Hey there
I’m pretty new to openSUSE (I have some experience with linux but on another computer), and I wanted to install it on the second hard drive on my laptop.
However, during the install (from a bootable USB), the screen goes blank and I can’t do anything further. To be more specific, what happens is that after choosing install from the grub menu, some text runs for a few moments, the three dots blink for a bit and then everything goes black.
I’ve tried adding nomodeset, but that didn’t change anything. I’ve been googling my butt off for about 7 hours now.
My laptop is a Thinkpad W540 with Windows 8.1, Intel i7-4710MQ, nvidia K2100M, with 2HDDs and a 16gb cache SSD. I don’t really know which of these are relevant but decided to include the info anyway.
Any insights are much appreciated!
Just to be sure did you check the checksum of the download???
Is this an EFI based BIOS?
Are you sure you put nomodeset at the right location?
Ah yes, I should have mentioned, it’s UEFI and yes there was no problem with the checksum.
I also tried disabling safeboot in the bios settings.
Did you boot the install media in EFI mode?
Do you see option at the bottom of the first grub menu?? If so you are not in EFI boot mode
Just toreview the proper way to use nomode set is
- press e
- find line starting wilt linux
- go to true end of that line (it wraps so best to just use the end key)
- enter a space and nomodeset
- press f10 to continue boot
I honestly don’t know what’s going on any more
I (finally) managed to install openSUSE and after fiddling around a bit on the desktop I turned my laptop off.
Now, I get a white screen saying that “something has gone wrong” and the “system can’t recover” and telling me to log out, when the desktop starts loading up. I suspect all of this has had something to do with my video card.
I’ll keep trying to figure something out
That is a video problem with gnome.
Does this computer use Optimus (ie Intel+NVIDIA)?? You have to treat it different if it does.
If it does and
you installed the proprietary NVIDIA driver fully remove it.
Then go to
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:NVIDIA_Bumblebee
and follow instructions exactly do not improvise.
If it is not an Optimuis machine then do not do the above we will need to look deeper
That’s definitely it, it does have Optimus.
I’m not sure how to remove the drivers, as I can’t do anything because of the error that appears every time I try to log on.
- Boot another desktop gnome is very very picky and won’t start if there is not support for oppenGL
- or boot to a terminal at boot enter a e this puts you in edit mode find the linethat starts with linux. go tothe true end of that line (it wraps) enter a space and a 3 press F10 to continue boot. Yo will then get a terminal prompt enter root and root’s password type yast. This is the text version and you navigate via tab and arrow keys. go to software management search for nvidia you will see several package but only 5 have a nvidia in it name remove those packages only.
Once removed Gnome should startup again using the Intel GPU. follow the instruction on the page I referenced exactly. This installs bumblebee and the NVIDIA-bumblebee driver this allows you to switch from one GPU to the other. Be sure to remove the NVIDA repository or updates may mess you up again
That sorted it!
Thank you so much for your help.
Glad you got it working Optimus has been a serious problem because people don’t realize it has to be treated different then a single GPU system and they way that the 2 GPU’s are married.