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Topic: Xfbdev

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spotslayer Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 96
Joined: April 2005

Posted: July 12 2005,23:12

I have started hacking at my old IBM Thinkpad again. It is a 701c that I am trying to do a frugal install on. I am unable to get X working on it at all. It is a 486 with 40m of ram. If I try to use Xvesa things churn a while and then I get a black screen withnothing at all showing. So I tried the Xfbdev thing. When I do that the following is what I get.

root@tty1[/]# startx
Using X resolution from previoulsy selected or default settings.
If you want to change the resolution, run 'xsetup.sh'.

xauth: creating new authority file //.Xauthority
xauth: creating new authority file //.Xauthority

modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb0
XIO: Fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 request (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.
root@tty1[/]#

I have googled much and found some leads but nothing that will
fix things for me. If I do a Xvesa -listmodes I see this
VBE version 1.: (CHIPS 65520/525/530 Flat Panel VGA)
DAC is switchable, controller is VGA compatible
Total memory: 1024 kilobytes

then a list of different modes.

I really want to try and make this thing work with DSL but I am being
tested. I have been foolin around with linux for about two years and with
DSL off and on for six or eight months, seriously for about two months.
I sure could use some ideas. I really don't want to use an OS from the
evil empire. I just like this little computer a lot.

David

rewrite

Group: Members
Posts: 4
Joined: July 2005

Posted: July 13 2005,05:07

i had exactly the same problems starting fluxbox. searched everywhere on this forum and found nothing. then last night i got it to work. (i'm on an old laptop as well, see 'dsl machine' in sig) this is roughly what i did:

Code Sample

[at boot: prompt]
fb800x600
[linux kernel lets loose]
[after it creates authority file...]
startx
[xsetup.sh config comes up]
select xfbserv
usb mouse = no
imps/2 mouse = yes
resolution = 800x600
depth = 16bit
keyboard = us

in my case, i'm guessing (still not sure) that the problem was my usb mouse which i wanted to plug into the ps/2 port using a usb/ps2 plug so i could use my usb flash drive as sda1. (guessing again that this has something to do with the BIOS demanding that peripherals be plugged in before booting up..?)

anyway i finally managed to start fluxbox with the setup i wanted.

i'm not sure about the config you have but from the error message, i think it has something to do with your input devices. does your thinkpad have an accupoint device by any chance?

--------------
main machine: Toshiba Satellite A20 P4 2.8 478ram 37.2g hd winxp home sp1
dsl machine: Toshiba Satellite 2590CDT MobileCeleron400, 64ram, 6g hd win98se

spotslayer Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 96
Joined: April 2005

Posted: July 13 2005,12:05

My thinkpad does have a accupoint that I am using. I an not using a mouse at all. It looks to me like there is a module missing or not identified. /dev/fb0 is there so I am at a loss. I have tried to load XFree86 from the .dsl but have a problem there. Since I can only boot into console using the 2 option it comes up as #. I can't install from that, so I su dsl and tried from there. I receive a bunch of errors to the effect that there is no room or device full.

David

spotslayer Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 96
Joined: April 2005

Posted: July 14 2005,23:53

Well I finally gave up on the frugal install for this laptop. I decided just to go with a HD install. I downloaded the 1.3 image and just did it. I used XFree86 and the generic vesa driver. I got a desktop. I did have trouble with the trac point but searched the knoppix cheat codes and found this.

knoppix pci=irqmask=0x0e98 --to help solve mouse problems--

I added pci=irqmask=0x0e98 to my append line and viola everything worked fine. Slow but fine(old 486 computer). I never could get frame buffer or xvesa to work and I guess a 40m frugal install using XFree86 was just to much to ask. Now I need a new laptop and a new challenge. I know there is one waiting for me.

David

I did this install on a P4 then put the 6g in my old slow Thinkpad.

3 replies since July 12 2005,23:12

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