Fedora Core & Graphics Card Problems

[LennonCook]

I'm in the process of converting the Hivetyrant to Linux. Distro is a DVD version of Fedora Core 1, as bundled with an Oxford Guide for using Linux. But there are problems with the graphics card (an ATI Radeon 9800 SE)... when drivers are installed specifically for it (the proprietry drivers released by ATI, downloaded yesterday), X will not start. Once we get it back to a proper error from the log (Fedora for some reason starts X on boot, and then gives "user-friendly" simplified errors), it says this:

No matching device section for instance [...] No screens found

And the only solution is to revert back to the generic VESA drivers... problem being, that these make the Asteroids game choppy. No, I'm not exagerating. We tried upgrading to Kernel 2.6.9, incase the drivers didn't work with the 2.4.x kernels, but that didn't help.

We did remember while we were fiddling that Windows has been known to do similar things with this computer - it needs Intel Drivers for the mainboard for the AGP to work properly (it sits at 0x without them), but we don't know how we would get these drivers for Linux. The CD with the proprietry intel drivers doesn't seem to know that Linux exists: it, typically, only supports Windows.

Is there any easy way to fix this problem?

[philip]

Are you using X.org or Xfree? I think both the config files are the same (as in the Xorg.conf file symlinks to the xfree86 one).

Have you edited the XF86Config-4 file or the xorg.conf (don't know what it's called exactly) to change the driver? It's in the section for the video card.

[Intrepid]

Why use linux when windows doesn't have these problems?
Windows (XP pro at least) is a great OS, much more trouble free than linux.

Edit: trouble free to set up i mean

[ 11-07-2004, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: Intrepid ]

[shamrock_uk]

I think that they supply the same drivers for the Radeon 9700 in which case I had the same problem. It was fixed by fiddling around with the fglrxconfig programme - especially towards the end you get some option about whether you want to install/use XFree86. I seem to remember fiddling around with them, and it suddenly loading X. I seem to remember that the solution was counter-intuitive (ie. you had to tell it not to use XFree or something like that) but as I haven't got my ATI drivers installed in Linux (and haven't got the space for the kernel source needed) I can't check my settings.

@Intrepid: Linux is far superior in many respects. Having moved back to XP for non-work stuff, I'm dying without the console to get things done. The file system and the way drives are handled is on a different level as well. In Linux, I was able to shift my entire /usr folder on to a different drive without even having to restart. That would be the equivalent of copying your Program Files directory to a different place. I'd like to see how well your Windows applications worked after that Oh, and did I mention security? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Technologically, it's on a different playing field. However, I await the day when we can combine the ease of use of Windows, with the technical superiority of Linux. I shall be in heaven

[ 11-07-2004, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[philip]

Originally posted by Intrepid: Why use linuc when windows doesn't have these problems? Windows (XP pro at least) is a great OS, much more trouble free than linux. Edit: trouble free to set up i mean

Uhm why not use linux if you feel like it.

-It's free.
-Nearly all programs have free alternatives and often those work better than the windows ones.
-You learn a bit more about your PC.
-It's not that hard. The initial learning curve is steeper than windows but you get a lot for it.
-You can completely customize and optimize it for your hardware and choose what you want to run and use.
-It's security features are better implemented and you don't need to worry much about security anymore.
-linux is more stable, uptimes of a few years are common (try that with windows )

[Intrepid]

Sure use it if you want, but don't tell me to use it (as lennon has been doing continually)

-Considering win xp were to be free and i have all the programs i want.
-I know enough about my pc, i just want to do stuff i don't want it to be complex or anything, i just want it to work.
-Or i could just stick with windoes and not bother
-Win XP pro is pretty good, you can't deny that, and for an os that doesn't require alteration as linux does it's pretty good.
-I don't worry about security now, zone alarm pro is a great program
-ok, the few years thing is majorly impressive, but i've never had windows crash not as a result of critical hardware falure which can hardly be blamed on windows.

Don't get me wrong, i respect linux, but windows is the os for me, for now. I tried a linux distro from a bootable cd so it's not like i haven't compared them, i just like win xp, maybe when pladian comes into action will be when i change, but for now it's sufficient.

[philip]

Originally posted by Intrepid: Sure use it if you want, but don't tell me to use it (as lennon has been doing continually)

This time you asked it [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I admit WinXP took a step forward with stopping the crashes but by now I don't want any service packs that kill everything you had configured correctly. Just as I want to tell my PC where to go and not let windows tell me where to go. And the mayor thing is I really hate the winxp theme.

Good thing about windows it's that it's so easy that you can get it to run quickly and then take your time figuring out how to do it in linux. Good thing of figuring things out in linux is that you then know how to fix some problems in windows when you come across them.

[Hivetyrant]

Ok, im able to answer questions now.
Phillip and Intrepid, im not converting Fedora sounds and looks very good and im going to keep both it and XP as a Duel boot.
Oh, I also have Fedora Core 2 now, and I will try some of the above mentioned fixes.