OK I am brand new to this as I do not have Linux. I downloaded Fedora 8 and wanted to install on my laptop (old laptop, Dell Inspiron 1100). I got the program to install, but it appeared only in text mode. I can get to a command prompt to login as root, which I did, but can't figure why it won't go to desktop mode. I run startx and I just get a blank screen. I tried to reinstall but when I tried to install the normal mode, I get a black screen and it goes no further, like something is up with the video driver or something? I test installed on my desktop machine using VMware and had no problems.

Any suggestions on how to cure this?

Brian

what video card does it have

I have no idea, but I think its an Intel graphics card built onto the chipset?

Try running xorgconfig

You can also manually edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

If in doubt on the video card, then specify the "vesa" driver--that should at least get you started.

I am surpised at Fedora 8--the better distros (eg PCLOS, Kubuntu, OpenSUSE) will typically detect the video hardware and set up a rational configuration.

Owner's manual here:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/i1100-om.pdf

From the command prompt after logging in as root, whats the command to edit that file? is it just edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

again this is my first Linux box.

Thanks!

It is 'vim /etc/X11/xorg.conf' you can also try nano or pico instead of vim. I personally hate vim.

No dice, still no success I tried Kubuntu and get a black screen when trying to install.

It's a problem with the (minimal) video memory the BIOS thinks you have allocated. There is a 855patch floating around which works, but if you update to the latest BIOS from Dell (A32 ???) you should be o.k.