Slackware 13.37: white stripes on the windows

[Fangorn]

Hello everyone.

I just installed linux slackware 13.37 but x window does not work
properly.

It is slow to react to commands, but the most annoying thing is that
any open window appears graphically incomplete, including the
menu that appears when you click the right mouse button, and also
that of the K button at the bottom left of the screen.

The image is erased by horizontal white lines and cannot be
distinguished. After a while of waiting, part of the lines
disappears and the image comes together a little, sometimes clicking
above with the right mouse button.

Even icons have the same problem, so that, for instance, I had to
restart
using CTRL + ALT + DEL because I could not distinguish the K/Leave
icon or simply because moving from K/Favorites to K/Leave, for
instance, the screen remains fixed on K/Favorites.

I installed slackware 13:37 on a previous release, using the same
partitions. I use a swap of 3997.49 MB, /usr of 10001.95 MB, / of
501.75 MB, /home as big as /usr, /var as big as /, /boot of 98.71
MB.

I tried to lower the screen resolution, but the white horizontal
stripes on the windows appear bigger.

My monitor is an Acer 77th, cathode ray tube. It never gave
problems.

I do not know if it matters but I managed with a little patience to
use Mozilla Firefox. The input bar of google did not complete the
typed words but after a while I managed to go on youtube, anyway
the video I tried to watch did not start and the page was not loaded
completly.

What can it be?

[jo...@wexfordpress.com]

Maybe you need a Nvidia or other driver. Try logging onto XFCE and see
if the
problem still occurs.

Log out. When you get to the login screen there is a menu in the
lower left corner
of the little login window that has a list of GUI choices.

John Culleton

[Fangorn]

On Feb 4, 5:28 pm, "j...@wexfordpress.com" <j...@wexfordpress.com>
wrote:

>
> Maybe you need a Nvidia or other driver. Try logging onto XFCE and see
> if the
> problem still occurs.
>
> Log out.  When you get to the login screen there is a menu in the
> lower left corner
> of the little login window that has a list of GUI choices.
>
> John Culleton

You mean to try to use XFCE as a GUI instead of KDE.
I don't know how to do it.
Slackware uses KDE as a default desktop environment, that is, if I
type 'startx' from the command line I have KDE. I don't know how to
switch to XFCE either.

If I log out from KDE I find the command line, no login screen with
menus or login windows with a list of GUI choices, even though it
would be helpful. Did I miss something?

As I see it now, it should be possible for instance to run startx from
the command line with XFCE as a option some way, or switch to XFCE
once you are on KDE.

[Fangorn]

Hello again,

I tried to edit the /etc/inittab file, changing the line that says "id:
3:initdefault:" to "id:4:initdefault:" as I found in Internet with
this link: http://www.linuxpackages.net/faq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=30&id=8&artlang=en

I wanted to have a graphic login, with the possibility to chose the
GUI.

I messed up everything, because I found myself with a blue screen made
of white and blue stripes. Only the pointer did work, but there was
nothing to point at.

I could not log out, even using CTRL+ALT+DEL, so I had to switch off
the computer and use the slackware installation dvd to rechange /etc/
inittab.

Might it be a problem with slackware driver for my Acer 77e CRT
monitor? What else?

[Markus]

On Sun, 5 Feb 2012 02:53:47 -0800 (PST), Fangorn <fang...@yahoo.it>
wrote:

> I tried to edit the /etc/inittab file, changing the line that says
"id:

Hi,

you'll simply have to use the xwmconfig command in order to change
the WM.

--
Markus

[Sylvain Robitaille]

On Sun, 5 Feb 2012 02:53:47 -0800 (PST), Fangorn wrote:

> Might it be a problem with slackware driver for my Acer 77e CRT
> monitor? What else?

More likely it's a driver issue concerning your graphics controller.
Stay in CLI mode to debug this, since your system isn't really usable in
X. First see if there's any insightful content in /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

Next, to help with your troubleshooting efforts, it would be useful for
folks to know a little bit about your graphics hardware (besides your
monitor). At a command prompt, type the following:

lspci | grep -w VGA

You'll get output similar to this:

01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS480 [Radeon Xpress 200G Series]

Make a note of the number on the left ("01:05.0" in this example), and
re-run lspci, asking it for verbose information about that device:

lspci -v -s 01:05.0

(be sure to replace "01:05.0" with the appropriate slot number for your
graphics controller)

I expect that with that information, and the contents of Xorg.0.log, it
should be possible for some to help you with this.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Robitaille s...@encs.concordia.ca

Systems analyst / AITS Concordia University
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science Montreal, Quebec, Canada
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Fangorn]

On Feb 7, 7:23 am, Sylvain Robitaille <s...@alcor.concordia.ca> wrote:

>
> More likely it's a driver issue concerning your graphics controller.
> Stay in CLI mode to debug this, since your system isn't really usable in
> X.  First see if there's any insightful content in /var/log/Xorg.0.log.
>

In /var/log/Xorg.0.log there's a lot. I found something, I hope it is
insightful... Mainly errors, warnings and little more. I thought it
was too long posting the whole content of this file, but if you hold
it necessary I will post it entirely. What I found is the following:

[ 26.332] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
...
[ 26.332] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default
setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
...
[ 26.378] (==) No Layout section. Using the first Screen section.
[ 26.378] (==) No screen section available. Using defaults.
[ 26.378] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen Section" (0)
[ 26.378] (**) | |-->Monitor "<default monitor>"
[ 26.378] (==) No monitor specified for screen "Default Screen
Section".
Using a default monitor configuration.
...
[ 26.378] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/local" does not
exist.
[ 26.378] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 26.378] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/CID" does not exist.
[ 26.378] Entry deleted from font path.
...
[ 26.471] (II) LoadModule: "fbdev"
[ 26.472] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module fbdev
[ 26.472] (II) UnloadModule: "fbdev"
[ 26.472] (EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not
exist, 0)
...
[ 26.473] (II) VESA: driver for VESA chipsets: vesa
[ 26.473] (++) using VT number 7
...
[ 26.476] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
...
[ 26.692] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Monitor name: Acer 77e
[ 26.692] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Serial No: 00001
[ 26.692] (II) NOUVEAU(0): Ranges: V min: 50 V max: 120 Hz, H min:
30 H max: 72 kHz, PixClock max 115 MHz

> Next, to help with your troubleshooting efforts, it would be useful for
> folks to know a little bit about your graphics hardware (besides your
> monitor).  At a command prompt, type the following:
>
>    lspci | grep -w VGA
>

lspci | grep -w VGA
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2)

> You'll get output similar to this:
>
>    01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS480 [Radeon Xpress 200G Series]
>
> Make a note of the number on the left ("01:05.0" in this example), and
> re-run lspci, asking it for verbose information about that device:
>
>    lspci -v -s 01:05.0
>
> (be sure to replace "01:05.0" with the appropriate slot number for your
> graphics controller)
>

root@Imladris:/storage# lspci -v -s 00:0d.0
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8234
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
Memory at de000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Memory at dd000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Expansion ROM at dffc0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable- Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb

> I expect that with that information, and the contents of Xorg.0.log, it
> should be possible for some to help you with this.
>

As I said, if you need all the contents of Xorg.0.log I will send
them.
Thanks

[Sylvain Robitaille]

On Tue, 7 Feb 2012 05:44:53 -0800 (PST), Fangorn wrote:

> root@Imladris:/storage# lspci -v -s 00:0d.0
> 00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
> 6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

> ...

> Kernel driver in use: nouveau
> Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb

A quick look at the nouveau driver troubleshooting page suggests you
might want to make sure to disable the nvidiafb driver.

http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/TroubleShooting

That seems consistent with other things I've read about using Nvidia
hardware with X, but I have to admit I'm no expert on the matter.

check the loaded kernel modules for nvidia drivers:

lsmod |grep nvidia

You might need to explicitly disable any that are listed.

> As I said, if you need all the contents of Xorg.0.log I will send
> them.

Wait to see if someone else responds. There are some here who are much
better at troubleshooting X than I am.

[Ed Wilson]

Fangorn wrote:
>root@Imladris:/storage# lspci -v -s 00:0d.0
>00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
>6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])

> Kernel driver in use: nouveau
> Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb

There are at least three differnt drivers that can be used with nvidia
cards.
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Nvidia#Nouveau_vs._nv_vs._nVidia_Drivers


Do you have any problems using the binary nVidia drivers? nvidia.com has
linux drivers available for download. SlackBuilds.org Has the scripts if
you prefer proper slackware packages.

The nouveau website suggests creating a four line /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "nouveau"
EndSection

If the nouveau driver still does not work you could try altering the driver
line to nv, to use the old open source driver.

http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/TroubleShooting
--
Ed

[Fangorn]

Hello again.

I looked for Nvidia drivers modules with lsmod:

root@Imladris:/# lsmod |grep nvidia
root@Imladris:/#

lsmod could not find any correspondence. Is this sufficient to
conclude that there are no nvidia modules installed? How to interpret
then the following output:

root@Imladris:/storage# lspci -v -s 00:0d.0
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
6150SE nForce 430] (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb

I would uninstall nvidiafb if it is installed and if I knew how to do
it... Sorry for that!


Then I looked for xorg.conf in /etc/X11:

root@Imladris:/# cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
cat: /etc/X11/xorg.conf: No such file or directory


root@Imladris:/# cd /etc
root@Imladris:/etc#
root@Imladris:/etc# cd /etc/X11
root@Imladris:/etc/X11# ls -l
total 28
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 28 2011 WindowMaker/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Apr 5 2011 app-defaults/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 2 16:13 fs/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 2 16:14 fvwm2/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Apr 19 2010 mwm/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 2 16:14 seyon/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 2 16:14 x3270/
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 1024 Feb 2 16:13 xdm/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 7 14:54 xinit/
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root 1024 Apr 7 2011 xkb/
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15858 Feb 12 2007 xorg.conf-vesa
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Feb 7 23:21 xorg.conf.d/
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Nov 13 2010 xsm/

There's no xorg.conf, but there is a xorg.conf-vesa.


In http://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/TroubleShooting I read:

4. Is X using the right driver (DDX)?
...
Any X driver (e.g. vesa) other than nouveau or fbdev will cause
problems with KMS.


Opening xorg.conf-vesa I read:

# NOTE: This is a NEW IMPROVED version of XF86Config-fbdev that uses
the vesa
# driver instead of the fbdev driver. Thanks to Kenneth Fanyo who
pointed
# this out to me. :)

# This XF86Config file is designed for use with the VESA framebuffer.
# This generic interface should work with nearly all video cards
# (although not every card will support every resolution).


Might this be a problem?
Anyway I tried to create and edit the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf as
recommended by nouveau website:

root@Imladris:/etc/X11# cat xorg.conf

Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "nouveau"
EndSection

I ran startx but nothing changed.
I also tried to move xorg.conf in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d which is an
empty directory with no results.

What can I do now?
I still don't understand if the system has troubles with nouveau
drivers or if there are other Nvidia or Vesa modules in conflict with
Nouveau

[Henrik Carlqvist]

Fangorn <fang...@yahoo.it> wrote:
> What can I do now?

Read Ed Wilsons message again.

> I still don't understand if the system has troubles with nouveau
> drivers or if there are other Nvidia or Vesa modules in conflict with
> Nouveau

The nouveau driver is the least mature one of the 3 or 4 different drivers
to choose from. If it gives you trouble it might be worth testing another
driver.

You already have 3 drivers installed on your system, simply edit xorg.conf
(make a backup copy first) like this:

This is your current use of the nouveau driver:
-----------------------------------------------

Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "nouveau"
EndSection

Edit like this to test the older nv driver:
-----------------------------------------------
Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "nv"
EndSection

Edit like this to test the vesa driver:
-----------------------------------------------
Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "vesa"
EndSection

And finally, if nothing else helps, we have the evil nvidia binary driver
which you can download from
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

regards Henrik
--
The address in the header is only to prevent spam. My real address is:
hc123(at)poolhem.se Examples of addresses which go to spammers:
root@localhost postmaster@localhost

[Kees Theunissen]

Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

> And finally, if nothing else helps, we have the evil nvidia binary driver
> which you can download from
> http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

That "evil" driver would be my first choice. I've only good experiences
with the "nvidia binary drivers". But -to be honest- I've only used
those drivers with older hardware.

I'm running slackware 13.37 on a system with an "nVidia Corporation NV18
[GeForce4 MX 440 AGP 8x]" using version 96.43.20 of the nvidia driver,
and on a system with an "nVidia Corporation NV43GL [Quadro FX 550]"
using driver version 275.09.07. The oldest of these systems is over
eight years old now and the driver is still maintained.

The current driver supporting the "nVidia Corporation C61 [GeForce
6150SE nForce 430]" can be found at:
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/latest.txt/290.10/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-290.10.run


Regards,

Kees.

--
Kees Theunissen.

[Martin]

Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

> And finally, if nothing else helps, we have the evil nvidia binary driver
> which you can download from
> http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

which would be my choice and in which case you probably need an xorg.conf
like

Section "Device"
Identifier "n"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Martin

[Henrik Carlqvist]

When the installation script is run for the binary driver it automagically
creates a new xorg.conf for you so you will not even have to manually edit
the file.

[Eef Hartman]

Kees Theunissen <theu...@rijnh.nl> wrote:
> ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/latest.txt/290.10/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-290.10.run

In the meanwhile that one has been updated to
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/295.17/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-295.17.run
(so version 295.17, released on 31 januari).

PS: the file "latest.txt" has NOT been updated, even though there have
been 2 "295.*" releases since that 290.10 one.
--
******************************************************************
** Eef Hartman, Delft University of Technology, dept. SSC/ICT **
** e-mail: E.J.M....@tudelft.nl - phone: +31-15-27 82525 **
******************************************************************

[Fangorn]

Done. I disabled nouveau and installed nvidia.

I downloaded NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-295.17.run from
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/295.17/

Then, first of all I followed the instructions found in
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/290.10/README/commonproblems.html#nouveau

that is I disabled nouveau adding the following directives for the
module loader to a file in /etc/modprobe.d/:

blacklist nouveau
options nouveau modeset=0

I rebooted my system.

I ran the Nvidia driver installer, followed the instructions and,
after finished, ran startx from the command line.

X finally worked fine.

Thanks to all


ps. I actually encountered some problems with browsing youtube. I
could'nt watch any video because Firefox blocked and Konqueror
crashed, but I think this has nothing to do with X.

[Martin]

Eef Hartman wrote:

> Kees Theunissen <theu...@rijnh.nl> wrote:
>> ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/latest.txt/290.10/NVIDIA-
Linux-x86-290.10.run
>
> In the meanwhile that one has been updated to
> ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/295.17/NVIDIA-Linux-
x86-295.17.run
> (so version 295.17, released on 31 januari).
>
> PS: the file "latest.txt" has NOT been updated, even though there have
> been 2 "295.*" releases since that 290.10 one.

thx for the hint. On the main site they still link to 290.10, but in the
nvidia linux forum it says:

Current long-lived branch release: 275.43
Current official release: 290.10
Current beta release: 295.17

[Henrik Carlqvist]

Fangorn <fang...@yahoo.it> wrote:
> ps. I actually encountered some problems with browsing youtube.

To see youtube videos you probably have to install Adobe flash player:
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/