Ok, I’ve got a strange one here me and a Linux buddy of mine can’t seem to figure out.
I have both a OpenSUSE 11.1 Live CD and OpenSUSE 11.1 Standard DVD. Regardless of the media I seem to get this same problem.
The boot/install menu comes up, I can see the OpenSUSE Gecko and it says Welcome (in like 5 languages). It’s when the next screen that pops up I have an issue.
The install menu pops up but there’s no text. I get a green screen, some grey blobs, and eventually the little countdown circle pops up.
If I just let the system sit there, it will act ilke it’s trying to start the installer, and then reboot the machine.
If I attempt to hit any keys, after two or three key press it just drops me to a screen that says:
boot:
I can type startlinux (or something to that effect) and it will tell me it’s starting, and then reboot the machine.
So, I thought there was something wrong with my disks. Nope. I’m able to install OpenSUSE to a Virtual Machine in Windows just fine.
Any thoughts?
My current hardware:
AMD Phenom 9850
4GB DDR2 1066MHz Memory
nVidia 285GTX
DFI LanParty 790FXB-M2RSH AM2+ Mainboard
All settings are pretty much stock (as stock as DFI mainboards can get).
I figure there’s some BIOS setting that could be causing this, but we’re both at a loss.
I know what the installer should do, can tell you it’s already going wrong in the bootloader. At ‘boot’ you would have to type ‘linux’, but I think it’s going wrong before that.
When the bootmenu starts, can you hit Escape and go into the ‘old-style’ bootloader? If so, does removing the ‘vga=’ option start the installer?
And…no, DFI boards are not stock. Did you google about for this already? Tried DFI’s site/support?
Yeah, it’s going wrong well before that.
And no, when I hit ESC it just sits there. Hit it again, it goes to the boot: screen.
Actually, that happens when I hit any keys.
To be honest, I’ve Googled it so much my head hurts from reading.
I really don’t know what to Google specifically, but I’ve tried many different searches.
The new linux kernels with the display finder applications are causing some systems not to get installed.
I call it the VISTA bug.
Anyhow, try to wait for os11.2, maybe this bug is removed there. Currently, its not for os111.
If u still wanna try, BACKUP all data. Install via the NET CD. Maybe it might just work.
CAREFULLY select the display. Write your existing settings somewhere.
Hope u make it… 
Could this possibly be something as simple as bad burns?
I’ve had some interesting issues with the 11.1 install disks that I haven’t had on the same systems when testing out my own Suse Studio creations. Perhaps you may want to try the 4.2.2 respin even though it’s not an “official” release.
Just a thought…
I don’t see how it could be a bad burn.
One is a Live CD, the other is a DVD and I’ve installed from both to a virtual environment to test them.
Try holding the SHIFT key down as you boot he DVD, see if it will take you to a text mode install
Try holding the SHIFT key down as you boot he DVD, see if it will take you to a text mode install
Ok, I’ll try that when I get home.
Any other recommendations? This is REALLY annoying. lol
Did you try to change the display settings at the bootup scren?
You can do that with F3
Did you try to change the display settings at the bootup scren?
You can do that with F3
You can’t even see that option on the screen. There is no text what so ever.
However, I did know that the F3 key would allow it to change the resolution.
Unfortunately, as stated in the original post if I hit any keys it just drops to a prompt labled boot:_
If I were you I would experiment with some other live cd’s.
I have. Seems the issue is possibly with the boot loader.
Any recommendations on a distro that doesn’t use the boot loader OpenSUSE does?
Or does OpenSUSE offer something other than GRUB?
You don’t even have it installed so grub is nothing to do with it. Have you checked in your BIOS for any settings which might be an issue? (AHCI?)
Other distro’s. Well, consider something from the top list, like ubuntu or mandriva
Issue resolved. Memory Hole enabled caused this problem. I disabled Memory Hole and everything works fine.
Now, to get this Marvell Yukon Gigabit adapter to work. 