Blinking Install Screen
 

Hey all,

I have just got a replacement laptop from Toshiba and I need to get it set up for school. I have a Toshiba Tecra S1 PT831C-67CU3.

I had Redhat 9 installed on my first S1 but now I am going for the Fedora Core 3. when I started the install the screen started to blink. this was in text mode right at the start of the install when it asks to check the install DVD. I know the DVD works, I just don't know if the blinking screen is something to be freaked out about. I have only tryed it in the text mode.

I guess I may ask about the partitions too. I was going with 15GB for the whole thing with /boot (128MB), / (10GB), /usr (3GB), /tmp (1GB) and swap (1GB) in that order on the HD. how dose that sound? I am the only user and I am taking a E-COMM web dev. program in school so I am doing LAMP web dev.

well if you need any more info, please post. the sooner the better.

Thanks

Soon enough for ya?

I'd go with the default setup for partitioning. The only advice with regards to performance is to place the swap partition on a separate physical driver but I dont think you have that from what I can tell. I wouldn't worry about the blinking screen. FC3 seems to handle pretty much any screen and graphics card w/out problems. Just go for it.

yes that was nice and fast.

I don't want to blow up my laptop so I kinda don't know what to do. I have tryed in both modes now and it still dose the same thing. I all so tryed with some RH 9 CDs only to get the samething. I don't get it the screen for the first part of the boot workings fine so why is it still missing up even in text mode.

well I guess I will wait for some more info and maybe been for the core 4 this summer. its a really new laptop submodel so it just may need to have newer software.

thanks

one thing I did for get to say was the spec's for the the thing -

Processor

Mobile Intel® Pentium® M Processor 1.7GHz – with Enhanced SpeedStep technology
Integrated Coprocessor, 400MHz FSB
64KB internal cache, On-die 2MB Level 2 cache

Operating System

Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional (Pre-Installed)

Hard Disk Drive

60.0 billion bytes, 5400RPM, 9.5mm height, Enhanced IDE, ATA-5, 2.5”. Service removable by 1 screw

Optical Drive

Floppy Disk Drive: Optional 1.44MB, 3.5” USB FDD
Slim Select Bay Black CDRW/DVD-ROM: CD-ROM 130ms average access time; DVD-ROM 180ms average access time;
Maximum Speed: CD-R(24X)/CD-RW(10X)/DVD-ROM(8X)/CD-ROM(24X). ATAPI interface. Software Decoder: InterVideo WinDVD

Display System

Type: TFT Active Matrix Colour LCD display
Size (diagonal): 15”
LCD Panel Resolution: 1024x768x16.7 million colours (native)
External Support and Max. Colour Support :
640x480x16.7 million colours
800x600x16.7 million colours
1,024x768x16.7 million colours
1,280x1,024x16.7 million colours
1,600x1,200x16.7 million colours
Simul. Display Support 1024x76x16.7 million colours

Graphics Controller

ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000 Graphics Processing Unit
Video Memory: 32MB DDR Memory. 128-bit Graphics Accelerator. 4xAGP bus

Sound System

Software Sound 16-bit stereo.
ADI AD1886 Codec Chip
Built-in stereo speakers. 3D sound support. Direct 3DSound.
FullDuplex support. Sound Volume Control dial, Internal MIC
(monaural), Stereo Headphone Port.
Communication
V.92 Data/Fax Modem, Ring Wake-up Resume.
10/100 integrated Ethernet LAN, network boot
Built-in Intel Wireless LAN (802.11g)

Expansion

2 Expansion memory slots (One filled with 512MB, can be replaced by 128MB, 256MB, 512MB or 1GB modules). 1 screw removal
2 PC Card slots supports two Type II or one Type III PC Cards; supports Cardbus
Ports: 1 Slim Select Bay Slot, 1 SD Card Slot, 1 Parallel (ECP),
1 RGB, 1 Parallel (ECP), 1 Serial, 1 PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Port,
1 Expansion Bus (for opt Advanced Port Replicator III), 1 FIR, 3 USB (2.0), 1 Modem (RJ-11), 1 LAN Port (RJ-45 with LED), 1 TV Out (NTSC/PAL Output; RCA Jack), External Mic, Stereo Headphone.
Supported via Advanced Port Replicator III: 1 Parallel (ECP), 1 Serial, 1 RGB, 1PS/2 Keyboard, PS/2 Mouse, 4 USB (2.0), 1 Modem (RJ-11), 1 LAN Port (RJ-45 with LED), 1 Line-In, 1 Line-Out


the only thing I have had added to it is anther 512MB of RAM to top it off to 1GB

The only thing I can think of is checking out the install options and trying acpi=no which should be one of them. Its a wierd one to be sure.

OK,

having a little time to think about it and how the screen was looking, I think I may have not said what is happening in the right way. I thinking the blinking is linux going in between the deferent layer screens. ie. text, grapic and so on. you know like when you use the ALt+Fx keys.

I have not had a look for the ACPI just yet.

I just tryed the acpi=no and it did not help. so it is an odd one to say the lest. may be I should just wait for core 4 in june.

Well I am still plugin away at it and I start to look into the Linux LiveCD. I went with the Berry 0.51 CD it ran great it is based off the fedora core 3 so I don't know what that means but at lest I know now that it has ended up that I know it well run on my laptop.

would this have something to do with the screen settings, that is besides the resolution?

it might be to do with a slightly strange graphics card ie v old or v new. I'm a bit stumped here really I must admit.

well because I need this linux up and running for school and an assignment due next week, I have gone over to mandrake 10.1. the install was really easy and the only thing I had to fix was the videocard drive. I know the name from the linux liveCD so it was just a matter of typing in the right name to the XF86Config file in vi and restarting.

I may not have version I want but a lest it is running.

I had the same problem with Ubuntu on my Compaq Evo. I had it in a docking station and with the lid closed it would blink on the monitor, but with the lid open it showed up just fine.