How do I install Linux but keep the Windows recovery partition? I have a green blob with no options.

I am seeking a faster laptop with Linux for my coursework. I was impatient and decided to wing it and install GNome from a live USB keeping the Windows recovery partition that I will most likely never use again. It seemed like nothing could be broken that could not be fixed just as easily at that point, so I winged it. After the installation, I now have a green blob on the screen with no options. I can reinstall it with the USB but would like to know how this time.

Here is a little sad history of my laptop. I must have bought it over five years ago from Bestbuy for $$$. Within two weeks the Toshiba graphics card died and it was screen-less. I had to send it to Toshiba who could not fix it. Four months later, Toshiba sent me an upgrade with a bad cemos battery and fading screen that was showing early signs of a bad graphics card. The laptop has a 3d screen and a i7 four core processor. I upgraded it to it’s max of 8 gigs of memory. When I was moving, I dropped it. The screen now constantly flashes different colors but works only when it starts to boot. I considered ordering and installing a new inverter board or other cheap aftermarket parts that I could replace in it and see if it works, but I was betting on the graphics card due to its symptoms before I dropped it and which is soldered on the $500.00 or so motherboard. I heard that I would have to buy that illegally and get a proper soldering kit to do that. Instead, I am using an external monitor that I was given and have to cover the flashing screen with a shirt. Never mind the hardware issues. How does one install GNome in the weird way I have proposed?

Thanks everyone.

Sorry I did not give more information before. I mean I have no icons but the mouse works. If I click on the screen it changes to a darker color. I typed <alt> <f2> and got a grey screen. I was typing control alt delete or backspace and was getting a grey or blue screen. I am running a memtest because it is there in the boot options and thought I might see what it does. I am waiting. I also can boot it into advanced options next and look around in there. I am betting there might be a solution I can try in the advanced options as well. The Windows recovery partition is also in the boot options, so that worked at least. When I set it up I did some weird things like encrypt the Linux for the fun of it. I was in a rush and did not know what I was doing. I might try reinstalling it like in the post https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/425504-Clean-install-no-desktop-just-green-screen, but I am not sure how to set it up correctly anyway. It looks like there is more than one way.

I think I have a lot of issues with this laptop. I wonder if there is a way to stop the flashing screen and get it to work since it is in repair mode that will not repair. I really know very little about this. It seems more reliable now with the external monitor because it was having graphics card screen issues in parts before I dropped it, and now that problem is gone with the monitor. Sorry. I did this to myself because my other computer was painfully slow, and I wanted to get it done. I figured I had nothing to lose, and I think nothing is really lost anyway. I need Linux for school.

I have seen a few configurations and don’t know which is better so I reinstalled it with the already in place settings from the live USB. I have the green desktop with no mouse and no icons again. I tried control alt T and got no terminal. I am not an expert at this stuff. The memtest did not seem to find anything. Trying to set it up in protected mode did not help. I may just reinstall over the Windows restore partition, but I don’t know how that would effect Linux. I might just follow someones suggested configuration and reinstall it again. I might reinstall windows from the restore partition, but that is not getting me anywhere. I am lost.

Sounds like a video problem Did you try booting to rescue mode in the advanced options on the boot menu?? Exactly what video there is no such thing as Toshiba video they use a NVIDIA/Intel/AMD chip to make the pictures

On 2015-08-09 11:36, New123 wrote:
> I may just reinstall over the Windows restore partition, but I
> don’t know how that would effect Linux.

The existence of that Windows recovery partition has no effect on Linux.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.

(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” (Minas Tirith))

I tried booting in rescue mode. I had 3 green dots on the screen instead of the green blob desktop with no icons. Never mind the graphics card. How do I properly install Linux? I will just have to use the external monitor.

It is a high end INVIDIA graphics card. I just used the laptop with the external monitor after the accident and before installing Linux. Linux loads, but I still get the green desktop with no icons.

Can you turn off the defective screen? Maybe in the BIOS

We need much more detail about your hardware.

Did you check the check sums of the ISO you used to make the USB??

Which version of the installer? one of the Live versions or the full install version?

Does the machine use an older legacy BIOS or a new EFI one?

Did you have problems with the video when you installed??

“Can you turn off the defective screen? Maybe in the BIOS”

I am not sure how to turn off the defective screen. I would love to. I just know I could disconnect it because the red, green, blue, and grey patterns of the screen repair cycle is really annoying and my screen should not be in a shirt. lol I did not have a terminal, although I did have options before GNome loads. After closing the laptop and letting it sleep, all of GNome worked, so I can now do anything I want in the terminal. I can next try to find a way to fix the screen from the BIOS as you suggested. I would love to try any suggestions you have to fix my screen by changing how it works from the BIOS. I wonder if there is a way to make it usable again like that. I can search Linux forums and do a Linux hardware diagnostic tool now. I think there should be a way if it seems to be working correctly in the RGB and screen pattern repair cycle, and I have text on the screen and everything seems to work properly before it loads.

"We need much more detail about your hardware. "

I backed everything up and can search for the hardware details by sudo fdisk -l I saved before the accident when I was planning to duel boot this laptop second if that helps you. I can give you the model information right here. It is a Toshiba A665-3DV8 http://support.toshiba.com/support/staticContentDetail?contentId=2778034&isFromTOCLink=false. After turning it over and letting it sleep while I checked the model number, GNome worked and everything is now working except the screen remains unchanged from how it was working with Windows with the RGB color cycle and pattern cycle. Here is sudo fdisk -l with the GNome 13.2 currently installed file:///E:/Screenshot%20from%202015-08-09%2004_54_54.png

“Did you check the check sums of the ISO you used to make the USB??”

I did not, but thought I should have.

“Which version of the installer? one of the Live versions or the full install version?”

I used the live USB GNome 13.2 version and made the USB this time using ImageUSB http://www.osforensics.com/tools/write-usb-images.html. I still have the GNome 13.1 live USB I made differently a while back for the dual boot. I was going to boot from the old version, but I had just closed the laptop to see the model number beneath, and when I turned it on again Linux worked fine with no problems. Only the screen is still doing its thing.

“Does the machine use an older legacy BIOS or a new EFI one?”

EFI

“Did you have problems with the video when you installed??”

I am not sure what you are asking about here. The screen image degrades with squares and lines when the graphics card dies. I had this problem with the screen occasionally before it started the flashing color cycle after the drop. The RGB color cycle and pattern cycle as well as the printed information before boot up seems to be working without signs of degradation on the screen. Having Windows or Linux installed makes no difference in the screen. I have not seen any degradation on the screen after the drop. I should probably take it apart again and see it that changes anything despite my lack of hope.

Here are more manuals that apply to my machine: http://support.toshiba.com/support/modelHome?freeText=ya442598k
Here are the results of sudo fdisk -l: http://susepaste.org/72502921

On 2015-08-09 19:36, New123 wrote:
> “Can you turn off the defective screen? Maybe in the BIOS”
>
> I am not sure how to turn off the defective screen.

Normally closing the lid deactivates laptop screens, but it can also
trigger suspend instead. This is usually a choice in the desktop.

However, will an external video be active? Only if the machine thinks it
should, like being connected to a docking station.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

I would like to better understand how to configure GNome, and I will quickly reinstall it. I only left it with the 2 gigs of swap space that it was originally set at without modifying the settings. The laptop has 8 gigs of memory installed witch is the max it can handle. According to my operating systems textbook due to paging and new ways of handling swap, Linux no longer needs 2*installed memory = swap. On the GNome install information it says 1 gig should be enough. I read in a random post on Opensuse that someone tested no swap and maybe 8 gigs and had no problems. I have a tun of space on my hard drive anyway, so I can do just about anything.

On 2015-08-09 20:06, New123 wrote:
>
> According to
> my operating systems textbook due to paging and new ways of handling
> swap, Linux no longer needs 2*installed memory = swap.

Linux NEVER did.

It was Windows 3 which did.

> On the GNome
> install information it says 1 gig should be enough. I read in a random
> post on Opensuse that someone tested no swap and maybe 8 gigs and had no
> problems. I have a tun of space on my hard drive anyway, so I can do
> just about anything.

There is no rule. You just give as much or as little swap as you need.
How much do you need? If you intend to hibernate the machine (which is
typical in a laptop) then you give it a bit more than RAM, plus used
swap at the hibernation time, if any.

With 8 gigs many people do not need swap. I do. It depends on how many
applications and services you use, and how hungry they are.


Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

You can get by fine with 2 gig swap and 8 gig memory for most desktop things

Still totally confused at what your problems is???

Let’s see if I can guess.

The machine boots ok but then at some point the video goes bad???

Have you installed the NVIDIA driver? Are all the fans working?? It sounds a little like a heating problem if what I said above is correct.

You have a damaged laptop it is difficult to know how damaged it is above and beyond the screen

“Normally closing the lid deactivates laptop screens, but it can also
trigger suspend instead. This is usually a choice in the desktop.”

I just checked the screen settings and GNome turned off the screen and is just using screen 2. No more shirt on the screen. I need to check the settings for when the screen closes wherever they may be, but I was doing a bunch of things and my machine froze. I am going to wait a bit. In response to you post on swap, I tend to do a lot of things at a time on my laptop and may need more swap space. I am not sure how to estimate that amount yet. I have a lot of things to look up. When my laptop is being slow to load a web page I have to take a little walk. I will not defend my textbook.

“However, will an external video be active? Only if the machine thinks it
should, like being connected to a docking station.”

I wonder if there is a way to set up the laptop screen to use the external video. If you can have two monitors connected to a laptop there may be a way for it to handle an adjustment to that so I can use my laptop screen and the external screen together.

"gogalthorpYou can get by fine with 2 gig swap and 8 gig memory for most desktop things

Still totally confused at what your problems is??? "

My problems currently are that I would like to find a nonstandard way to use my broken laptop screen with the external monitor and my laptop is freezing.

"Let’s see if I can guess.

The machine boots ok but then at some point the video goes bad???"

The screen is doing the color sequence after startup because it is trying to repair itself.

“Have you installed the NVIDIA driver?”

I have not installed the NVIDIA driver.

"Are all the fans working?? "

They must be, but I could clean it out or try the fan table to see if there is a change. I noticed the memcheck I ran at startup checks that. I think it was up in the 80s. I have to check the temp. I will try to do so.

"It sounds a little like a heating problem if what I said above is correct.

You have a damaged laptop it is difficult to know how damaged it is above and beyond the screen"

I still have to run a hardware Linux diagnostic took, but I am waiting for my frozen machine as an experiment.

This is really weird. I pressed the power button because it did not unfreeze. I am not back at problem 1 which is that I have the flashing screen again and a green monitor with no icons. I closed the lid a bit, and that did not change anything. I am turning it upside down again like I did before it started to work the first time with icons and all. Turning it upside down and leaving it closed like a that a while made the icons return now even while it is closed and upside down. I turned it rightsize up. Right side up it is doing problem 1 again, and I can’t use it now. All I need is a keyboard, and I can use it when it is closed and upside down. lol

Typo: I meant “I am now back at problem 1” instead of “I am not back at problem 1”.

That really sound like a hardware problem Something may be lose or a cracked mother board.If it does not sleep with lid closed. There are setting. You could plug in a keyboard and mouse. But the problem won’t fix itself and I believe there is more damage then just the screen

Dropping computers is contra-indicated :open_mouth:

It would sleep with Windows but does all this weird stuff with Linux now. It was not acting this crazy at all with Windows before the Linux install. It was just kind of slow for me with Windows, and I prefer Linux for school. I thought if Linux does not improve the speed it is time to go shopping. With Windows before the accident, it would freeze unexpectedly when I was trying to do things remotely and shut down occasionally when it overheated I guess. I wish I took the time to get the stuff fixed when it was still under warranty, but I was very busy. When I was away for almost a year, I left it shut down at home where other people moved my things. It would shut down unexpectedly and came with a bad cemos battery when it was new, then shortly after started showing signs of graphics card problems.