[solved] SIS graphics: working with MX but not antiX …

[Member mikey777]

Back in October 2019, I started a thread about the functioning (or not) of the SIS graphics on a Packard-Bell Easynote MX37 (model Ajax C3). The issue was that the laptop’s graphics behaved normally with antiX-full17, but not with antiX-full19. See https://www.antixforum.com/forums/topic/antix19-will-support-come-for-sis-graphics-cards/

Recently I thought I’d revisit this issue. I attempted installing antiX-core19.4 + LXDE onto this laptop, but it wouldn’t boot to the desktop, returning instead to the terminal prompt of antiX-core (I’m used to installing this setup successfully on other laptops).

Then, something interesting happened. I tried antiX’s sister distro, MX Linux 19.4 (XFCE version) and it booted to the desktop, with a normal graphics quality. No problems at all.

Therefore, MX contains the SIS driver. Is it contained in /usr/share/x11/xorg.conf.d or is it located elsewhere in the file system ? If I can find it, I’ll copy it from MX to antiX, and hopefully then it’ll work. However, I’m not really sure what I’m doing here, though it doesn’t matter if I make mistakes, as it’s a spare laptop.

Do you have any ideas how to solve this one?

• This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by mikey777.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by mikey777.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by christophe. Reason: requested solved

▪ 32-bit antix19.4-core+LXDE installed on :
- (2011) Samsung NP-N145 Plus (JP04UK) – single-core CPU Intel Atom N455@1.66GHz, 2GB RAM, integrated graphics.
▪ 64-bit antix21-base+LXDE installed on:
- (2008) Asus X71Q (7SC002) – dual CPU Intel T3200@2.0GHz, 4GB RAM. Graphics: Intel Mobile 4 Series, integrated graphics
- (2007) Packard Bell Easynote MX37 (ALP-Ajax C3) – dual CPU Intel T2310@1.46GHz, 2GB RAM. Graphics: Silicon Integrated Systems.

[Member Xecure]

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Provide
inxi -Gxxx
for both your core+lXDE and MX Linux
My guess is that MX Linux is using vesa out of the box, and your respin has vesa blacklisted or similar. Probably selecting Safe Video boot option on the Live USB will bring you to a graphic environment.
It is best you first give us inxi graphics output for both systems on the same SIS computer.

antiX Live system enthusiast.
General Live Boot Parameters for antiX.

[Member mikey777]

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@Xecure
Many thanks for your reply.
The output from the terminal for MX Linux and antiX-core, dual-booted on the same machine, is as follows:

MX Linux 19.4:
$ inxi -Gxxx
Graphics:  Device-1: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 771/671 PCIE VGA Display Adapter 
           vendor: Packard Bell B.V. driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 1039:6351 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: vesa resolution: 1024x768~N/A 
           OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 7.0 128 bits) v: 3.3 Mesa 18.3.6 compat-v: 3.1 
           direct render: Yes 

antiX19.4:
$ inxi -Gxxx
Graphics:  Device-1: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 771/671 PCIE VGA Display Adapter 
           vendor: Packard Bell B.V. driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 1039:6351 
            Display: server: X.org 1.20.4 driver: none unloaded: modesetting

▪ 32-bit antix19.4-core+LXDE installed on :
- (2011) Samsung NP-N145 Plus (JP04UK) – single-core CPU Intel Atom N455@1.66GHz, 2GB RAM, integrated graphics.
▪ 64-bit antix21-base+LXDE installed on:
- (2008) Asus X71Q (7SC002) – dual CPU Intel T3200@2.0GHz, 4GB RAM. Graphics: Intel Mobile 4 Series, integrated graphics
- (2007) Packard Bell Easynote MX37 (ALP-Ajax C3) – dual CPU Intel T2310@1.46GHz, 2GB RAM. Graphics: Silicon Integrated Systems.

[Member Xecure]

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On the antiX core+LXDE (on any computer it boots graphically), see if vesa xorg package is installed
apt policy xserver-xorg-video-vesa
This is what mine looks like:

$ apt policy xserver-xorg-video-vesa
xserver-xorg-video-vesa:
  Installed: 1:2.4.0-1
  Candidate: 1:2.4.0-1

The important part is the Installed: information (it must not be empty).
Two cases here:

If the Installed option shows a version, it means that vesa is installed. When you boot core+LXDE again on the “problematic” computer, select the boot menu option “Safe Video Mode”. This should bring you to a graphical boot.

If you don’t have the vesa driver installed, you will have to install it from the command prompt or install on a separate machine and remake the ISO file (or remaster the USB if on live), and then proceed with the “Safe Video Mode” boot menu option.

Let us know if that works for you.

antiX Live system enthusiast.
General Live Boot Parameters for antiX.

[Member mikey777]

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@Xecure
Many thanks for your help – good news – it now works!
Following your advice, it was very easy to fix. Jut for the record, this is what I did:

Running the command apt policy xserver-xorg-video-vesa within the antix-core install, showed that vesa was absent, indicated by “none” entry next to Installed.

So, vesa was then installed within antix-core, in the usual way, using the terminal commands:

#apt update
#apt install xserver-xorg-video-vesa

On rebooting, antiX went straight to the login window, and subsequently, the graphics loaded normally.

Many thanks again – much appreciated!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by mikey777.

▪ 32-bit antix19.4-core+LXDE installed on :
- (2011) Samsung NP-N145 Plus (JP04UK) – single-core CPU Intel Atom N455@1.66GHz, 2GB RAM, integrated graphics.
▪ 64-bit antix21-base+LXDE installed on:
- (2008) Asus X71Q (7SC002) – dual CPU Intel T3200@2.0GHz, 4GB RAM. Graphics: Intel Mobile 4 Series, integrated graphics
- (2007) Packard Bell Easynote MX37 (ALP-Ajax C3) – dual CPU Intel T2310@1.46GHz, 2GB RAM. Graphics: Silicon Integrated Systems.

[Member mikey777]

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Can one of the moderators mark this as [Solved] – I am unable to access the edit button to do this as it’s no longer available – Thanks.

▪ 32-bit antix19.4-core+LXDE installed on :
- (2011) Samsung NP-N145 Plus (JP04UK) – single-core CPU Intel Atom N455@1.66GHz, 2GB RAM, integrated graphics.
▪ 64-bit antix21-base+LXDE installed on:
- (2008) Asus X71Q (7SC002) – dual CPU Intel T3200@2.0GHz, 4GB RAM. Graphics: Intel Mobile 4 Series, integrated graphics
- (2007) Packard Bell Easynote MX37 (ALP-Ajax C3) – dual CPU Intel T2310@1.46GHz, 2GB RAM. Graphics: Silicon Integrated Systems.

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