[SOLVED] Debian Live problem

mark_alfred · 10-02-2010, 04:11 PM

Hello. I have a Debian Live CD, but when I boot it up, it says something about how it cannot display the analog video. So, because I can't see what I'm typing (when, I'm assuming, gdm is prompting for a user name and password), I cannot log in to use the Live CD. Is there any way to fix this?

AlucardZero · 10-03-2010, 09:22 AM

Code:

it cannot display the analog video

This sounds like a message from your monitor, not Debian. Trying a different (better) monitor should work. Or reducing the resolution, but I don't know how to do that like with a boot parameter.

mark_alfred · 10-08-2010, 09:05 PM

I think you're right. I actually had the same problem with my desktop Debian. The solution was to delete the vga entry (specifically, "vga=791") from the /boot/grub/menu.lst file, and then it worked fine. I'm not sure how I can correct it on the LiveCD, however. Likely, as you said, the only way is to get another monitor.

I just did a search, and discovered that the username is FIXME, and the password is "live". So, even though I won't be able to see the text when Debian is loading, I might be able to log in.

linus72 · 10-08-2010, 09:20 PM

on the livecd press TAB at boot screen if isolinux
edit boot line and press enter

here's some debian live cheatcodes

Code:

Boot Parameters for Debian Live
-------------------------------

Updated for live-initramfs 1.156.1-1 on 2009-02-08.

These options (can be combined) work from the bootloader prompt:

live access=ACCESS
live console=TTY,SPEED
live debug
live fetch=URL
live hostname=HOSTNAME
live username=USER
live userfullname=USERFULLNAME
live integrity-check
live ip=[CLIENT_IP]:[SERVER_IP]:[GATEWAY_IP]:[NETMASK]:[HOSTNAME]:[DEVICE]:[AUTOCONF]  [,[CLIENT_IP]:[SERVER_IP]:[GATEWAY_IP]:[NETMASK]:[HOSTNAME]:[DEVICE]:[AUTOCONF]]*
live ip[=frommedia]
live {keyb|kbd-chooser/method}=KEYBOARD
live {klayout|console-setup/layoutcode}=LAYOUT
live {kvariant|console-setup/variantcode}=VARIANT
live {kmodel|console-setup/modelcode}=CODE
live koptions=OPTIONS
live live-getty
live {live-media|bootfrom}=DEVICE
live {live-media-encryption|encryption}=TYPE
live live-media-offset=BYTES
live live-media-path=PATH
live live-media-timeout=SECONDS
live {locale|debian-installer/locale}=LOCALE
live module=NAME
live netboot[=nfs|cifs]
live nfsopts=
live noautologin
live noxautologin
live nofastboot
live nopersistent
live nosudo
live swapon
live nouser
live noxautoconfig
live persistent[=nofiles]
live persistent-path=PATH
live {preseed/file|file}=FILE
live package/question=VALUE
live quickreboot
live showmounts
live timezone=TIMEZONE
live todisk=DEVICE
live toram
live union=aufs|unionfs
live utc=yes|no
live xdebconf
live xvideomode=RESOLUTION

Values for the vga kernel parameter:

Colours   640x400 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1152x864 1280x1024 1600x1200
--------+--------------------------------------------------------------
 4 bits |    ?       ?     0x302      ?        ?        ?         ?
 8 bits |  0x300   0x301   0x303    0x305    0x161    0x307     0x31C
15 bits |    ?     0x310   0x313    0x316    0x162    0x319     0x31D
16 bits |    ?     0x311   0x314    0x317    0x163    0x31A     0x31E
24 bits |    ?     0x312   0x315    0x318      ?      0x31B     0x31F
32 bits |    ?       ?       ?        ?      0x164      ?

Colours   640x400 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1152x864 1280x1024 1600x1200
--------+--------------------------------------------------------------
 4 bits |    ?       ?      770       ?        ?        ?         ?
 8 bits |   768     769     771      773      353      775       796
15 bits |    ?      784     787      790      354      793       797
16 bits |    ?      758     788      791      355      794       798
24 bits |    ?      786     789      792       ?       795       799
32 bits |    ?       ?       ?        ?       356       ?

widget · 10-08-2010, 09:20 PM

There should be an option (one of the F keys) to get you to booting options. You could try editing the menu entry that way.

I have never seen a Debian Live CD so I am not sure how you get to the boot options. I can not imagine that there would not be that option though.

mark_alfred · 10-08-2010, 10:17 PM

Thanks for the replies. I tried the F keys, and various options there, but still no luck.

When I had similar feedback with my desktop Debian ("analog input: cannot display video mode", or whatever it said) I got this feedback while the text was scrolling down after choosing the regular multi-user mode. However, I was able to enter my username and password, even though the screen was blank, and log in (once x-windows started, I could see stuff on the monitor). Then, simply removing the vga entry from the kernel line in /boot/grub/menu.lst fixe it. In the case with the LiveCD, it's the opposite. I can see the text, but when gdm starts, I get the "analog input" complaint. I tried blindly logging in, but to no avail.

Thanks for the cheatcodes, linus72. I'm not sure which ones to try, but I'll have another go at screwing around with it to see if I can get it working.

[later] Well, I tried some of the cheatcodes at the boot prompt, and it simply said that it couldn't find a kernel image named "live". I subsequently tried some of them using "linux" rather than "live" (IE, "linux noxautoconfig") and while it booted up, it made no difference. I tried using "vga=791", and this simply made the text unreadable as well as gdm. I also tried "vga=792", and it was the same.

Ah well. Debian Live is a dud on my system.

[later] I figured it out. Turns out I was using an earlier release of Debian Live. When I got a more recent Debian Live 5, it worked without any problem.