X not working on precise

Thu Sep 13 13:25:44 UTC 2012

On 13 September 2012 12:17, Dave Howorth <dhoworth at mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> After upgrading a machine that was hapily running lucid to precise, the
> graphics no longer works. I expect it's a pretty simple problem to
> diagnose and fix but I'm out of touch with the state of the X server and
> config files and graphics card support etc and google has shown me hints
> but nothing definitive. It's a fairly old PC.
>
> If I run startx, it shows:
>
> # startx
>
>
> X.Org X Server 1.11.3
> Release Date: 2011-12-16
> X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
> Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.42-26-generic i686 Ubuntu
> Current Operating System: Linux pcx36 3.2.0-30-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP
> Fri Aug 24 16:54:40 UTC 2012 i686
> Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-30-generic
> root=UUID=39763bed-f80f-479d-9ad6-e45ecbdbcb39 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
> Build Date: 04 August 2012  01:51:24AM
> xorg-server 2:1.11.4-0ubuntu10.7 (For technical support please see
> http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
> Current version of pixman: 0.24.4
>         Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
>         to make sure that you have the latest version.
> Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
>         (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
>         (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
> (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Sep 12 17:17:44 2012
> (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
>
> Fatal server error:
> no screens found
>
> Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
>          at http://wiki.x.org
>  for help.
> Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional
> information.
>
>  ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log
> Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
>
>
>
> There is of course a screen attached (Samsung Syncmaster 191T),
> currently showing the ubuntu splash screen.
>
> hwinfo tells me:
>
> 24: PCI(AGP) 100.0: 0300 VGA compatible controller (VGA)
>   [Created at pci.318]
>   Unique ID: VCu0.CsYoJQHOc19
>   Parent ID: vSkL._0hIaPw8eI5
>   SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0
>   SysFS BusID: 0000:01:00.0
>   Hardware Class: graphics card
>   Model: "ATI Rage 128 Ultra TF"
>   Vendor: pci 0x1002 "ATI Technologies Inc"
>   Device: pci 0x5446 "Rage 128 Ultra TF"
>   SubVendor: pci 0x174b "PC Partner Limited"
>   SubDevice: pci 0x7106
>   Memory Range: 0xf0000000-0xf3ffffff (ro,non-prefetchable)
>   I/O Ports: 0xc800-0xc8ff (rw)
>   Memory Range: 0xff8fc000-0xff8fffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
>   Memory Range: 0xff8c0000-0xff8dffff (ro,non-prefetchable,disabled)
>   IRQ: 11 (no events)
>   I/O Ports: 0x3c0-0x3df (rw)
>   Module Alias: "pci:v00001002d00005446sv0000174Bsd00007106bc03sc00i00"
>   Driver Info #0:
>     XFree86 v4 Server Module: ati
>   Driver Info #1:
>     XFree86 v4 Server Module: ati
>     3D Support: yes
>     Color Depths: 16
>     Extensions: dri
>     Options:
>   Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
>   Attached to: #14 (PCI bridge)
>
>
> 62: None 00.0: 10000 Monitor
>   [Created at fb.71]
>   Unique ID: rdCR.EY_qmtb9YY0
>   Hardware Class: monitor
>   Model: "Generic Monitor"
>   Vendor: "Generic"
>   Device: "Monitor"
>   Resolution: 1280x1024 at 77Hz
>   Driver Info #0:
>     Max. Resolution: 1280x1024
>     Vert. Sync Range: 50-90 Hz
>     Hor. Sync Range: 31-82 kHz
>   Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
>
>
> I found
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/VideoDriverDetection?action=show&redirect=X%2FTroubleshooting%2FFglrxInteferesWithRadeonDriver
>
> and ran a couple of commands it suggested:
>
> $ lspci -nn | grep VGA
> 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
> nee ATI Rage 128 Pro Ultra TF [1002:5446]
> $ grep -i 10025446 /usr/share/xserver-xorg/pci/*.ids
> $
>
> It appears from synaptic that I do not have fglrx or
> xserver-xorg-video-radeon or xserver-xorg-video-ati or
> xserver-xorg-video-r128 installed. I don't understand why not,
> especially given hwinfo appears to indicate it should use the ati
> meta-driver. Nor do I understand why the grep command returned no
> output, since I would hope that the Rage 128 is supported by the r128
> driver. (edit: I do understand now - the only file in that directory is
> geode.ids and it has just to ids in it. But I don't know why there
> aren't more files, so it seems like I can't trust that web page)
>
> I'd appreciate advice from anybody who understands why I'm in this
> situation and what the best way out of it is.

Do you have an /etc/X.11/xorg.conf file?

If so, 2 things:

#1 back it up & post it here

#2 try removing or renaming it - e.g. to xorg.conf.old - and rebooting

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