[NTLUG:Discuss] Changing Cards

[JR Newsletters]

Pervaz Allaudin wrote:

> What is the "prescribed" way of changing video cards on a limux system.

No one prescribed method.  Here's a summary of the steps I usually follow:

Step 1:  Make Certain you have the right video card drivers compiled 
either in your kernel, or as kernel modules so the system can use them.  
Check to make certain you have the right Xwindows servers available 
too....It not, get them installled and ready on your machine.

Step 2:  Fix your sytem to boot into run level 3 by selecting the 
runlevel in inittab.  (ie - set it to boot without starting X windows)

Step 3:  Take out old video car and put in new video card (obviously 
without the machine being powered).

Step 4:  Boot up machine and Rerun XF86Setup, XFree --configure, or 
Xconfigurator (easiest method if available) from the command line to get 
a new XFConfig-4 file for your new video card.

Step 5:  Test X by specifying 'startx'.  If it works, then go to step 6, 
otherwise correct X server errors until you can 'startx' successfully.

Step 6:  Reedit inittab to start back in Run Level 5  (Restart in 
Graphical Mode on Bootup).

Step 7:  'telinit 5'


BTW, I had a Vodoo 3dfx card a couple of years ago that worked very well 
on my linux system then.