Arch Linux

Gaeel

Member

Registered: 2009-11-24

Posts: 6

startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

When I try to launch X, I first start the hal daemon by doing "/etc/rc.d/hal start", then I type startx (or xinit). whether I do this as a normal user or as root (or as a su normal user) I always get the same result : A black screen with an unblinking cursor at the top left of the screen, and the computer become unresponsive, I have to hold down the power button and reboot manually to get control over my computer again.

The onboard card on this laptop is a "00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)"

I have installed xf86-video-intel, xf86-video-vesa, as well as xf86-input-synaptics, xf86-input-evdev, xf86-input-keyboard and xf86-input-mouse.

Here are my config and log files :

.xinitrc : http://dpaste.com/124213/ (I've also tried "exec xterm &", "exec wmii" and "exec wmii &" after installing wmii of course, as well as not using a .xinitrc file, and renaming it to .xinit)

xorg.conf : http://dpaste.com/124219/ (I've tried removing the InputDevice parts on #xorg channel user advice, and using the unedited file generated by "Xorg -configure". I've alse tried not using a xorg.conf file at all.)

Xorg.0.log : http://dpaste.com/124223/ (This log is generated on "Xorg -configure", since I have to power down the computer and restart it manually, my guess is that it can't save a log, is there a way to save a log; say 30 seconds after "startx" so I can retrieve it after reboot?)

Any help, advice or pointers would be great, thanks for your attention.

Problem was fixed thanks to bpisciot

If you are encountering a similar problem, try following the steps on KMS from here : http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_Graphics even if your card is older than the ones described.

Last edited by Gaeel (2009-11-26 16:42:04)

cliffbreaker

Member

From: Tiraspol, Transnistria

Registered: 2008-11-23

Posts: 52

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

First of all, run Xorg -configure. Then MOVE it from root directory to /etc/X11 and rename that file xorg.conf.new to xorg.conf

Xorg -configure
         mv xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Last edited by cliffbreaker (2009-11-24 13:32:48)

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Windows works in 80 % cases, Linux in 20%, but you can make linux work in other 80% cases whilst you can never make windows work in last 20%

majiq

Member

Registered: 2009-03-06

Posts: 259

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

I would try without the xorg.conf entirely. They've recently made a push so that most hardware works without one, and so you only need it for special options. See if you can handle it vanilla, and then go for your special configuration afterwards.

lustikus

Member

Registered: 2009-11-10

Posts: 262

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

often the system didn't crash entirely, try open a new console with ctrl+alt+F2 and make a clean reboot. This is probably healthier for your hardware.
And I would also try startx without any xorg.conf first.

Gaeel

Member

Registered: 2009-11-24

Posts: 6

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

First of all, run Xorg -configure. Then MOVE it from root directory to /etc/X11 and rename that file xorg.conf.new to xorg.conf

Xorg -configure
         mv xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf

That's what I was doing, the xorg.conf file I posted was copied to /etc/X11/xorg.conf and run from there and wgetpasted from there too.

I would try without the xorg.conf entirely. They've recently made a push so that most hardware works without one, and so you only need it for special options. See if you can handle it vanilla, and then go for your special configuration afterwards.

I've tried not using an xorg.conf file at all (and again right now, just in case) and it gives the same result.

often the system didn't crash entirely, try open a new console with ctrl+alt+F2 and make a clean reboot. This is probably healthier for your hardware.
And I would also try startx without any xorg.conf first.

ctrl+alt+F2 didn't do anything, in case it opened a console but that is was hidden, I tried blindly logging in as root and rebooting, and no effect, I still have to power down the nasty way.

Could this be a problem with my computer being too old for the xf86-video-intel drivers? Is it worth trying the intel-legacy drivers just in case? I'm afraid they might be even more unstable due to their experimental nature.

cliffbreaker

Member

From: Tiraspol, Transnistria

Registered: 2008-11-23

Posts: 52

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

That's what I was doing, the xorg.conf file I posted was copied to /etc/X11/xorg.conf and run from there and wgetpasted from there too.

But your xorg.0.log tells that your machine uses xorg thats in root directory. Just read it carefully!!!

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Windows works in 80 % cases, Linux in 20%, but you can make linux work in other 80% cases whilst you can never make windows work in last 20%

Gaeel

Member

Registered: 2009-11-24

Posts: 6

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

That's what I was doing, the xorg.conf file I posted was copied to /etc/X11/xorg.conf and run from there and wgetpasted from there too.

But your xorg.0.log tells that your machine uses xorg thats in root directory. Just read it carefully!!!

Yeah, but that log isn't generated when I "startx", it's generated when I "Xorg -configure". Since my computer crashes and doesn't allow me to cleanly close X before shutting down (I have to power it down myself by holding down the power button) it doesn't generate a new log file.

Here, this is the result for "dir /etc/X11" http://dpaste.com/124580/
And this is the xorg.conf that is in there now http://dpaste.com/124582/

I tried running it without that file, but it still doesn't work, so whether the xorg.conf is in /etc/X11 or not, it does the same thing.

cliffbreaker

Member

From: Tiraspol, Transnistria

Registered: 2008-11-23

Posts: 52

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

try to reboot your machine correctly - go to CLI, i mean ctrl + alt + F2, log in and type

sudo reboot

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Windows works in 80 % cases, Linux in 20%, but you can make linux work in other 80% cases whilst you can never make windows work in last 20%

bpisciot

Member

From: Flyover Land

Registered: 2004-12-16

Posts: 78

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

There have been many reports of problems with the new version of xorg.  It appears you have an Intel graphics chipset.  Here's the Wiki entry for Intel graphics:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_Graphics

Pay particular attention to the information on KMS.  Even though I have an older Intel graphics chip (i810) I needed to enable KMS for xorg to work.  Without the KMS settings, my xorg crashed completely and required a hard reboot.  Also, I agree with the advice to have Hal and Dbus running, and start X without an xorg.conf. 

Good luck.

Bob

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"You're only young once, but you can always be immature."

Gaeel

Member

Registered: 2009-11-24

Posts: 6

Re: startx crashes machine [old laptop intel graphics]

There have been many reports of problems with the new version of xorg.  It appears you have an Intel graphics chipset.  Here's the Wiki entry for Intel graphics:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_Graphics

Pay particular attention to the information on KMS.  Even though I have an older Intel graphics chip (i810) I needed to enable KMS for xorg to work.  Without the KMS settings, my xorg crashed completely and required a hard reboot.  Also, I agree with the advice to have Hal and Dbus running, and start X without an xorg.conf. 

Good luck.

Bob

Oh, that worked great! Thanks!

it's as ugly as hell right now, but that's nothing a decent WM and some tweaking can't fix...

Thanks a lot!