For the full auto-install, the instructions suggest editing the etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file if using either a tv as monitor, or using a 640x480 monitor.

Should this be done after the CD install is done? Or should it be done after the full install is complete? The instructions place it after the full install but I can't get to that point. However, it doesn't specifically say when to do it.

I've been playing around with this for several days, using the R5C7 release, and now the D1 release.

Initially, when I was using the C7 release, it would attempt to check the nvidia card, then go to a black screen. Same result with the tv. Same result when I nearly killed my back carting my big monitor into the tv room.

The D1 release seems to give me garbage on my screen install of a black screen, but the tv is just black.

I used the TV option both times when it went to boot: from the cd.

Now I'm wondering if I'm just clueless on these instructions, and I'm supposed to run the install from the cd, let it boot but leave the cd in, quit to linux, edit the file, and then boot without the cd to complete the install.

Hi,

Tell us about your hardware and what you are trying achieve.

Mike

After the install upgrades the video driver, is the time to do it. If you can't get X to work, press Ctrl+Alt+F1 (or F2..F6) to get a console. Log in as root, and you can do it there. Or, telnet in from a PC, if the network is working. On some TVs (most??), the console runs over the edges (overscan) so it's a bit tricky editing when you can't see the first 6 or 8 characters of each line, so it may be safer to telnet in from a PC, or use a PC monitor.

Tips on the modeline:
There are modelines up at the top, and then they're referenced down below, in various "color depth" entries. But only one color depth is actually used! See the "defaultcolordepth" in the SCREEN section to see which one to worry about. I use 16.
Look in /var/log/XFree86.0.log to see which modelines are acceptable to the driver. It will list them under "Validated modes"
It'll also list the virtual screen size and DPI.
You can have multiple modes listed on a line, and MythTV will use the first valid one.
Look for modelines in the wiki, for your MFG. And try the generic ones too. Modelines can/will affect screen position/overscan.
Restart the GDM after tweaking the modeline. I use a script that I call "rfe.sh" (reboot front-end):

Hi Mike,

The machine is an athlon 64 with an nvidia video card and hauppage 250 tv tuner.

I have the computer hooked up to my lan and verified that ping works on it. I've got an older monitor hooked up to the video out, and the TV hooked up to the s-video port.

My goal is to only get knoppmyth up and running on this computer.

I can get the console working now with the D1 release, using control-alt-F1. X comes out as screen garbage, so I'm guessing I need to edit the config file and tell it to use 800x600 video settings.

I know the 800x600 worked because when I run the install, I get garbage on the screen immediately unless I do either TV on boot: or use fb800x600.

I'm slowly absorbing this stuff, but it's going slow. I'm reading the instructions but I'm basically guessing at which sections I'm supposed to follow and which sections are irrelevent to me.

erm, I'm not sure when and if that happened. Lots of pages of text ran past the screen during the install.


Control-Alt-F1 gets me to a console prompt. It didn't use to work for me under the C7 release, so I'm guessing that the video driver is updated now, but I'm not sure if I still need to do anything with video drivers or not.

Since the C7 release merely went black for me, and this one at least gives me garbage on my monitor, something is definitely different.



I'm totally lost on this entire section of your response. Modeline, MFG? You're giving complex diving instructions to someone that can almost dogpaddle. I'm not new to computers, but I am very wet behind the ears on linux.

Ok, I used nano to edit the XF86Config and I see modelines.

I see lots of 800x600 references in there already. I'm just not sure what I should change to make the default monitor setting to be 800x600 with a refresh rate that my monitor will like.

Thorn's post is starting to make more sense to me now.

Like I said, I'm absorbing this stuff slowly.

wheee, so far so good!

I edited the config file and commented out the video modes using 85 hrz, so that the 800x600 video mode at 31mhz would be the first one.

Worked, and now I can see xwindows, and I'm going through the prompts!

Thanks guys!