Arch Linux

jidders

Member

Registered: 2008-10-11

Posts: 10

Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

A few days ago, I upgraded xorg to 1.6.1 and probably also upgraded to the newest intel video driver.

Since then, I get a black screen with an "X" cursor every time I try to start xfce4.

Installing xf86-video-intel-legacy doesn't help, maybe I am missing some steps or doing it wrong somehow?
Downgrading xorg to 1.6.0 doesn't help either, maybe I need to go even further back?
Removing the intel video driver and specifying vesa in xorg.conf has the same result as before.
Using a full, minimal, and no xorg.conf all has the same result.

I just need to know what's causing the problem here but everything I try gives me a black screen. Thanks to anyone who can help me out!

One more thing: I hate having to hold the power button to reboot every time i try something and get a black screen, I can hear my laptop hard drive screeching to a stop and I cringe every time. But ctrl+alt+backspace doesn't work and adding

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "DontZap" "false"
EndSection

to xorg.conf doesn't fix that.

milomouse

Member

Registered: 2009-03-24

Posts: 940

Website

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

Not sure if I can help.. but what does your Xorg.0.log say? Also, how are you starting xfce4, by typing it in at console or a log-in manager, or what?

As for the reboot, I think you can just CTRL+ALT+F1 (or F2, F3, etc) to get to a console and I guess reboot from there if the Zap doesn't work. My zap doesn't work either since I upgraded, even with the server flag.

jidders

Member

Registered: 2008-10-11

Posts: 10

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

I'd post my log but I can't figure out how to get the log from the laptop to the windows PC im posting from now. I see the laptop using samba on the network from xp and i can browse it but i can't open any of the files. Also my flash drive doesn't appear under /media when I plug it in. I'll look into this tomorrow.

As of right now, I am starting it by either typing startx or startxfce4 from the console, both give me a black screen. I don't use a login manager.

I tried crtl+alt+ all the f keys and pretty much every other key combination I could think of with no luck

dmartins

Member

Registered: 2006-09-23

Posts: 360

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

Do you have hal running? Newer Xorgs seem to require hal and sometimes lock up on startup if it's not running.
You could try something like nopaste to get your log file up on the internet. It's in community so pacman can install it for you

rzodkiewka

Member

Registered: 2009-04-19

Posts: 41

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

Had the same problem. What worked for me:
driver xf86-video-intel-legacy
hal running
no xorg.conf file at all.
Any attempt to create or autocreate the xorg.conf file resulted with black screen or colorful junk.

Have you tried it?

jidders

Member

Registered: 2008-10-11

Posts: 10

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

I tried with HAL running, no xorg.conf and xf86-video-intel-legacy but still get the same black screen.

Thanks for telling me about nopaste, installed it and it worked like a charm! Here's my Xorg.0.log:

http://rafb.net/p/SuOGBp88.html

Last edited by jidders (2009-04-30 06:29:06)

jidders

Member

Registered: 2008-10-11

Posts: 10

Re: Black Screen With Xorg 1.6.1

Something else i noticed: right before I started getting the black screens, my /tmp folder complained that there is no space left so I can't copy any files to it (only the tmp folder, all others have plenty of space). Currently there are no files in /tmp whenever i check... could this be related?