startx results in locked system

incompl_te · 2011-05-23 04:47:52

I'm having a problem trying to start the X server on my desktop. I've been following the Beginner's Guide to set up my system, but after using the 'startx' command, My screen goes black and the system is unresponsive (Cannot change to another tty, caps lock doesn't work, power button does not work. I have to do a hard reboot). Below is some information that I hope will help solve the issue:

Graphics card: nvidia geforce 240 gt (codename NVa3). I'm currently trying to use the nouveau driver before upgrading to the nvidia driver, as recommended in the guide.

I have opted to use several config files in the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d directory, instead of using an xorg.conf file. I don't have an xinit.rc file, since startx should work fine without it (I have twm installed).

here is the contents of my 20-nouveau.conf:

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "nvidia"
    Driver        "nouveau"
EndSection

and my 10-monitor.conf:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Monitor0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Device0"
    Driver        "nouveau"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"
    Device        "Device0"
    Monitor       "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth  24
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth     24
        Modes     "1920x1080_75.00"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

/var/log/Xorg.0.log
and
/var/log/Xorg.0.log.old

The only thing that catches my eye from the logs are lines 153-155:

[    64.096] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output DVI-I-1 using monitor section Monitor0
[    64.193] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output VGA-1 has no monitor section
[    64.393] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output HDMI-1 has no monitor section

I'm trying to use the HDMI output on my card, so perhaps this is relevant?

Mr Green · 2011-05-23 04:56:17

You do not say if you have any desktop manager loaded to try

pacman -S xorg-twm xorg-xclock xterm

then startx

Last edited by Mr Green (2011-05-23 05:01:08)

SanskritFritz · 2011-05-23 05:00:31

incompl_te wrote:

(I have twm installed).

Mr Green · 2011-05-23 05:05:56

never mind I need new glasses :-)

why not load nvidia driver and try that

incompl_te · 2011-05-23 05:34:49

Mr Green wrote:

why not load nvidia driver and try that

I tried using pacman to grab the nvidia and nvidia-utils packages, but when it tried to install a couple of dependencies (ndiswrapper and 1 other I can't think of), it said that I needed a kernel version >= 2.6.38. uname tells me I'm running 2.6.38-ARCH, so I'm not sure what the deal is there.

I haven't put much time/research into the nvidia problem, but I figure that's probably a problem for another thread.

SanskritFritz · 2011-05-23 07:59:54

incompl_te wrote:

[I tried using pacman to grab the nvidia and nvidia-utils packages, but when it tried to install a couple of dependencies (ndiswrapper and 1 other I can't think of), it said that I needed a kernel version >= 2.6.38. uname tells me I'm running 2.6.38-ARCH, so I'm not sure what the deal is there.

You sure you ran -Syu?

incompl_te · 2011-05-23 21:21:20

SanskritFritz wrote:

You sure you ran -Syu?

Using that command results in the same problem, namely:

error: failed to prepare transaction (could not satisfy dependencies)
:: ndiswrapper: requires kernel26>=2.6.38
:: tiacx: requires kernel26>=2.6.38

while running uname -r gives:

2.6.38-ARCH

SanskritFritz · 2011-05-23 22:16:04

Is the mirror you are using up to date? Normally this should not happen.

karol · 2011-05-23 22:37:20

You're using old xorg-server

X.Org X Server 1.9.4.901 (1.9.5 RC 1)

Grab a new mirrorlist and update your system: http://www.archlinux.org/mirrorlist/

incompl_te wrote:

The only thing that catches my eye from the logs are lines 153-155:

[    64.096] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output DVI-I-1 using monitor section Monitor0
[    64.193] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output VGA-1 has no monitor section
[    64.393] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Output HDMI-1 has no monitor section

I found

[    64.834] (EE) AIGLX error: dlopen of /usr/lib/xorg/modules/dri/nouveau_dri.so failed (/usr/lib/xorg/modules/dri/   nouveau_dri.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)
[    64.835] (EE) AIGLX: reverting to software rendering

interesting too. (from Xorg.0.log).
But let's try the nvidia route.

Last edited by karol (2011-05-23 22:41:23)

incompl_te · 2011-05-24 00:39:58

Okay, I updated my mirrorlist file and installed the nvidia drivers. My only problem now is that my tty resolution is much lower than it should be. When I start X (I can start X! ), the resolution is as it should be (1920x1080). Thanks very much for the help guys.

karol · 2011-05-24 00:44:11

Try adding 'video=1920x1080' to your kernel line in grub. nvidia binary drivers don't support KMS so you won't get native resolution in terminal automatically.

incompl_te · 2011-05-24 00:50:05

Changed it and rebooted and the resolution did not change. My entry for Arch in /boot/grub/menu.lst looks like this:

# (0) Arch Linux
title  Arch Linux
root  (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sda5 ro video=1920x1080
initrd /kernel26.img

karol · 2011-05-24 00:51:25

Sorry, I've made a mistake: you can't do it in grub (and using vga= won't help much)
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=104635

incompl_te · 2011-05-24 00:52:45

I'll take a look at that thread. Again, thanks so much for the help

Arch Linux

#1 2011-05-23 04:47:52

startx results in locked system

#2 2011-05-23 04:56:17

Re: startx results in locked system

#3 2011-05-23 05:00:31

Re: startx results in locked system

#4 2011-05-23 05:05:56

Re: startx results in locked system

#5 2011-05-23 05:34:49

Re: startx results in locked system

#6 2011-05-23 07:59:54

Re: startx results in locked system

#7 2011-05-23 21:21:20

Re: startx results in locked system

#8 2011-05-23 22:16:04

Re: startx results in locked system

#9 2011-05-23 22:37:20

Re: startx results in locked system

#10 2011-05-24 00:39:58

Re: startx results in locked system

#11 2011-05-24 00:44:11

Re: startx results in locked system

#12 2011-05-24 00:50:05

Re: startx results in locked system

#13 2011-05-24 00:51:25

Re: startx results in locked system

#14 2011-05-24 00:52:45

Re: startx results in locked system

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