Hi. Quick backgrond of me.
Started experimenting with OpenSuse version 8. Been trying every major distribution and new versions ever since. Never had install problems except this time with 13.1. I am familiar with telneting into UNIX boxes and running commands but not working with Linux commands, so please keep that in mind.
I had stopped using OpenSuse in the past versions because I found myself burning tens of hours trying to resolve various OS/hardware issues… and I am trying this 13.1 distro.
Hardware:
Vista-era Compaq desktop computer with onboard NVidia graphics card. I downloaded and made the OpenSuse install disk. I deleted all partitions from the HD except the factory recovery then started the 13.1 install. The install apparently completed using the KDE desktop without a hitch.
The computer seemed to boot up properly most of the way. I first got a scrambled screen which is completely unreadable which I believe is supposed to be the desktop. I had to hard power-down the PC by holding down the power button till it shut off.
I reboot again and I get a choice of two options:
Opensuse 13.1 or Advance Options.
I’m not sure what to do with the advance options. If I choose to boot OpenSuse the screen is all black except a very small purple box on the upper left corner with this prompt:
Directory: /home/me
Thu May 22 22:36:57 EDT 2014
me@linux-ccny:"> ]
Any ideas how I can make the PC boot up to a normal desktop?
> Any ideas how I can make the PC boot up to a normal desktop?
It looks like video problems.
If you tap on that “advanced options” boot menu, you probably get two
entries: one normal, one failsafe. Just hit enter on the failsafe line
and hope it boots.
If it does, it will work slower, but you get a desktop and we can try
more things.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)
Try choosing the advanced option
Press ‘e’ on your keyboard to edit the boot
once you press “e” at the grub boot menu, you should be presented with the actual grub lines used to boot.
Search down to the line that starts with “linux /boot/…” it may (probably will) span across two or more lines.
At the end of the line it probably says “quiet splash”
After “splash” type a space and then nomodeset.
then ctl-x will boot with those boot options
Choose the Advance Options. In there, one of the lines will have “(recovery mode)” at the end. Choose that one.
Your machine should then boot into the desktop.
Launch Yast, choose “Online Update”.
When those have completed, launch Yast again, choose “Software Management”.
Type “nvidia” in the search box and hit ENTER.
You should then see a list of software, including “nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-desktop”, and other versions. Note especially the 01, 02, & 03 part of the names. Carefully check the description of each, make sure you choose the one that matches your kernel and your card version.
Also, choose the appropriate version similar to “x11-video-nvidiaG02” that matches your card, and “nvidia-settings”.
If you have the default kernel, choose the driver with default in its name. If you have the desktop kernel, choose the driver with desktop in its name.
If you are unsure of these, come back here for more assistance.