Unable to start xserver on Mandrake 9.2

sin667 · 07-06-2011, 11:30 AM

Hey, I'm basically a linux noobie, and have a problem with one of my machines I use for work.

As the title states I am unable to start my xserver, using the startx command I have been using for the past 5 years. It goes to the blue loading screen with the x for a cursor, hangs there for about a min or so then goes back to the command screen.

I get an error:
..
..
giving up.
xinit: Permission denied (errno 13): unable to connect to xserver

waiting for xserver to shut down

xinit: Server error.

I have tried logging on as root and trying startx again. Same error.

Any help to diagnose/solve this problem would be great.

TobiSGD · 07-06-2011, 04:18 PM

Mandrake 9.2 is from 2003. It is unsupported for a very long time, you don't get any security updates and bugfixes and haven't got them for the past years. If that machine is connected to the net it is wide open for everyone to break into that system. Why are you using such an old version?

sin667 · 07-07-2011, 07:46 AM

The machine is on a closed network, and connected to a printer via scsi for the past 10 years.

The printer is still very useful, but the software that drives the printer is very old, and I believe can only run on a mandrake environment.

I understand finding help for this old version is probably slim to none. I wanted to try everything before I attempt a fresh install, as I know very little, and may not ever be able to get back running again.

Since my first post. I tried using the install CD's to find a repair utility. No dice, all I can find is an upgrade to 10.x or install fresh. That may be my only option.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-07-2011, 01:05 PM

Your hidden .Xauthority file might be the culprit. Copy it to another location, a new one will be created automatically. See if that helps.

Before attempting a fresh install, try using a live cd and see if your printer is still supported.

sin667 · 07-07-2011, 02:35 PM

Thanks for the idea, Nexus.

I moved the file, and then tried running startx again. Stalled the same way.

When it returned to the command screen I checked that it made a new file with the ls -a command. Sure enough it made a new one.

The printer I use is a large format machine and can only be driven using this old software. As far as I know there is no standard printer driver for it. So a live CD would probably not help unless I could load this rip software on it as well.

Any other ideas?

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-07-2011, 02:59 PM

What model printer? What software are you using with it? Do you know what model video card is in the machine? If you don't know please post the output of

Code:

lspci

I can't remember if Xorg was used with Mandrake 9.2, just in case it was can you post the contents of your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file. This file is likely to have a lot in it, perhaps it would better to post it to pastebin, then post the link to it here. Also the contents of your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file should one exist.

Lets see if we can't find where things are going wrong before suggesting further solutions.

sin667 · 07-07-2011, 04:00 PM

It's an x2Tech, from when Xerox dabbled in color graphics ~9 years ago. To this day it still prints faster than most printers on the market. The rip software I use is Caldera, a french imaging software.

I'm sorry. The lspci command posted a lot of info. Not sure if you need it all, but the bottom return is nVidia GeForce4 Ti 4200

I have no Xorg.0.log, or xorg.conf file. In either of those directories.

Closest to that name is XF86Config in /etc/X11/
or XFree86.0.log in /var/log

If that is what you want posted to pastebin let me know. I unsure how to get the contents of those files to a text file on a usb, but I'll try and find that tonight while I'm at home.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-07-2011, 04:32 PM

The good news is Caldera RIP (from version 5.06 up to version 7.22) will work with Mandriva 2005. The discs can be downloaded from DistroWatch.

Newer versions of Caldera RIP run on other distros see here: Compatible Distributions.

That's all the info I need with regards to the make/model of graphics card.

The contents of XF86Config and XFree86.0.log will do. You can get them into a text file by typing (no need to navigate to the actual directories):

Code:

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config > xfconfig.txt

and

Code:

cat /var/log/XFree86.0.log > xfree86.txt

You should now have 2 txt files in your current directory. 1 called xfconfig.txt the other called xfree86.txt

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 09:57 AM

I made the txt files, but am having trouble mounting and getting the files to a usb drive...

They are too large for a floppy.

TobiSGD · 07-08-2011, 10:02 AM

Compress them:

Code:

gzip -9 NAMEOFTEXTFILE

Should make them much smaller.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 10:31 AM

xfree86.txt link: http://pastebin.com/8MTrqNNB

xfconfig:

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Driver "svga"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 16
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 32
        Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Thanks for the tip Toby.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 01:21 PM

Nothing flagged up as an error in your xfree86 log. I can see something stange about your xfconfig though. The Driver section should have nv or nvidia not svga.

You can generate a new xfconfig by running as root:

Code:

XFdrake

then using your cursor keys select the correct videocard from the list.

Another option would be to select vesa as the vidoecard option, that should at least allow you to log in to a desktop.

Either way you'll get the opportunity to test your selection to see if the X server will work.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 02:06 PM

I chose the GeForce 4 (generic) from the list, went to test and the screen went black and never came back. I had to hard reboot after 10min.

I just tried the vesa option under xfree4, same deal, I am looking at a black screen.

sin667 · 07-08-2011, 02:08 PM

Also I wanted to thank you for taking the time, and I hope this is not as frustrating on your end as it is on mine.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 07-08-2011, 02:15 PM

I can sympathise with your frustration. I'm happy to help out when time permits

Can you take another look at your xfconfig and tell me what it says under the Driver section. Just use:

Code:

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config

and let it output to your screen.