problem updating X window system.

[denc4]

hi,

I installed redhat 7.3 and i wanted to install the drivers for my ATI Radeon 9600 video card. Their website stated that the drivers would only work with XFree86 4.3, i was running 4.2.0. So i downloaded Linux-ix86-glibc22 from the xfree86.org ftp site (i have glibc version 2.2). I verified that i had the correct package by typing:

sh Xinstall.sh -check

Since i'm new to linux, i accepted all default settings during install. Now when i execute startx i get KDE, but the fonts are all screwed up, the menu texts are made up of underscores and other non-text characters. What could be the cause of this?

thank you.

 

[thedaver]

Help me out here....

You're trying to run XFree86 v4.3 which dates back to February 2003 on RedHat 7.3 which dates back to May of 2002 to support a current high-end video card?

I think in principle your approach to remediation was correct, but I'm not really sure you should be expecting much in the way of results or support on the versions of software you've selected.

Perhaps you could clarify why you didn't use a (far) newer distribution version which is more likely to support your newer hardware?

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[denc4]

I should have mentioned it earlier, but i have actually installed version 4.6.0 now.

i had this version of linux laying around for a couple of years and i thought that would be a nice starting point. i thought it doesn't matter what version of linux i take, if i want to upgrade it, i can download and install a new kernel and/or hardware drivers and i'm set.

 

[denc4]

^ 4.6.0 version of Xfree86 ofcourse, linux version is 7.3.

 

[thedaver]

if i want to upgrade it, i can download and install a new kernel and/or hardware drivers and i'm set

I suppose in principle you can take that approach but really have to advise you - particularly on RH 7.3 - that the entire distribution is not being maintained. As a result, core applications and services will not be updated via regular updates.

The consequences of being out of date will vary based upon whether you are exposing this machine to any networks or have other security-related considerations. I would expect that a RH7.3 system - even if fully patched to the latest patches provided by RH until it was taken out of support - would be VERY exposed to intrusions and other security weaknesses.

That's why I was suprised to see that you'd install a new system with such an old OS. Irrespective of linux or any other OS, this represents risks of being a "statistic".

I'm guessing you know all this and I'm just being silly. But I felt compelled to point out that your inferred focus on maintaining the kernel is potentially missing some significiant impact/risk points in a networked environment.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[Grenage]

i had this version of linux laying around for a couple of years and i thought that would be a nice starting point. i thought it doesn't matter what version of linux i take, if i want to upgrade it, i can download and install a new kernel and/or hardware drivers and i'm set.

Speaking from experience as a new Linux user; for the love of God, download current version of Linux and spare yourself a world of pain.

Carlsberg don't run I.T departments, but if they did they'd probably be more fun.

 

[denc4]

I have installed it on a 2001 pc, so it's not a new system. And i'm not planning on hooking it up on a LAN or anything, just the internet. i have no sensative data on that computer. i thought upgrading it to the latest drivers would be a good learning experience with regard to handling the bash shell etc.

Does anybody know in which directory KDE is installed and/or where i can find the version number of it? I want to try to install a new version, and see if the font problem can be solved that way..

thanx.

 

[thedaver]

JUST THE INTERNET!??! That's exactly the issue we're advising you against! If your computer gets owned because it's in an unsupported configuration while on the Internet, you will likely see your bandwidth used for spams and scams. You may even risk being blacklisted by your own ISP. PLEASE reconsider.





D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[dragonforce]

ok RH7.3 is really old. You could always download suse10. Works great; got a lot of drivers for the newer version's of graphics cards coming out now. to check the version of KDE you can always type rpm -q kde. I think its something like that. You can also type man rpm. This will list a bunch of options rpm can take.

/*******************************

DragonForce
-Is it wrong to be strong
*******************************/

 

[denc4]

finally i have installed a new system. Fedora 7 i386.
guess i took your advice after all, thx.

now it finds my ATI Radeon 9600 at install, but the maximum resolution i can set is 800x600 under Gnome. I figured this must be a driver issue so i wanted to make sure i had at least XFree86 4.3 before i install the new drivers. how do i check the version on fedora? "rpm -q XFree86" doesn't work.
also, is there a way to check the version of my current display driver?

thanks.

 

[zeland]

Under Gnome, go to SYSTEM -> ADMINISTRATION -> DISPLAY and make sure select your monitor make & model under the HARDWARE tab. By default, most unknown monitor or monitors that fail automatic probing, will be defaulted to using "Generic CRT 800x600 monitor" settings. Once you sort this out, you should have more resolution options to choose from.

--== Anything can go wrong. It's just a matter of how far wrong it will go till people think its right. ==--

 

[denc4]

i had noticed my model wasn't listed, so i didn't change it at first, wary of any screen corruption. but now that you mentioned it i went ahead and chose an older model of my monitor. it worked out fine. finally some breathing space on my desktop.

it would still help to know how i could check driver versions, or at least a list of drivers in use by Gnome/X window system.

thx.

 

[zeland]

rpm -qa | grep xorg-x11-drv

--== Anything can go wrong. It's just a matter of how far wrong it will go till people think its right. ==--