[NTLUG:Discuss] mandrake 9.1 GUI logout shutdown and reboot problem

[severian@pobox.com]

Howdy,
   I don't have a box with LILO, so I can't check this.  But a little 
googling tells me that you should look at /etc/lilo.conf.  There is a line 
that saya vga=xxx, where xxx is a way of specifying the video mode.  This 
is completely independent of you screen resolution for X(Gnome runs on X11 
and uses the X setting for video modes).  You may not be able to comment on 
the fiollowing statement, since you may never have seen the whole boot.  If 
the lilo configuration is your problem, then the screen should have been 
"blank" during part of the boot process as well as during shutdown.

   I think a good value for the vga=xxx line would be 769 or 785.  This 
appears to set plainn 640 x 480 resolution.  I think you have to run lilo 
to rewrite the boot info for the change to take effect.  Someone else will 
have to address that.  But here is a big caveat.  This is a potentially 
dangerous thing to mess with.  Some monitors can actually catch fire if you 
overdrive them.  It sounds like yours is not one of those, but I can't tell 
from here.  When changing this kind of value, I am always watchful when I 
first turn the system on.  If you hear a funny noise or smell anything, 
turn the monitor off immediately.  If you are using a LCD monitor, this 
problem cannot occur.  If you are using a reasonably decent, recent 
monitor, this should not occur.  If you are using an old or a really cheap 
monitor, there is a risk.  So, proceed at your own risk.

   I read and reread your side note several times.  I can't parse 
it.  Since I don't understand it, I won't answer any implicit questions.
Good luk,
Ralph



In response to the welcome remarks of fredjame at 08:46 AM 7/29/03 -0500:
>I am using LILO, but I assume the process would be essentially the 
>same.  But one question:  Would that effect the resolution of the Gnome 
>display as well, or just the logout/shutdown stuff?  As a side note, if I 
>"shutdown -h now" or "shotdown -r now" in a terminal window, the graphic 
>display of the shutdown/startup messages appear just as they would if the 
>logout/shutdown GUI worked.