Video monitor pops up the window telling me there’s no video from the PC when I try to Install 11.3. The same thing happens when I try to run from the ‘Live’ CD. But there, I hit enter a few times or moved the mouse and I think somewhere along I hit ctrl-alt-delete attempting to reboot and then the screen came alive and I got the login prompt. Then the GUI looked normal and I got Firefox up and that is how I’m entering this post. I really don’t know how I recovered from the blank screen. Like which key stroke actually did the trick or why !?
So, I attempted to run the Install again selecting text mode. Lots of activity on the screen then and I got to a login prompt. I typed ‘linux’ and then got this or something similar:
linux@linux:~>
Something like that anyway. Same thing happened when I used text mode with the ‘Live’ CD.
I think the OpenSUSE installer is inadvertently disabling the video output during a normal install. During the install, I may be presented with the screens asking for info but with the video turned off, I can’t of course see what’s asked of me. If I knew, I could probably enter that info and get the install to proceed along.
Is there a way I can start up the GUI or Window system from that prompt above ? And then maybe get something normal to show up ?
You most likely will need to add the kernel load option “nomodeset” or pick failsafe mode to start openSUSE. I read where driver support is present with an older driver:
I don’t use AMD/ATI video cards and not sure if this will load into openSUSE 11.3 or not. There is a page here that has more info on loading video card drivers:
About the video problem, I tried the install again in text mode. When I got the linux@linux:~> I typed init 5. Was then told I needed to be root. So I typed su and it gave me the #. So I typed init 5 again and immediately the display went black. Something in that installation medium is disabling the video in this PC.
So, I set the Live CD aside and tried the Network CD I burned. The install took longer but was 100% successful !!! No problems with video. I’m up and running on this Compaq Presario with all current updates.
About the video problem, I tried the install again in text mode. When I got the linux@linux:~> I typed init 5. Was then told I needed to be root. So I typed su and it gave me the #. So I typed init 5 again and immediately the display went black. Something in that installation medium is disabling the video in this PC.
So, I set the Live CD aside and tried the Network CD I burned. The install took longer but was 100% successful !!! No problems with video. I’m up and running on this Compaq Presario with all current updates.
RDL
Well first of all, I am happy to hear you are up and running. I am almost certain that the Linux install that was not working needed the “nomodeset” kernel command to start the desktop. Anytime you are trying to startup a desktop GUI, the command would be startx and not init 5, for runlevel 5. You can always start your desktop without being root, but changing the run level does require root authority.
Yep, after I downloaded the .iso, I ran sha1sum and that was good, then I let the installer check the CD I burned and it reported a good md5 check. Thanks for the info regarding the GUI and the nomodeset command.
It is important to check the integrity of CD/DVD. If for some mp3 files, some errors in bits doesn’t make such diferences, it does when it comes to a system to install.
