Cannot emerge/install xfree

Aurora · l33t Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 658 Location: Classified

I just installed gentoo on my computer a few days ago. I finally got time to play with it yesterday and, since everything is fresh and there really isn't much on the computer right now, I had to emerge xfree.

Unfortunately, every time that I do that, a major problem occurs...

When I come back to my computer after having typed "emerge xfree," the screen is black (but the monitor is on). In fact, the computer doesn't respond at all and I have to generally pull the plug to get things off and then restart the computer.

Unfortunately I have troubleshot the best I can, and I can't figure out what's going wrong... I figured the problem might be the nvidia drivers, so I removed those. I did the emerge again, and when I came back 10 minutes later the screen was just completely black again and the computer would not respond.

I know the process of emerging starts correctly. I've actually sat and watched it for about a minute and it not only downloads the xfree package from the servers, but it starts compiling (bunch of weird stuff on the screen we all know is the source compiling).

No words, no data, no errors to pass along - the screen is just black! I'm running gentoo just fine on the family computer downstairs. Yet I can't seem to get it working on mine!

<sigh>

Thoughts/ideas/help appreciated.

_________________
"My downfall raises me to infinite heights." -Napoleon Bonaparte

meowsqueak · Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 2:39 am Post subject:

If you haven't go X installed then it won't be the nvidia drivers... only X uses those AFAIK.

Perhaps power saving is kicking in? Try disabling all power saving in the bios.

Bar · n00b Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 73

Specs on computer/monitor? My computer "sleeps" with a black yet on screen (its black but its monitor on black not off), but i can get it back hitting any key like it should.

If its doing this during emerge, it has nothing to do with the X drivers because your not using them yet (while your in console your not using the nvidia drivers).

If i had to make a random guess, I'd say its a hardware problem somewhere, but I'd wait for a few more responses incase someone else has solved this

Edit: guy above beat me to submit, yea that sounds right.

Aurora · l33t Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 658 Location: Classified

Dell 8200...

P4 1.9ghz
512mb RAM
GeForce3 Ti500

Viewsonic a90f+ monitor...

About the power saving idea. Could it be that I activated a bunch of APM features in the kernel that I maybe should have avoided?

That's a large posibility...

btw, I've tried hitting keys -- that was the first thing I figured (the monitor went to "sleep" or the computer went to sleep). Of course I hit a few keys on the keyboard, and nothing works...
_________________
"My downfall raises me to infinite heights." -Napoleon Bonaparte

Aurora · l33t Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 658 Location: Classified

Okay, well...

I recompiled the kernel without all of the APM settings. As a matter of a fact, I only left the default settings when it came to that section of the kernel.

Nevertheless, I told gentoo to emerge xfree last night, went to bed, and woke up once again to the black screen. I figured that would have fixed things, but apparently it didn't. I'm, again, completely out of ideas...

Anybody have any thoughts on this situation? Hopefully I'm not the only one this has happened to and there is a fix.
_________________
"My downfall raises me to infinite heights." -Napoleon Bonaparte

DarkCube · n00b Joined: 05 Oct 2003 Posts: 17

Exact same problem i have when i type startx... FIX IT!

darkcoder · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2003 2:52 am Post subject:

Which kernel are you using? Try a newer 2.4.21 or 22 based kernel, and completely disable any APM/ACPI kernel feature. After got the kernel working try to emerge again xfree.

About the drivers that's not important because: 1) you have not run X, 2) even if you do, standard xfree drivers work with Nvidia cards (except 3D).
_________________
Not bleeding edge.... No pain no game :twisted:

darkcoder · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2003 2:55 am Post subject:

And like meowsqueak said, try to disable Power Management in the bios too. But not sure if Dell provide that option

_________________
Not bleeding edge.... No pain no game :twisted:

Pete_Keller · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2003 12:37 pm Post subject:

Aurora,
something else to look at: /var/log/emerge.log (I think... I use /var/log/e<TAB> to get to it)

The emerge log will tell you what packages were installed, and what were not.

Pete