RHEL5/CentOS5 Graphics Problems on HP ML115/ML150

Well, thought I would note this here for others' use - steps required to get RHEL5/CentOS5 to give you a usable display (without the corruption on the bottom 1/10th of the screen).

• At the gdm login prompt, drop to a console session: Ctrl-Alt-F1


• log in and su to root: su -



• stop the graphical login screen by switching to runlevel 3: telinit 3


• take a backup of the xorg.conf file:
  cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup"


• ask X to create a config for us: X -configure


• copy this config to our live xorg.conf, but force the vesa driver:
  
  sed 's/mga/vesa/' /root/xorg.conf.new > /etc/X11/xorg.conf


• edit the generated xorg.conf for keyboard settings etc with your favourite console editor


• test the config: startx


• assuming all is ok, System -> Log Out or: Ctrl-Alt-Backspace


• return to runlevel 5: telinit 5


• Don't forget to log out from VT1 Ctrl-Alt-F1

 

Hope this helps someone - its not a fix, but will at least give you a usable X session until a better solution presents itself.

Jim

Return of the Rain

Well, its raining again today - came back from a quick walk around the shops (and purchase of some cough syrup) looking like I had been for a swim in my jacket!

Although its not quite so cold, it seems to be a lot more like an average English January now.

Wednesday was David's funeral - it was a very nice ceremony, and a real testament to the hard work that Ness, David (Junior) and Julia put in getting prepared that everything went so well. David (Senior) would be very proud I am sure, and I am certainly very proud of Ness, she was so concerned that things wouldn't go well and everything was perfect on the day. Thankfully, even the weather held out for us with hazy sunshine lasting until the early evening by which time we were all back indoors.

In better news, I have received my new employment contract at work for my promotion to ICT Infrastructure Manager which can be no bad thing - another step on the path to my goals.

Geeky technical news: got the UPS service working on the server at home (kept meaning to look at this since I put it in last October but never seemed to remember when I was at a keyboard), and I have found everything I need to set Ness's laptop up to work wirelessly and run Linux instead of Windows so she should be able to do her thing anywhere in the house.

At work, Tobie has finally got some useful support from our Firewall suppliers on how to get us up and running again, and today we have finally got at least one site working perfectly - lets just hope the other follow suit.

Well, thats all I can think of right now so back to the grindstone for me.

Happy New Year

Well, its 2008 - taken me ages to get a chance to sit and write, apologies to anyone who has been waiting - not that I imagine there are many (sorry, any) of you.

Christmas has come and gone, New year has come and gone - I have yet to have a day resting this past three months though. What with everything that has been going on following the sad passing of Ness's Dad and all the usual Christmas period chaos with the kids and my family, it seems to have been non-stop.

Tomorrow we have David's funeral. Mum is coming to stay with me tonight (Ness and the kids are already at her Mum's) and tomorrow so that she can help me out - its tough being the last person people turn to, and someone to lean on is very greatly appreciated. While I am not looking forward to the inevitable emotions, I am glad we are finally able to put David at rest. It has been a long time coming, and I hope it will be a milestone in the grieving process for Ness and her family, allowing them to begin moving forwards and pick up the pieces.

That is all I have to say this morning, but with time on my own while Ness is staying with her mum I hope to start writing more frequently so watch this space - tech and geek stuff coming soon!

All that remains is to wish you a Happy and Prosperous 2008.