Xorg settings for Dell Optiplex GX620

[Hamburgian]

I have a dell Optiplex GX620 with P4 chip and Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02) running 8.04 and WinXP dual boot. The system runs...and well..except for an annoying problem...
On a cold boot I get a black screen...everything is running in the background..I can log in, but can't see a screen. If I leave the machine running for 5 mins or so I can get the screen up by turning the IBM L170 monitor on and off while clicking random keys on kboard.
I get the same problem if I turn the screen off and leave the machine running..when I come back...after more than about 5 mins..I have the smae problem. If I reboot directly everything works fine..screen comes up immediately.
So this is obviously and Xorg.conf problem. I've read hundreds of posts and tried every fix..but mostly they lead to booting into the 'low Graphics Warning' screen and after the xorg-reconfig process I am returned to the basic failsafe xorg.conf file.
Anybody had any experience with this or can offer any tips on how to fix this..pretty please.

[Hamburgian]

Hello...is anybody there? Can anybody hear me? This is the xorg.conf file that I'm using right now...Still have this black screen at start up.....have I missed anything?


# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "de"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:ralt_switch"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller"
Driver "intel"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "IBM L170 TFT"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Intel Corporation 82945G/GZ Integrated Graphics Controller"
Monitor "IBM L170 TFT"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
# InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

[Favux]

Hi Hamburgian,

What happens when you restart X (ctrl-alt-backspace) on a cold boot or after you turn the screen off (rather than restarting the computer)? Have you tried another monitor? Do you have a wacom tablet?

[Hamburgian]

No I don't have a Wacom tablet...but having this in the xorg.conf file makes no difference to the failsafe version.

The problem is on boot or wakeup is that it makes no differnce what I do..the screen remains black...with crtl-alt-backspace or F4 or F7...the results come up on the screen, but I can't see them!

I've been sniffing around and I've noticed that sudo lshw -C video command shows my intel 945G 'VGA compatible' graphics controller, twice, on PCI bus 00:02:0 and 00:02:1, both times as 'unclaimed'. Is this a problem? I followed a thread suggesting that I put a compiz command '/home/mark/compiz_enable.sh' in my startup programs folder..but that hasN#t changed anything....and before you ask having compiz or not makes no differnce either...have already tried removing compiz and compiz-core

[Favux]

Hi Hamburgian,

I don't see any obvious problems with your xorg.conf. But I'm no video guru. Sometimes default depth or refresh rate can mess things up if you're pushing resolution too high for your video chipset.
sudo lshw -C video command shows my intel 945G 'VGA compatible' graphics controller, twice, on PCI bus 00:02:0 and 00:02:1, both times as 'unclaimed'
That does make you wonder, doesn't it. I shouldn't advocate double posting, but you could post this and the other specifics on the Multimedia & Video forum. I think you might get more response there. The video guru's seem to hang out there.

[Favux]

I forgot to mention that when I first read your description I thought that sounded like a bad capacitor warming up. Either in the video card or monitor. But since things work fine in XP that can't be it.

[Hamburgian]

Hi Favux

Thanks for the advice...will post this topic there and see what happens.

By the way, I didn't say that it runs OK in XP...since I don't see the Grub screen...I just leave it and after 10 secs it loads the default Ubuntu dist.
However, if I boot from a CD/DVD..like a fresh install...did one this week...or something likeClonezilla...the screen comes into play immediately....so no, I don't think it has anything to do with the screen. But I have an old TFT, will dig it out on Monday and see if that helps.

[Hamburgian]

Hi again Favux

Checked the screen...and that was it...no problems at all now.....thanks again.

[Favux]

Hi Hamburgian,

You're welcome.

Sorry about the monitor.