FC4 X Server / Video Issues

[Jim Cornette]

Scott Carper wrote:

>Hi all,
>I did a clean install of FC4 (on same machine that ran FC3 flawlessly).
>
>Install went fine, no issues or errors.
>Video card and monitor identified correctly during install.
>Changed default run level in /etc/inittab to 3.
>Boots fine to run level 3.
>
>I use "startx -- :0 vt7" to start an X session in virtual terminal 7.
>Once that starts, when I exit the X session or try to go to another virtual terminal, I get a blank screen (NOT a "no signal" message). The system "seems" to be functioning normally during this time (ie: doesn't shut down), but there is no video. When I'm done with the X session, my only recourse (thus far) is to press Ctl-Alt-Del to reboot the system.
>
>If I change the default run level back to 5, it works normally, except when I go to shutdown the system -- once the X session stops, I get no video, just like the previous scenario. Normally, I would expect to see the system shutdown process in text mode.
>
>I also tried disabling Hyperthreading in the BIOS, but that did not help.
>
>The only "errors" I'm getting are:
>1. When X starts, I get a message saying "No Volume Control Elements and/or Devices
>Found". I have the onboard audio disabled and no sound card installed.
>2. In /var/log/X.org.0.log, there are a few of the following message: "drmOpenDevice:
>open result is -1, (Unknown error 999)"
>
>I am using this system primarily as a development server (LAMP, Oracle).
>Hardware:
>P4 2.4 HT
>1 GB RAM (dual channel)
>Onboard (Intel 865) Video Card
>ViewSonic G70fm monitor
>MSI 865GVM2-LS motherboard w/v1.3(122304) of BIOS (unable to find newer version)
>No Dual-boot
>
>Any ideas or suggestions?
>Thanks in advance.
>_______________________________
>Scott
>scarper68 at comcast.net
>
>  
>
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=160453
This was broken for awhile and is a known issue.

MGA users are worse off than Intel users, at least the GUI is usable. 
Some reports of failure with other video card types also.

MGA has problems with distortion in the GUI. Some of the screenshots 
looked awfully bad.

Jim