** Reply to message from Felix Miata <mrmazda@ij.net> on Mon, 08 Aug 2005 17:23:12 -0400 Felix wrote: (snipping)
Did you ever try Knoppix? It is particularly smart about video self configuration. If it fails too, it probably confirms bad hardware.
Sorry, long post. But I think maybe all of this will prove to be educational for the list in the future?? :o) Felix, Carl, Stan, and all.... I just followed Felix's suggestion about trying my problematic pooter and video card combination with Knoppix. Here are the results. FASCINATING! 1) I used Knoppix V 3.4. 2) Unlike SuSE which would not allow me access to a configuration screen for the video card, Knoppix gave me three options: 1024X768 (at which it was set), 800X600 and 640X480. I changed the resolution and, sure enough, it got worse with each of the two lower settings. I left it at 1024X768. 3) I could not find anything that identified my monitor. Info must be there, but I did not see it. 4) Knoppix allowed me to surf the Internet! I did nothing to setup the DNS numbers, etc. I am guessing that Knoppix is so smart that it found my DSL settings on the hard drive??? In any case, Knoppix is MUCH faster on the Internet. Knoppix accessed webpages MUCH faster than I can access the same pages with SuSE. I do not understand why. It is not a small difference in speed. It is a HUGE difference. 5) Knoppix scrolls butter-smooth on webpages in both the Konqueror and Mozilla browsers. Absolutely perfect performance. No shaking, no stuttering, no screen repainting as if the video or processor memory were totally overwhelmed. Again, this is a HUGE performance difference from what's happening with the same video card in SuSE. (Note, with SuSE I used Konqueror and Firefox 1.0.6 rather than Mozilla that was in Knoppix.) 6) When I move or resize windows using Knoppix it is smooth, clean, and there is absolutely no repainting of the moved or resized windows. Contrast that with what's happening with SuSE. Again, this is not a small difference in performance. It is mind-boggling how much better things are with Knoppix. 7) Open Office documents scroll MUCH faster and MUCH cleaner (no video repainting) with Knoppix than with SuSE. Again, HUGE difference in performance. So.... What the heck is going on with SuSE and my pooter? Why don't they love each other? :o( The video resolution in Knoppix is limited to 1024X768, which does not please me. But at least the pooter is usable. And every other problematic video characteristic that's been driving me so crazy using the video card with SuSE is not a problem at all with Knoppix. Is the performance difference because Knoppix is loaded in memory? Does that account for the staggering improvment over SuSE? Is there some reason why Knoppix "plays nice" with my video card whereas SuSE doesn't get along at all with the card? I really like SuSE, but this test would seem to indicate serious incompatibilities for my set up. Am I looking at this wrong? If I'm getting much better performance with Knoppix wouldn't that tend to indicate that it's not a video card problem and it's not a problem with the e-Machine? Does this indicate that it's a SuSE problem that was occuring with 9.2 and apparently has carried over to 9.3? Am I wrong to think that I am in a no-win situation if I want to use SuSE and this video card? Is my only option at this point using SuSE to pull the video card and either find another brand or go back to the on-board chip? Ah, questions, questions, questions. The poor boy is so confused. :o) Thanks, everyone, for hanging in with me on this. Gil