Very Computer

Trying to getting X working in Mandrake 9 through a KVM
from my Thinkpad.  Oddly enough, it IS working on another
machine (different video card) through the *same* KVM and
monitor in Mandrake 8.

When I click the "Test", I can never see anything.  It
found the Plug 'n Play Monitor fine (Sony E400), the
video card fine (ATI Rage Mobility 128), and I've tried
XFree86 4.2.1 (I think that's it, not in front of it at
the moment) with and without 3d.  I tried it in a bunch
of different resolutions.  Tried it with different refresh
rates (60htz, 70htz, 74htz, 76htz -- in Windows it works
fine at 85htz, but I didn't see that as an option).

I'm a newbie to X windows.  Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Thanks,

/da

On Sat, 9 Nov 2002 16:05:02 -0500, Donkey Agony staggered into the Black
Sun and said:

Quote:> Trying to getting X working in Mandrake 9 through a KVM from my
> Thinkpad.  Oddly enough, it IS working on another machine (different
> video card) through the *same* KVM and monitor in Mandrake 8.

> When I click the "Test", I can never see anything.  It found the Plug
> 'n Play Monitor fine (Sony E400), the video card fine (ATI Rage
> Mobility 128), and I've tried XFree86 4.2.1 (I think that's it, not in
> front of it at the moment) with and without 3d.  I tried it in a bunch

This seems like a silly thing to do, since KVMs are pretty stationary
while laptops like the A22p are not.  Also, laptops typically don't have
provisions for using an external keyboard--the A22p *might* be able to,
through its PS/2 port, but the manuals said something about an adapter
from IBM (sold separately) being required if you wanted to use anything
other than IBM-branded peripherals.

Anyway, the Rage128 in this machine can output video in at least 3 different
ways:  through the LCD, through the VGA-out, and through both.  It
defaults to outputting video only to the LCD.  There's an option you can
add to the /etc/X11/XF86Config file like so:

Section "Device"
   Identifier "ATi Rage 128"
   Driver "ati"
   Option "Display" "BIOS"
   # ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this is the line you need, in context
EndSection

The "Display" option defaults to "LCD", while "BIOS" will make the
display be whatever the BIOS thinks the display should be.  You change
this by pressing the Fn-F7 key combo.

One more thing that may be causing a problem is the extremely high
resolution of the A22p's display.  With X 4.2.0 and 4.2.1, I have *not*
been able to get it to run at anything other than 1600x1200.  If the KVM
can't handle this resolution (check the KVM's manual), you may be out of
luck.

--
Matt G|There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see
Brainbench MVP for Linux Admin /
http://www.brainbench.com     /  "He is a rhythmic movement of the
-----------------------------/    penguins, is Tux." --MegaHAL

I use the A22p *mainly* in a docking station, which is quite easily
connected to an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse.  I switch in
Windows between it and another machine.  Even had a third box at one
point, until it got too old & flakey.  Very nice to be able to switch
between two or three different machines.

Quote:> Anyway, the Rage128 in this machine can output video in at least 3 different
> ways:  through the LCD, through the VGA-out, and through both.  It
> defaults to outputting video only to the LCD.  There's an option you can
> add to the /etc/X11/XF86Config file like so:

> Section "Device"
>    Identifier "ATi Rage 128"
>    Driver "ati"
>    Option "Display" "BIOS"
>    # ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ this is the line you need, in context
> EndSection

> The "Display" option defaults to "LCD", while "BIOS" will make the
> display be whatever the BIOS thinks the display should be.  You change
> this by pressing the Fn-F7 key combo.

Excellent!  Thanks for the advice -- this sounds right on the money.
I'm going to try it as soon as I finish writing this.

Quote:> One more thing that may be causing a problem is the extremely high
> resolution of the A22p's display.  With X 4.2.0 and 4.2.1, I have *not*
> been able to get it to run at anything other than 1600x1200.  If the KVM
> can't handle this resolution (check the KVM's manual), you may be out of
> luck.

The ATI Windows driver on the A22p is pretty neat.  It remembers it's
resolution depending on whether you're using you are using the LCD or
an external monitor.  LCDs pretty much want to run at their native
resolution, so in Windows in keep the 1600x1200 for the LCD, but it
recognizes that I like me external 19" Sony to be at 1280x1024.  Is
there a way to configure X to behave like this?

Many thanks!

/da