Thinkpad A22e and Xf86

[macboy]

OK I know a little about Unix, but Xwindows always get me confused!!

I have installed Debian on a Thinkpad A22e and it installed OK. I have run xf86config and followed the prompts most questions I guessed! (Probably shouldnt have done that!)

Any who I cant start it?? The Thinkpad has a ATI Technologies Inc Rage Mobility P/M AGP 2x (rev 64) card

Any ideas??

[druid]

What are the error messages? See if that hardware is explicitly supported by the version of X you are using. You may have to install a module for it.

[imp]

Astro: ATI's a tricky one when working with XFree86. According to most documentation, you require FireGL and a bunch of other stuff to make it work.

Having tried this myself, I can tell you that it's not easy. I gave it about 3 hours and still couldn't make it work.

In the end, I gave up on accelerated XF86 and stuck with the standard driver - I think it was Mesa, but not sure.

In the end I pulled the ATI out and went back to my NVidia - although you don't quite have that option ;)

[locust]

Setting up X on Debian is a pain. Insert grumbling here.

Try running xf86cfg instead of xfree86config. Though similarly named, it's a different tool (I wish I was kidding) that presents you with a GUI thingy for setting up XFree, and I could swear it does better autodetection too.

You'll find that the non-fully accelerated driver's the easiest to get working. I'd get that happening first, then maybe experiment with trying to get the official ATI drivers happening.

[wolfpac181]

nice.... good old Xfree.

is best to run what locust said.

I forgot the command, something like startx or xinint to get it running off command line. do a whereis and see for those two.

when ya run it, will usually go into X or it will toss out some errors that are actually helping tracking down the XFconfig issue.

[macboy]

Setting up X on Debian is a pain. Insert grumbling here.

Try running xf86cfg instead of xfree86config. Though similarly named, it's a different tool (I wish I was kidding) that presents you with a GUI thingy for setting up XFree, and I could swear it does better autodetection too.

You'll find that the non-fully accelerated driver's the easiest to get working. I'd get that happening first, then maybe experiment with trying to get the official ATI drivers happening.

I can run xf86cfg but the mouse doesnt work!! It gives instructions on how to use the numpad keys, but that doesnt work either!!

I am happy to move to a move Laptop friendly Distro if anyone has some ideas?

[wolfpac181]

I can run xf86cfg but the mouse doesnt work!! It gives instructions on how to use the numpad keys, but that doesnt work either!!

I am happy to move to a move Laptop friendly Distro if anyone has some ideas?


download knoppix and do a hd-install, uses debian packaging

[locust]

Or, throw Knoppix in, figure out where it's XF86Config-4 is, and copy that onto your existing Debian system.

(Assuming it's called XF86Config-4 on Knoppix. If they've moved to the X.org server, it'd be the same format, compatible etc but I dunno if it'd still be called XF86Config-4)

[macboy]

download knoppix and do a hd-install, uses debian packaging

Man that was easy. Burn CD, boot all cool!

Have just finished the knx2hd thing all setup OK