg repository and call it “x11repos”.

Then type “yast” (no quotes) and navigate (using the tab, arrow and spacebar keys) to Software > Software Management and under there install the applications from the X11: / Xorg (ie x11repos) repository: Mesa, xorg-x11-driver-video, xorg-x11-driver-video-radeonhd, and xorg-x11-driver-input . Check the version numbers after you are done to ENSURE you update. You may get a message they are already installed, … if you do, then you likely made a mistake. Ensure you update them.

After they are installed, exit YaST. And then type:

zypper rr x11repos

… this is IMPORTANT ! You should not have that repos included 1 minute longer than needed after the updates are in place.

Its possible zypper will add many many other dependencies when this update is made. If so, go for a coffee or two while the update takes place.

After this is complete, reboot with:

shutdown -r now

and this time do NOT press “3”, and lets see how this works. :slight_smile:

#19

OK I tried it. Here is the error message in yast ImageBam - Fast, Free Image Hosting and Photo Sharing
It only took about 5 secs for the download so I suspect it didn’t really connect to the internet or there was something wrong with my code? - d

#20

I’m pretty sure I’m not connected to the internet. I rebooted and tried Firefox and Konqueror and both said no netwprk connection. (sad face here) - d