[Xpert]Xfree 4.2 fails to initialize LCD screen

Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:32:55 -0700

I have a Sony Vaio Laptop PCG-FXA59 with a 1400 x 1050 native display powered
by an ATI Rage Mobility M1 AGP adapter. When I attempted to install RedHat 8.0,

the anaconda graphical setup correctly probed the ATI chip, but
returned "unknown" for monitor. At that point a small white square appeared in
the upper left corner of the screen and intermittent flashes of color appeared
over the screen. The only way out was to shutdown. After using the text based
upgrade over a fully functioning installation of RH 7.2, when I tried to start
the x server [startx] the exact same screen abberation happened. Upon further
testing I have discovered I can get the LCD display to work IF when I start the

x server the laptop is connected to an external CRT and then I switch using the

<Fn><F7> key combo to change back. If, however, there is no monitor attached,
the display becomes corrupt. The appearance of the white box in the corner when

booting to LCD coincides with the appearance of the cursor when booting to CRT.

I do not know if this is of any significance.
 
 
Here was RedHat's tech response [not too surprising]

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Our latest response:

Re: Unsupported Laptop

Dear Sir,

It appears that your laptop is not compatible with RedHat Linux 8.0.  Although
it worked with RedHat 7.2, there are not guarantees that it would be supported
for RedHat Linux 8.0.  This is specially true for hardware which are not listed
in our Hardware Compatibility List.

I'm afraid that the new version of XFree86 on RedHat Linux 8.0 works initiates
your laptop's monitor differently.  There's little else we can do to fix your
video problems since your laptop is not supported by RedHat Linux.  You may
have to wait for a workaround on the web.
 
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Any ideas?
 
Thanks,
 
Charles Moon
 

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