kernel update + udev killed console display

[ThurstonX]

Hi all.

I've just installed FC 4 (for the 3rd time) in order to isolate a problem with the console display. Briefly, running up2date or yum breaks the monitor. The display is fine through the boot, even looks like 1280x1024, but when it hits the xdm (gdm?) the screen is whacked. A green line crawls across the top left to right, slowly spreading. The middle is white and the bottom fifth or so is blue.

 

During the post-install/initial boot setup my video card (3Dfx Voodoo 4500) and monitor (Acer AL1715) are both recognized. All is fine after the install.

 

On my first two attempts to build this box I grabbed everything in up2date. Result: same busted monitor symptom. The latest kernel (kernel-2.6.15-1.1830_FC4) was not out during the first two installs, so I was grabbing the one prior. This time I updated yum to use livna and installed yumex and launched the latter, forgoing up2date. The latest kernel and kernel-devel rpms were listed.

 

This time around I only selected the kernel and kernel-devel rpms. The dependency check required udev-071-0.FC4.2, so what choice did I have. I ran the update, rebooted, whammo! same prob. Since booting to the original kernel doesn't help, I gotta finger udev as the culprit. Erasing the udev rpm screws the system royally (no X) as one might suspect, so I added udev* back using yum. reboot. Jacked-up monitor returns. Familiarity begins to breed contempt.

 

I can VNC into it fine, so again, all signs point to udev (vs. some xorg thing; went down that road on install #2). Some Linux rag article on udev states that /etc/dev will be repopulated dynamically on every boot. Since I have no /etc/dev, perhaps he meant /etc/udev. Regardless, I'm clueless how to proceed. Another install seems ... stupid. Hoping one of you smart, not-pissed-off folks can lend a hand.

 

In the meantime, that PC's got some BOiNC # crunching to do. In WinXP. It's a sad day. I hope I awake to a nugget of truth under my virtual pillow.

 

TIA.

 

PS - Tried searching bugzilla.redhat.com but that site is about as whacked as my console.

 

PPS - under Desktop | System Settings | Display the video card and monitor are correctly identified (this gleaned from a VNC session)

 

PPPS - I'm currently running the first major rpm update (using yum | yumex), in which the latest xorg-X11 stuff is included. I did this as part of install #2 and it did not help, which leads me to think that this sticky post: [/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=1808][/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=1808]https://www.linux-noob.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1808

does not apply. Since the # of rpms is massive and yumex appears hung (probably just churning away in the bg), I can't say this for certain, however.

[znx]

I've just installed FC 4 (for the 3rd time) in order to isolate a problem with the console display. Briefly, running up2date or yum breaks the monitor. The display is fine through the boot, even looks like 1280x1024, but when it hits the xdm (gdm?) the screen is whacked. A green line crawls across the top left to right, slowly spreading. The middle is white and the bottom fifth or so is blue. 

During the post-install/initial boot setup my video card (3Dfx Voodoo 4500) and monitor (Acer AL1715) are both recognized. All is fine after the install.

 

Sounds like Refresh / Horizontal Sync issues. You will need to edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file manually. Look for the Section "Monitor"

 

Check these settings:

HorizSync 30-83

VertRefresh 56-76

 

Those values are MY monitor.. alter them for the capablitities of your OWN monitor!

 

On my first two attempts to build this box I grabbed everything in up2date. Result: same busted monitor symptom. The latest kernel (kernel-2.6.15-1.1830_FC4) was not out during the first two installs, so I was grabbing the one prior. This time I updated yum to use livna and installed yumex and launched the latter, forgoing up2date. The latest kernel and kernel-devel rpms were listed.

 

Maybe instead of the edit..

 

Copy the /etc/X11/xorg.conf somewhere else, then once up-to-date copy it back in ?

 

This time around I only selected the kernel and kernel-devel rpms. The dependency check required udev-071-0.FC4.2, so what choice did I have. I ran the update, rebooted, whammo! same prob. Since booting to the original kernel doesn't help, I gotta finger udev as the culprit. Erasing the udev rpm screws the system royally (no X) as one might suspect, so I added udev* back using yum. reboot. Jacked-up monitor returns. Familiarity begins to breed contempt.

 

Negative on that, udev is not the culprit. An update to your X is the matter. That is all..

 

PS - Tried searching bugzilla.redhat.com but that site is about as whacked as my console.

 

Console ? .. I thought we were talking about X ?

 

PPS - under Desktop | System Settings | Display the video card and monitor are correctly identified (this gleaned from a VNC session) 

PPPS - I'm currently running the first major rpm update (using yum | yumex), in which the latest xorg-X11 stuff is included. I did this as part of install #2 and it did not help, which leads me to think that this sticky post: [/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=1808][/url][url=<___base_url___>/index.php?showtopic=1808]https://www.linux-noob.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1808 does not apply. Since the # of rpms is massive and yumex appears hung (probably just churning away in the bg), I can't say this for certain, however.

 

hrmm no experience with yumex.. ah.. its a frontend, ok.

 

Maybe you can update everything but X, thus proving that it is an X update that is causing the issue? Unfortunately running mass updates will make it hard to track down the update that is causing the issue.

 

I can however say that udev is NOT the issue. If udev was broken, your system wouldn't work, it is as critical as the kernel.