Difficulty in installing any Linux distribution due to unreadable text
 

Hello, I am new to installing Linux and have come across some difficulty that seems to me to be a hardware problem. When I try to install (so far Debian and Ubuntu) I am unable to read the text. Well, I can install Debian just fine without any difficulty reading the text, but when I boot into the system, I cannot read the text. The entire image seems to be very pixelated. I tried Ubuntu thinking it was a driver problem with my system, but Ubuntu starts the problem in the installation step. This can be seen here and here. I was wondering if this has come up before with anyone, one funny thing is when it hits GRUB it is just fine (here). My hardware is:

Motherboard: Gigabyte Motherboard GA-Z77X-UD5H
Processor: Intel Core i7-3770K
Graphics card: EVGA GeForce GTX 660Ti
Monitor: Viewsonic VA2231WM-LED

I will keep trying different Linux distributions, but was wondering if this is a known problem.

I've never seen it before. You may try a text mode install (or since Debian worked fine, just use that), and once the system is installed use one of the ttys to install the nvidia drivers.

So I have tried Mint, Debian, Ubuntu, Mageia, Fedora, Arch, Suse, and Slackwear. All have this problem. Either within the installation steps, or when the system is installed and started up. I used Debian, because that is the initial system I wanted to use (I want to set up a home network that controls home automation systems through OpenHAB). The hardware is not what the final home network system will be. This hardware is for my multiboot system that is use for work, but I just started getting into home automation and am working on a cheap Linux system. Until I have that system set up, I am playing around using this hardware. Once I find something worthy to be the home system, then I will move this drive to control that hardware. But the current hardware causes this problem. But looking at the driver support all my hardware should be supported. Here are some pictures that show the problem in Debian at the GUI interface here, here, and here. I was able to blindly find my way through some programs, but am unable to read any text.

Ok - did you try what I suggested?

Is there a reason you need to be running this OS on bare metal? Can you do a VM?

Best guess is that it is the EVGA GeForce GTX 660Ti which is known to have issues. https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/t...-ti-problems-/ and https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/t...ing-desktop/1/

I would be tempted to pull the card and install using the onboard graphics, then download and install the proprietary nVidia driver, before putting the card back.

Member response
 

Hi,

Looking at the specs; http://www.gigabyte.com/products/pro...px?pid=4139#sp
I agree with allend's suggestion to remove the 'EVGA GeForce GTX 660Ti' card and use the available on-board graphics port. Once you do get the distribution of choice installed you can hopefully get the drivers for that card installed then place the card into use.
Hope this helps.
Have fun & enjoy!
:hattip: