[SOLVED]snd_mixer_oss already in kernel and Failure to start X

[Quackers]

Hello all, I hope this is the right place to post this  
I'm new to PCLinuxOS, but not to Linux.
I have used the search facility but not much was forthcoming on my errors.
I installed PCLinuxOS-gnome-2010.12 earlier this morning.
Everything went well and the reboot went normally.
After connecting to the internet I ran synaptic package manager and ran all the updates. At some time I was also given the option of installing a graphics driver for my Nvidia 8600M GT and I said yes (which may have been a mistake).
On first and second reboots I got the following message

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modprobe: WARNING: module snd_mixer_oss already in kernel I left it sitting for a while on both occasions but nothing further developed.

I booted into another system and googled the error, found a possible workaround and rebooted.

This time no error message appeared and booting continued past the previous point, but I then got a black screen and a pop-up saying that X failed to start.
At the following prompts I checked the settings for the graphics card and they seemed correct.

I'm toying with the idea of running

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rm -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf from the tty login. Is this the correct thing to do?
Are there other alternatives for me to try?

Any suggestions will be gratefully received  
Thanks.

EDIT sorry, I forgot to mention that the failsafe boot option stops at the snd_mixer_oss already in kernel error

[AS]

Hello Quackers and welcome!

the modprobe warning is ... a warning not an error, it's unlikely it's causing any issue to your system.

About the X system failure after updates, solution can vary depending on your hardware, your kernel, your video card: there is a special section of this forum made for xorg upgrade related problems: http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/board,77.0.html

you may want to start from here:
rm -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf
XFdrake --auto
reboot

Your video card should run without problems, (BTW, I'm currently using a 8600 GS). When XFdrake ask if you want to run the proprietary driver, choose yes.

AS

[Quackers]

Thanks for the welcome and the reply  

I'll have a mooch around that link you posted and I'll try what you suggest immediately.
I'll be back!  

The snd warning halts booting completely when it occurs. It halts the failsafe boot every time.

[Quackers]

  No good I'm afraid.
After rm -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf and then FXdrake --auto
I get a screen of text and at the bottom it says
X probe failed.

I type reboot and it reboots and I get a total of 3 flashes (about 1 second each) of the Nvidia splash screen then a black screen then the pop-ups start again about looking at errors and re-configuring the driver. X still doesn't start.

[AS]

No good I'm afraid.
After rm -f /etc/X11/xorg.conf and then FXdrake --auto
I get a screen of text and at the bottom it says
X probe failed.

I type reboot and it reboots and I get a total of 3 flashes (about 1 second each) of the Nvidia splash screen then a black screen then the pop-ups start again about looking at errors and re-configuring the driver. X still doesn't start.

Try to manually setup your video card: from a terminal console (root user):
XFdrake
then chose "Nvidia 6100 or later card"
be sure your kernel command line have a vmalloc=256M parameter,
you can add this parameter at grub boot screen, press F3, choose default, at the and of the line add the option.

also, look in /var/log/Xorg.0.log for errors ... or post here the same file.

AS

[Quackers]

Ok, will do! Thanks again.
 I take it that looking at /var/log/Xorg.0.log comes after I get it booted? :-)

[AS]

Ok, will do! Thanks again.
 I take it that looking at /var/log/Xorg.0.log comes after I get it booted? :-)

The file /var/log/Xorg.0.log is generated each time X server is started (usually at each restart), the previous log is named Xorg.0.log.old.

[Quackers]

No good.
I also tried the vmalloc=256M addition and did an apt-get update and an apt-get dist-upgrade, which installed 2 packages. On reboot I got a kernel panic until I put the vmalloc bit in again.
I'm now booted into the live desktop in the hope that I can do something from here :-)
Is there a way for me to tell the installed system to ignore the Nvidia drivers for now? Has Nouveau been blacklisted? Would I need to undo that?
Thanks again.

[AS]

No good.
I also tried the vmalloc=256M addition and did an apt-get update and an apt-get dist-upgrade, which installed 2 packages. On reboot I got a kernel panic until I put the vmalloc bit in again.
I'm now booted into the live desktop in the hope that I can do something from here :-)
Is there a way for me to tell the installed system to ignore the Nvidia drivers for now? Has Nouveau been blacklisted? Would I need to undo that?
Thanks again.

Because you are actually performing a new installation, I would suggest to try out the new test3-PCLinuxOS-KDE ISO,
it's already updated with latest kernel, latest xorg and so on. You can find it here: (or on other mirrors)

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http://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/pclinuxos/live-cd/test3-pclinuxos-kde-2011.6.iso
http://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/pclinuxos/live-cd/test3-pclinuxos-kde-2011.6.md5sum
This allow you to save *a lot* time about updates.  

About noveau driver, no it's not blacklisted, but the preferred for your card is nvidia-current-275.09.07, and "should work".

AS

[Quackers]

Sadly I suspect that the latest kernel may be part of the problem.
And I'm not a fan of kde :-)
Thanks anyway though!
I'm going to try and chroot in there and see what I can see :-)
It seems that the process is a little different with PCLinuxOS though. I'm reading about it :-) (I'm more used to Narly Nachos) (Oh I see the sensor has been involved! Actually it's not Narly, but OO development release).

[Quackers]

as, I took your advice and installed the Test3 kde iso.
It boots and I've configured nvidia-current. Strangely I had to enable the second screen in Nvidia Settings before I could configure screen resolution etc. That's something I haven't needed to do before with nvidia-current (on 10 or 11 other Linux systems), but, whatever.
I'm now thinking that changing that option in the nvidia settings on the first install may allow X to start :-)
I'll be back!

[Quackers]

An update

The test3-kde system is running fine, complete with Nvidia driver and wobbly windows :-)

Sadly the Gnome version is dead. I've re-installed it, said NO to the proprietary driver, but the updates killed it again.
Kernel panics, failure to start X, booting sometimes stops on the snd_mixer_oss warning, but most times goes further than that now.
I've tried all the above mentioned things again (and a few of my own :-) ).
The kernel line in the grub menu entry for the kde system is considerably different than  the Gnome kernel line, so I tried all of the differences too. I got to the PCLinux blue screen with the whiteish progress bar just once :-(
I think I'll have to concede defeat for the moment. 23 hours straight is enough for the moment :-)
Thanks again as.

[AS]

Glad it worked,

if you want a gnome desktop, you can install it side by side with the KDE desktop. Open synaptic package manager and search for task-gnome. 

AS

[Quackers]

I want both now I've installed them!   

How do I remove the later kernel and downgrade Xserver, please (from a cli login)? Would I need to do both?
I'll try that next 
Thanks

[Just17]

There is also a test release of Gnome about ......  I cam across a link to it somewhere on the forum .......  if it is of interest?