Difference between revisions of "Build tips"
(→Hardware problems: entering bios) |
Stillflame (talk | contribs) (reorganizing. incorporating links from the Build page) |
||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
===SMART warning=== | ===SMART warning=== | ||
| − | + | ''symptom'': the SMART utilities say the drive is gonna die | |
| − | + | ''solution'': replace it. --[[User:ideath]] 13:06, 12 May 2005 (PDT) | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
== BIOS problems == | == BIOS problems == | ||
===Password lock=== | ===Password lock=== | ||
With the power off: | With the power off: | ||
| − | + | Remove the button battery. Also, look for a jumper on the motherboard that says either clear CMOS or clear password. Move the jumper over, say "Mary had a little lamb" (i.e. wait a few seconds), put the jumper and battery back and power back up. (if you've got a stubborn one, you might have to power cycle the computer with the battery gone and jumper set before putting them back). | |
| − | |||
===Entering BIOS config=== | ===Entering BIOS config=== | ||
| − | + | ''symptom'': cannot get into BIOS | |
| + | *[[Entering BIOS]] | ||
When trying to enter BIOS, and you can't, try the following: | When trying to enter BIOS, and you can't, try the following: | ||
*press all of the function keys and the delete key while the computer is POSTing. | *press all of the function keys and the delete key while the computer is POSTing. | ||
| Line 34: | Line 27: | ||
==Sound== | ==Sound== | ||
| + | *[[Sound problems]] | ||
===not finding sound card=== | ===not finding sound card=== | ||
''symptoms'': message reading "/dev/dsp can't be found"; onboard sound; [[IRQ]] 5 has nothing on it; [[alsaconf]] doesn't detect a PCI or PNP soundcard. This happened on two Dell Optiplexes.<br> | ''symptoms'': message reading "/dev/dsp can't be found"; onboard sound; [[IRQ]] 5 has nothing on it; [[alsaconf]] doesn't detect a PCI or PNP soundcard. This happened on two Dell Optiplexes.<br> | ||
| Line 39: | Line 33: | ||
===won't play audio CDs=== | ===won't play audio CDs=== | ||
| − | ''symptoms'': the audio test in basiccheck plays sound, but you don't get any sound from an audio CD. | + | ''symptoms'': the audio test in basiccheck plays sound, but you don't get any sound from an audio CD. |
''solution'': make sure the cable from the sound card to the CDROM is plugged in to both; double check if there are multiple places it can plug into the sound card and look for labels that might give you clues; try a different cable if it still doesn't work. --[[User:ideath]] | ''solution'': make sure the cable from the sound card to the CDROM is plugged in to both; double check if there are multiple places it can plug into the sound card and look for labels that might give you clues; try a different cable if it still doesn't work. --[[User:ideath]] | ||
* You might also want to try right-clicking on the speaker symbol on the top right of the screen and choosing "Preferences". Make sure nothing's muted. | * You might also want to try right-clicking on the speaker symbol on the top right of the screen and choosing "Preferences". Make sure nothing's muted. | ||
* Or, open a terminal and type "alsamixer". Make sure everything's turned on and up. Open another terminal and type "man alsamixer" for instructions on how to use this command-line tool. | * Or, open a terminal and type "alsamixer". Make sure everything's turned on and up. Open another terminal and type "man alsamixer" for instructions on how to use this command-line tool. | ||
| − | == | + | ==Video== |
| − | + | Read [[Xorg]] for general information. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
===X tries to start & fails=== | ===X tries to start & fails=== | ||
''symptoms'': you get the grey screen as if [[kdm]] were starting, but it eventually blinks out and drops you to the text login.keyboard and mouse are PS/2<br> | ''symptoms'': you get the grey screen as if [[kdm]] were starting, but it eventually blinks out and drops you to the text login.keyboard and mouse are PS/2<br> | ||
| Line 115: | Line 107: | ||
==Modems== | ==Modems== | ||
| − | + | see: | |
| + | *[[Modem configuration]] | ||
| + | *[[Aaron's PCI Modem comments]] | ||
==CD Drives== | ==CD Drives== | ||
| Line 123: | Line 117: | ||
''note: if the jumper is set to slave, you'll probably have trouble even booting up.'' | ''note: if the jumper is set to slave, you'll probably have trouble even booting up.'' | ||
| − | |||
*CD burners are not a standard part of FreekBoxen, but some builders install them in their own computers. See: [[Installing a CD burner]] | *CD burners are not a standard part of FreekBoxen, but some builders install them in their own computers. See: [[Installing a CD burner]] | ||
*DVD players -- see [[Enabling a DVD-ROM]] | *DVD players -- see [[Enabling a DVD-ROM]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Extras== | ||
*Dual processor support see: [[SMP Kernels]] | *Dual processor support see: [[SMP Kernels]] | ||
*choosing a power supply: see this [[http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/choosing-a-power-supply.htm article]] | *choosing a power supply: see this [[http://www.atxpowersupplies.com/choosing-a-power-supply.htm article]] | ||
Revision as of 11:31, 23 June 2007
Tips for troubleshooting and repairing common problems that we see in the build workshops.
Hard drives
GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB
symptom: The system does not go into grub, but instead chants GRUB GRUB GRUB GRUB ad infinitum.
solution: Go into the BIOS, change the hard drive detection from auto to user, and change LBA to LARGE. Dave says this works 90% of the time, and the remaining 10% might be able to be fixed with a BIOS upgrade but - who's got the time for that? switch the hdd. we have more. --User:ideath 13:06, 12 May 2005 (PDT)
Hard drive clicks
symptom: cool noises
solution: recycle that drive!
SMART warning
symptom: the SMART utilities say the drive is gonna die solution: replace it. --User:ideath 13:06, 12 May 2005 (PDT)
BIOS problems
Password lock
With the power off: Remove the button battery. Also, look for a jumper on the motherboard that says either clear CMOS or clear password. Move the jumper over, say "Mary had a little lamb" (i.e. wait a few seconds), put the jumper and battery back and power back up. (if you've got a stubborn one, you might have to power cycle the computer with the battery gone and jumper set before putting them back).
Entering BIOS config
symptom: cannot get into BIOS
When trying to enter BIOS, and you can't, try the following:
- press all of the function keys and the delete key while the computer is POSTing.
- modify the hardware somehow, changed the memory or disconnect a drive
Sound
not finding sound card
symptoms: message reading "/dev/dsp can't be found"; onboard sound; IRQ 5 has nothing on it; alsaconf doesn't detect a PCI or PNP soundcard. This happened on two Dell Optiplexes.
solution: Google says they use a Crystal ISA sound card, which was an option in alsaconf. You may be able to find information about the sound chip used for your onboard sound. --User:ideath 13:06, 12 May 2005 (PDT)
won't play audio CDs
symptoms: the audio test in basiccheck plays sound, but you don't get any sound from an audio CD. solution: make sure the cable from the sound card to the CDROM is plugged in to both; double check if there are multiple places it can plug into the sound card and look for labels that might give you clues; try a different cable if it still doesn't work. --User:ideath
- You might also want to try right-clicking on the speaker symbol on the top right of the screen and choosing "Preferences". Make sure nothing's muted.
- Or, open a terminal and type "alsamixer". Make sure everything's turned on and up. Open another terminal and type "man alsamixer" for instructions on how to use this command-line tool.
Video
Read Xorg for general information.
X tries to start & fails
symptoms: you get the grey screen as if kdm were starting, but it eventually blinks out and drops you to the text login.keyboard and mouse are PS/2
solution: make sure the mouse is plugged in properly and in the correct port and reboot. X won't start if it doesn't think it has a mouse. --User:ideath 13:06, 12 May 2005 (PDT)
symptoms: you're returned to the console with the message "no screens found" and you're using certain kinds of ATI card (including the Riva128 card)
solution: Change the default color depth to 15, in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 --User:Jeff
X won't start; video driver for onboard chip identified as "unknown"
Video problem with onboard video chip : VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8623 [Apollo CLE266] integrated CastleRock graphics (rev 03).
solution: Change the driver to via in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 Jeff 03:13, 6 Aug 2005 (PDT)
second solution: Change the driver to vesa in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 if via doesn't work. Jeff 03:14, 6 Aug 2005 (PDT)
Resolution is too small
symptoms: 640x480 screen resolution
solution:
- System -> Preferences -> Screen Resolution
- set resolution to a larger value
symptoms: 640x480 is the only available resolution
solution:
- sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg: choose the defaults for the everything but the last question about monitors "Simple/Medium/Advanced".
- Choose simple
- then choose 17 inches
- Choose defaults until finished
- Ctl-Alt-Bksp to restart X.
symptoms: trying the above causes the system to lock up
solution:
- Ctl-Alt-F1
- login as oem
- sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
- permform the same steps as above
- sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
Note: In old systems, using a PCI video card may be contributing to the problem. Try an AGP video card if possible.
X overdrives monitor
symptoms: monitor presents high frequency scan lines
solution: turn down the bit depth to 16
symptoms: monitor presents high frequency scan lines and displays squished version of X
solution: check for IRQ conflict and set IRQ 3 only to legacy. Magix identified the chip but chose "unknown" driver. X wouldn't start. When we substituted "via" for "unknown" in the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, x windows would start but the only resolution we could get was 600x480. A bunch of googling later we tried "vesa" for the driver and kdm worked fine. --Roy Marshall
symptoms: everything's fine until you try to go into X; then the monitor says FREQ OUT OF RANGE. it's the first time this previously-configured system has been used with this particular monitor.
solution: run magix to reconfigure X with the proper frequencies.
Onboard VGA does not function
symptom: Upon power-on, system sends nothing to VGA on-board port, connected monitor does not indicate anything is connected. This has occurred with several Dell small form factor systems.
solution: Install VGA card, load system and switch VGA cable to the on-board port at reboot time. Problem solved (sometimes). -- Kerm Jensen
Networking
Flaky ethernet card
symptom: the computer can't connect to the network after it's been imaged.
solution: Some ethernet cards will work to install the image, but not to connect from the OS. I generally end up swapping out the NIC and it will work fine. -- MW
Modems
see:
CD Drives
Troubleshooting
CD Drive not being recognized? First, check all of your connections, are they are secure? Is the jumper set to master?* Check the BIOS and make sure there isn't a misconfiguration. Open up a term, and run "dmesg | grep hd"--does anything come up on hdc? Finally, you may have a bad cable, try attaching a new one to the motherboard. If all this fails, grab a new CD drive and start over, going through all these steps. If your result is the same, you may have a bad CD controller, or IDE connection, consult a build instructor.
note: if the jumper is set to slave, you'll probably have trouble even booting up.
- CD burners are not a standard part of FreekBoxen, but some builders install them in their own computers. See: Installing a CD burner
- DVD players -- see Enabling a DVD-ROM
Extras
- Dual processor support see: SMP Kernels
- choosing a power supply: see this [article]