Finally got old computer repaired, backed up and attempted installation of Linux Mint Sylvia this morning.

I got a message to read the release notes which I attempted to do. The result was a freeze with weird lines on the monitor. I cannot get out of this screen nor can I shut down the computer. I don't know what I did to cause the freeze.

Thanks for any help you can give. I'm a complete newbie with Linux so please explain thoroughly if you have a solution. I've attached a photo of the frozen screen.

Is there some sort of command to exit this type of screen such as Windows cmd+alt+del? I know no one here wants any comparison with Windows but that's the environment I'm coming from and all I know at the present.

Oh, I'm trying to install from a dvd if that information helps. I've been playing with the distro quite a bit before installing and have had no problems with it before.

Thanks,

J

Attached Thumbnails

 

Did you boot off of a media, like USB or CD/DVD? If so, did Mint come up showing screens and allowing install? If so, it possibly worked. I find that Mint sometimes (I know this sounds weird!) has a settling in period with graphics cards and that when I boot it a couple of times, amazingly it seems to work after a bit. Like it decides that one form of graphics is not working, and it cuts them back to lower resolutions.

The more correct thing to do is when you get here, type CTRL-ALT-F2, or -F3, F4, F5 to get one of the system consoles and see if it is running.

How to repair from there is not something I've done, but there probably is some way to set the graphics to a fundamental mode. Knowing the PC specs and doing a web search for the correct ways to fix this may yield something in the Mint forums.

As I mentioned, I was booting from a dvd and I did not get to any of the actual installation screens.

What I did: booted from dvd and got to the Mint home screen just fine (like I have in the past when I was playing with it).

Then I clicked on 'Install' and got a screen to start the install process but there was a line about reading the release notes which I clicked on. That was what gave me the screen with the weird lines and when everything just froze.

I just tried the CTRL-ALT with all the F- keys and still have the weird screen & everything remains frozen.

The computer is an old HP that has Windows 7 on it that I plan to overwrite and use Mint as the only OS. It has 4GB ram and a 640GB hard drive with an AMD Athlon dual core processor. I don't know if that's the information you need but if you need more, I'll try to find out. Oh, just saw that the graphics card is a NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE if that helps.

I can't even shut down the computer with the on/off switch.

I assume you can shut it down by pulling the power cord (and battery if it is a laptop).

Perhaps as opposed to trying to read the release notes, try the install.

Secondly, I'd also recommend you have a network attached, if possible.

A problem concern I have is you saying that you can't shut it down using the on/off switch. Are you pressing a button and holding it for 10 seconds or more? Are you literally toggling a switch to the off position?

My other concern is that you cite in your first post that you finally got an old computer repaired. Maybe there is still a problem with it.

What model is it? Or what are the specs if it happens to be a home built system?

Thanks for your prompt responses - I have handsfull of hair littered around my desk and am still looking at that weird screen.

I just came in to ask if it would hurt to just unplug the computer as nothing I've tried has worked. Of course I searched the internet for a solution before coming here but nothing worked.

I did hold the power button down for some time and nothing changed. The whole system is frozen and I couldn't even open the cd/dvd drawer to remove the dvd.

Yes, the computer (a desktop) has been working fine for ages as the repairs were minor and once I replaced some network drivers recently, all of it is working perfectly.

Here are the specs again: The computer is an old HP (S5310f) that has Windows 7 on it that I plan to overwrite and use Mint as the only OS.

It has 4GB ram and a 640GB hard drive with an AMD Athlon dual core processor. I don't know if that's the information you need but if you need more, I'll try to find out.

Oh, just saw that the graphics card is a NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE if that helps.

Just pulled the power cord and restarted the computer. That seems to have done the trick.

Is there some universal something to unfreeze a frozen distro?

May do some further reading before trying to install a distro though!

Thanks for your help!

The power button hold for 10 seconds or more is a BIOS function that cannot be overridden by an OS.

A complete lock up like that cannot block the holding the power button functionality. I feel that there's something wrong with the motherboard and power supply area of this system.

Maybe I'm off base here. Does it boot into Windows and work perfectly fine?

Unfortunately, I don't think you're off-base at all. Just for kicks, I re-tried the latest Zorin distro and ended up with the same result - a total lock-up when I made the first click. I don't know what is causing it.

It does boot into Windows and works just fine.

I'm beginning to think there's some sort of conflict with the drivers/hardware and the Linux distros and I don't know how to determine what it is. Since just booting into even a trial of either Mint or Zorin then clicking anywhere causes the lockup, I can't get very far with them.

Both distros seemed to work fine as trials before I updated the drivers for the network adapter. Of course, I couldn't connect to the internet either.

Just remembered that I switched to a wireless mouse a couple of days ago too - may go back to the usb mouse and see if that makes a difference. BTW, the wireless mouse works fine with Windows. Oh, that brings up another point - I normally use a Wacom tablet, wonder how that will work with Linux?

Seems further research is in order. If you have any other ideas, I'd be happy to hear them!

Thanks,

J

There's more fundamental versions of Linux which may work. I'm not the best "old system" expert here. Puppy seems to be one, but don't quote me on it.

I'll PM one of our senior members who seems to know a lot about older systems, maybe they'll chime in and have a suggestion.

In your place, I'd research what is best to use for an old tower containing that graphics card.

I like that your signature tag line is 'Never give up ... never surrender' but I'm beginning to think the universe is conspiring against me using Linux! I switched back to the usb mouse and everything went well for quite a while as I clicked on various files in the Zorin distro. I even went online and clicked on various things but eventually it locked up again!

I'll investigate lighter Linux versions - I think Zorin even has a light version. I've heard of Puppy also. But, both the Mint and Zorin versions that I downloaded work flawlessly as trials on my Windows 7 laptop with pretty much the same specifications as far as ram goes. Also have a Windows 10 desktop custom built machine which I absolutely hate. It is my whole-hearted desire to convert all my computers to Linux but don't want to do that until I learn the basics first. I was in hopes I could do that with the old computer.

I'm a 70 year old female who really likes computers but I think this is beyond me at this point. So bummed!

I feel you're doing well, just that this graphics card seems to be a problem.

I you look up on google using the string "linux nvidia geforce 6150" you find that the graphics processor seems to be the problem with Linux. There are solutions, but many of them are involved. Ubuntu and Mint have some solutions, as does Puppy. One person installed Mint MATE and had success, then they had to install NVidia drivers and things started to go haywire, it was a lengthy thread.

I feel you're doing exactly what I would do, explore Linux on a machine that you don't depend on. But now there's this. You have tried it on your Win7 laptop, so a thing to consider it installing it to be dual boot on that system. However I do not wish to have you give up so soon on the one you're trying to work on. Perhaps other members have some ideas to share. Please give it a bit to see if any respond.

Yes, I got that saying from the Galaxy Quest movie. I always liked it's duality of some real world application, plus the cheesy movie quote

Ok. I was asked to chime in. So here I be.

I experienced this on a laptop long ago. What it was newer xorg would not play nice with my graphics chip. My solution. Roll with Vesa driver instead of open source nvidia driver that comes with Zorin or Mint. noveau I take it is what you are dealing with here.

Zorin and Mint have a safe graphics boot option? No?

Let's see. Yep.

Taken off the Zorin forum. If it still don't work. Is this a PCIE/PCI nvidia card and do you have another to try out in that slot? Or. Is this a mother board vga port tied into a nvidia chip and a external card may be needed. I say this because my Emachine had a nvidia chip soldered into the motherboard.

If going with another external card. Make sure bios sees it. Make sure inbuilt video chip is disabled if that is how it is set up. One has to think a bit and work a bit harder when walking your path in your shoes.

I just junked out my Emachine 3507 and IBM Tower because they gave me as much service as they could before they gave up the ghost here in the desert in the 100F + heats they had to endure.

Good luck with it. I don't run Mint or Zorin. My druthers are MX and AntiX Linux.

1 members found this post helpful.

Oh yeah. My above advice applies running a live session. Not a installed session. I guess if my advice works. You will have to reinstall and use that boot option permanent like in grub2.

Edit: Hmmmm. What's this Solved stuff? In the Title?

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to help. (The 'solved' in the title was because I'd asked about how to get out of a frozen computer and that was answered.)

I've spent this morning doing a little researching on my computer/graphics card and have come to the conclusion that it wouldn't be financially feasible to put any more $$ into this old computer. The graphics card I have is integrated into the motherboard and it appears that I'd not only have to replace the graphics card, but potentially the power supply which I just replaced not too long ago.

I do thank you for pointing me in the right direction as to the problem so I wouldn't keep butting my head against the wall trying to make Linux work on it!

I intend to continue to study Linux and may eventually dual boot (or replace the OS totally) on one of my current computers when I'm more confident in my ability to administer it. And I do intend to try the solution you mentioned above. I read many negative reports about using vesa but since I can't use the computer as it is with Linux, I don't have anything to lose, right?

I'll try your solution and let you know how it works later today as I have other commitments this morning.

Thanks again to both of you!

OK, I'm feeling really stupid here. I've tried to follow your instructions but even after several tries, I haven't been able to find the menu you referenced in your post above.

When I boot from the dvd, the first of anything I see is a Windows screen which is only there for a second. Next I see a blank screen with two, very small, pictures/icons at the bottom (see attached photo). If I press Tab at that screen, I get the menu on the second photo but there's nowhere to type anything.

After that, I just select 'try Zorin' and for the rest of the loading, I just have an intermittent Zorin logo until the desktop appears.

I also searched the internet for the code you gave but didn't get a how to implement it, just various posts about it.

So, what am I doing wrong?!!!!

Attached Thumbnails

   

OK, think I've finally found the right place as I found 'nomodeset' after clicking on F6 in that one window I had a photo of above. I arrowed down to it and hit enter but everything froze and nothing happened. I've attached another photo but don't know what to do now.

Will check back later.

Attached Thumbnails