Trying to get MCE Working with no Luck..Newbie questions inc

[colinjones]

Yes, during the install there is a point at which the screen blanks as it goes to sleep, this is normal, and I usually just hit the Shift key to wake it up. But that is the only point at which it does it. Once you get the login prompt it doesn't do that.... but if it can't start X, the screen will flicker on and off, as I described above, as it repeatedly tries. You haven't answered my question about the reboot... if it isn't rebooting at that point, just flickering the screen, then it is a problem with X not starting. You need to specifically answer the questions I am asking as accurately as possible otherwise I cannot help you.

If it sounds like what I have described here, then you can determine what is causing X not to start by looking in the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file... but given you are using a 7900 chipset, it is probably that you haven't installed the latest nVidia drivers. Look on the wiki for the article Display Drivers, it has a clear and reliable explanation on how to install these from the GRUB boot menu. Also, have you got an on board graphics chipset as well as a graphics card? Or just onboard, or just card? That is important as I will need to give you instructions if you have more than one chipset.

[abletechnician]

I reread what you typed Colin and it is exactly that...what is the fix..I am trying a cd install again but this time I am going to update 7.10 and add the updated Nvidia Driver..

[abletechnician]

There is no Onboard Graphics card and I toggled BIOS to be yes to plug and play OS

[colinjones]

Exactly what? Do you mean you need the fix for having 2 graphics chipsets?

Either way, if this is just an X problem due to you using a 7900 chipset, there is no reason to use the CDs as they take much longer. Use the DVD, then use the GRUB menu to exit to the recovery console, and then follow that article to download and install the new drivers.

If you have 2 graphics chipsets, then you need to ensure that the correct one is being used. Allow LMCE to start up and fail - this will create the base xorg.conf file that configures X. Now reboot and break in at the GRUB menu again. You can now type:

lspci

This will list all your PCI devices - both chipsets will be displayed. Make note of the PCI ID for the chipset you want to use. It will be something like 2:01...

Now edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and in the section marked "Device" modify the PCI Bus ID parameter to match what you noted above. While you are there, make sure the driver says "nvidia" not "nv" or "vesa".

Save the file and reboot. This will now get you into the AV Wizard.... however the default connector that it selects is VGA, if you are using HDMI/DVI, you will need to use the keyboard shortcuts documented in the wiki article on the AV Wizard to change the connector once you are inside the AV Wizard.

EDIT: OK, then follow the first bit for installing the latest driver, again DVD is fine...

[abletechnician]

I truly appreciate all the help..I know folks probably come here with all the same questions and most folks would rather just lol at me...I assume you mean this link sir
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers

[colinjones]

Yes, specifically this section - http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers#Latest_Drivers

You can try the way it mentions, after the issue occurs by pressing the F keys... but you may find that it continues flickering and loosing the screen whilst you are trying to type, so the alternative (which I thought this article actually documented somewhere, will check into that) is to reboot, then after your BIOS POST check completes and it starts to boot, you will see the GRUB menu pop on for a few seconds of countdown. Hit ESC to get into the GRUB menu, and choose the recovery console. This will drop you out to a command line pretty quickly. The system is in supervisor mode, so you don't need the sudo command from the article, and X hasn't started up, so you won't need the telinit command either.

Its unlikely that you will have the legacy driver issue, so ignore that. When the drivers are installing it will ask you some questions.... don't bother searching for kernel interface, just tell it to recompile them itself. Then at the end, it will ask if you want it to generate an xorg.conf file automatically.... say no. Once it has dropped you back to the command line, you can then edit the xorg.conf file yourself to check the driver says "nvidia". This file is where you can make lots of other alterations as well to tune the screen mode and how it interacts with your display... but lets wait until those issues pop up before trying to fix them!

[abletechnician]

Ok getting closer following the recovery mode instructions I was able to update the driver and if I do startx from there I can at least get to the desktop. Is there a preferred version of the Linux driver that is perhaps more stable....Also does anyone have a basic config for xorg.conf for Nvidia....

[colinjones]

Once you can startx you are ready to go, just reboot and let LMCE enter the AV Wizard. You should see the DCERouter login come up, then after a few seconds the screen will flicker, go blank, but stay blank this time. Leave it for a few seconds to settle down - it is now outputing the AV Wizard, however it defaults to VGA which is why you see nothing. The keyboard shortcut to switch it to DVI is '1'.

The screen will flicker again, as X shuts down and reconfigures the xorg.conf file. You will probably see the login again for a few seconds, then it will start back up again - this time you should see the AV Wizard. The output is in 640x480, as long as your screen can go that low you will see the image. If not, you may need to try the other shortcuts to change resolution... process is the same. The output connector and resolution chosen by these short cuts only effects the AV Wizard, not the ultimate resolution of your Media Director. Now as you go through the AV Wizard you will select the ultimate settings for LMCE itself.

There is no base xorg.conf file as it is highly dependant on the screen and chipset. Don't worry about that yet, just try to get a suitable configuration using the wizard. You only need to edit the config file if the wizard can't provide a suitable configuration.

[abletechnician]

It gave me an error on the AV wizard...I am going to install the 64 Bit DVD and try again...can you tell me which is the most stable Linux Driver?

[colinjones]

steer clear of the 64 bit if you are having compatiblity issue, stay with i386. As for the driver, there have been several recently, I don't know about the most recent few, but the first 180.xx seemed pretty good and the major release prior to that was very good from my experience...

[totallymaxed]

Even during the install of 7.10 I386 I have to jiggle the mouse to get the install screen to comeback..its almost like some sort of powersave feature...I have a Nvidia 7900gtx and a sony LCD connected via DVI

Thats normal its just the screen going to sleep...

Andrew

[totallymaxed]

steer clear of the 64 bit if you are having compatiblity issue, stay with i386. As for the driver, there have been several recently, I don't know about the most recent few, but the first 180.xx seemed pretty good and the major release prior to that was very good from my experience...

We're using 180.22 currently and its solid as a rock and does seem to deliver more performance from the same video card.

All the best

Andrew

[abletechnician]

well when I would start the Media Center after start x it would never launch the AV wizard...I appreciate all the help here..However I had PC parts all over the living room floor...so I threw in the towel at this point and loaded Kubuntu 8.10...I will try again whenever the Beta comes out for 8.10...It just seems like with such a basic vanilla PC as mine with an Nvidia card that the standard install would work out of the box.  I did update to both 180.29 and 177...Neither made it where I could reboot and get the Linux Media Center to start.  I always had to go into recovery mode and then start x...I am hopeful that the new Beta will fix some of these basic issues...I believe most folks have Nvidia and DVI connected monitors...Oh well It was an awesome learning experience so far..I haven't played with linux in a long time so I am glad to have a real box up and running again..I will watch the site and when 8.10 Beta is out I will give it a go then..again a heartfelt thanks to all the advice here.  I really appreciate it.