New Debian install X problem

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: Giles Orr <gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org>
| Reply-To: tlug-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
| To: tlug-lxSQFCZeNF4 at public.gmane.org
| Subject: [TLUG]: New Debian install X problem
| 
| I did a new Debian testing install today on an older laptop that's
| been running Ubuntu for quite a while.  I installed from a new CD
| built with jigdo.  I told it to install "web server" but not
| "graphical desktop" (or whatever the official wording is).  I did this
| because I didn't want GNOME - I've done it before and installed X by
| hand.  This time, after the install was complete, I went ahead and ran
| "aptitude install xserver-xorg".  I installed fluxbox, gave my primary
| user a ~/.xinitrc file that started fluxbox, typed "startx" and ...
| the machine tanked.  Black screen, no response to any keyboard input
| (I tried Ctrl-Alt-F1).  Only thing to do is hold the power button
| until the machine powers off (I haven't checked if I can access it
| remotely).

I don't know an answer, but here are a few thoughts:

- "kernel mode setting" sometimes causes the system to go off in the
  weeds.  There is a kernel parameter to turn it off.  Mind you, I
  don't know whether Debian Testing uses KMS.

- I hope you've googled.  The m700 is not a rare device so I'd expect
  that you would not be the first to try it with Debian Testing.

- /var/log/Xorg.0.log very often tells what's really going wrong.
  It is very verbose and arcane, but worth a look.  The problems
  often show up fairly far back in the log.

- One thing that might help is collecting an Xorg.0.log from a boot of
  a working setup and see how it differs from the Xorg.0.log on the
  failing system.

| "Output TDMS has no monitor section" which certainly suggests a
| problem (although not necessarily a lock-up ...).

I don't know Debian Testing's version of xorg.  Ones I'm using on
Ubuntu and Fedora no longer need an xorg.conf -- they make one up (and
show it in /var/log/Xorg.0.log).  But the made-up ones are sometimes
not good enough so you can make your own.

TDMS is the output encoder for a DVI or HDMI port.  Many (most?) LCD
panels built into laptops use LVDS instead.  If the external port is
VGA, not DVI, then this is even more confusing.

I wonder if your X is trying to use the external monitor port instead
of the built-in LCD.

It is complaining that you don't have a suitable Monitor Section in
the (possibly synthesized) xorg.conf.

[Pause while I go off and look at my desktop's Xorg.0.log]

(II) RADEON(0): ref_freq: 2700, min_out_pll: 64800, max_out_pll: 120000, min_in_pll: 100, max_in_pll: 1350, xclk: 40000, sclk: 725.000000, mclk: 500.000000
(II) RADEON(0): PLL parameters: rf=2700 rd=12 min=64800 max=120000; xclk=40000
(II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-1 has no monitor section
(II) RADEON(0): I2C bus "DVI-1" initialized.
(II) RADEON(0): Output DVI-0 has no monitor section
(II) RADEON(0): I2C bus "DVI-0" initialized.
(II) RADEON(0): Port0:
  XRANDR name: DVI-1
  Connector: DVI-D
  DFP1: INTERNAL_UNIPHY
  DDC reg: 0x7e50
(II) RADEON(0): Port1:
  XRANDR name: DVI-0
  Connector: DVI-I
  CRT1: INTERNAL_KLDSCP_DAC1
  DFP2: INTERNAL_KLDSCP_LVTMA
  DDC reg: 0x7e40

Notice the (II) on similar messages?  That means "informational" --
not a warning.

Notice the RADEON(0)?  That says which driver is generating the
message.

Is yours informational?  Did you quote the whole line?

This just shows that looking at the last line isn't enough.

I don't know that I have more time to devote to this but you might
consider putting your Xorg.0.log on pastebin.ca and sending us the
URL.

| The laptop is a five year old Dell Inspiron m700 with a Pentium
| Centrino 1.6GHz, 1.5M of memory, and a 20G hard drive.  The screen is
| an early widescreen 1280x800 width that used to require a special
| piece of utility software or it would run in 1024x768 (distorted).
| More recent Ubuntus seem to have had no problem with it.

Can you boot a current Ubuntu Live CD (or USB stick)?  Since Ubuntu
and Debian are closely related, that might tell you something.
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