Installation With KVM & Monitor Issue

English Hardware
1

Hello. I hope everyone is staying well. I’m having a bit of a problem with one of my computers that I can’t seem to find a solution for. I have a 4 port KVM, an Iogear GCS1934H, and 4 computers with a Dell S3221QS monitor. The KVM is 4K compatible but I don’t work with any of the computers in 4K as everything is too small to comfortably read; I run in 2560x1440 (16:9). 3 of the computers work just fine through the KVM. One computer is just a BSD terminal computer, one computer is a Windoze computer (I know, I know, don’t ask), one computer is a Linux computer and the final computer is the one I’m having issues with.

I tried to install openSUSE Tumbleweed on the computer in question through the KVM and without the KVM straight into my Dell S3221QS monitor. Interestingly enough, when I boot the DVD installation media through the KVM, I can see the very first screen to select install. When I select install, it begins the installation routine and I can hear my DVD reader spin up. However, at some point the display acts as if there is no signal from the video card and the monitor goes into standby mode. So this method of installation didn’t work through the KVM. I then disconnected the KVM and went from the video card direct to the monitor. When I try to install straight from the video card to the monitor, I can see the install screen, the drivers loading, and then at some point the monitor goes into standby mode and the DVD reader has spun down…but…the DVD reader begins to spin back up again and then the monitor comes out of standby mode and displays nothing but a blank black screen. I haven’t been able to get openSUSE installed. Ok, a bit disappointing.

Now I thought, let me try a couple of other distros to see if they work:

Debian - with the KVM I can see the entire installation process but upon reboot, the monitor displays nothing.
Debian - without the KVM I can see the entire installation process but upon reboot, the monitor displays nothing.
Fedora CoreOS 35-1.2 - with the KVM the installation begins but then the monitor goes into standby mode.
Fedora CoreOS 35-1.2 - without the KVM I can install the entire OS and login and use it.
Linux Mint 20.3 - with the KVM, I can see the installation load on the monitor, but once loaded the desktop flashes and then goes away. I can’t install the OS.
Linux Mint 20.3 - without the KVM, I can install the entire OS and login and use it.

After logging in to Fedora CoreOS and Linux Mint I changed the resolutions to 2560x1440 (16:9), shutdown, connected the Dell monitor through the KVM and still couldn’t get to the desktop. It’s as if the password screen for the hard drive is in 4K and for whatever reason, I can’t see it.

I’ve done more swaptronic configurations than I care to think about -
Samsung 870 SSD ; Samsung 980 NVMe
GeForce GT 710 ; GeForce GT 1030

The Iogear GCS1934H KVM has a Default EDID mode that I can toggle to enable or disabled. Of course I’ve tried both on all of the swaptronic configurations and installations with no joy.

Anyone have an idea what may be occurring??? Any suggestions are most welcome. Thank you.

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It looks like you’ll probably need to apply nomodeset](https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Nomodeset:Work_Around_Graphic_Upgrade&_Installation_Obstacles) at the boot menu to get TW to install. It’s all too common, particularly if there is more than one GPU, with many if not most distros. At the same time, you should be able to force the installer to run in 2560x1440 mode by also appending XVideo=](https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:Linuxrc)2560x1440 following nomodeset at end of the linu bootloader line (which usually is wrapped).

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Thank you mrmazda for the reply. I appreciate you taking time out to answer. Since I’ve never worked with openSUSE before, nor am I a Linux guru of any type, I’m not sure where to apply the nomodeset XVideo=2560x1440. If the bootloader line is usually wrapped, are you saying I will have to go into the Tumbleweed ISO file and make an edit somewhere, save the ISO and then burn that ISO to DVD to install?

I did notice where you could get to the command line from the installation media. Is there something I can do there?

I’m really not sure what to do. I think I may need some instructions. Could you please assist?

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Nothing like that.

I did notice where you could get to the command line from the installation media. Is there something I can do there?
Yes. At the menu that first appears after POST and the installation media finishes loading, a strike of the E key will allow editing of the selected menu item. From there you use navigation keys to find the point to edit or append to, just the same as in most text editors. The wrapping of the linu line typically occurs because the menu is constrained to less than the full width of the screen, and is too long to fit. That can result in less than intuitive responses from the navigation keys. The actual behavior can vary a bit due to varying screen density and resolution.