Screen Resolution Persistence Problem: RHEL 6.3

Linux and Unix-Like Red Hat
1

Good morning everyone,

I have been having screen resolution issues with RHEL 6.3. Our current setup is a laptop connected to a KVM/IP server. This is the desired scenario:

RHEL laptop
Windows XP laptop
KVM/IP server

The RHEL laptop has the file /etc/gdm/Init/Default populated with xrandr lines that set external monitors to 1600x1200 resolution.
When the Windows XP laptop is plugged into the RHEL laptop over KVM/IP, the KVM session should automatically get a resolution of 1600x1200. When the RHEL laptop lid is closed, it should pass the full RHEL desktop (with taskbar and icons) to the Windows XP KVM session with a resolution of 1600x1200.

When the user tries to log out or reboot the RHEL 6.3. Desktop within the Windows XP KVM session, it comes back as a blank screen. When the lid of the RHEL laptop is opened, it also has this black screen of death.

Desired Scenario: RHEL laptop is plugged to Windows XP laptop over KVM/IP. The KVM session, when started, gets a 1600x1200 resolution. When the lid of the RHEL laptop is closed, it gets a 1600x1200 full RHEL Desktop. When the KVM session reboots or logs out of the RHEL Desktop, nothing freezes. When the lid of the RHEL laptop is reopened, it comes back up nicely with both laptops showing their respective screens.

Has anyone had an issue with this black-screen-of-death effect? Do newer versions of Red Hat address this?

Thanks,

Rohit

2

just to clarify ...

you have a rhel laptop and a windows laptop both attached to the same kvm ... you access the rhel laptop -- with the lid closed -- through the windows laptop using the kvm ... you reboot the rhel laptop through the windows laptop while using the kvm ... you get a black screen when the rhel laptop reboots and you get the same issue when you switch to the rhel laptop on the kvm ...

if what i understood of your issue is correct and this issue only affects the rhel laptop when it reboots, your issue is related to rhel not loading the device driver for the monitor -- in this case the laptop lid -- and not seeing the kvm connection during the bootup ... try to see if another kvm can work ...

3

Your description of my issue is right on the money. However. we don't have the luxury of trying out another KVM. We have an Avocent KVM/IP server dongle that we use. Knowing this, what do you suggest we try?

Thanks in advance.

4

see if you can find updated device drivers for the rhel laptop's graphics card that work specifically with rhel 6 -- you may also have to contact either red hat support or the laptop vendor to have them confirm that rhel 6 is fully supported on the specific laptop you are using ...

if not, keep the lid partly open during the reboot ...