Install Debian and screens cannot read output.

zest n zeal · 01-28-2009, 11:30 AM

Hi I just tried my first install of Debian. After the reboot my screen is black with the information "OUT OF RANGE INPUT 1 : HD 15, 87.8kHz/ 70Kz". In a second monitor I get the message "Input is not supported".

I figured I would have problems with the migration from SUSE to Debian but this is a really flummoxing start. Any ideas on how to fix it?

Many thanks

Zest

farslayer · 01-28-2009, 11:33 AM

That first message is from your monitor.. it's telling you that the Graphics card is sending it a video signal that the monitor is not capable of displaying.

Check the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and verify the proper settings are in place for the Monitor refresh rates..

Code:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Minicom LTD"
	Option		"DPMS"
	HorizSync	31-81
	VertRefresh	56-76
EndSection

Locate the proper values from the Owners manual of hte monitor or the manufacturers website

zest n zeal · 01-28-2009, 11:35 AM

How do I enter a simple mode that the screen can read?
I cant change the "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" without a screen (I only have these two).

Adam

farslayer · 01-28-2009, 01:03 PM

If you drop to the terminal it should work..

CTRL+ALT+F2

log in, and edit the file with nano or vim

zest n zeal · 01-29-2009, 06:50 AM

It didn't.

Due to pressures to get that computer working to get some pennies rolling in I am having to return to SUSE (better the devil you know situation). Many thanks all the same.

Out of interest, is it common for Debian to have such basic install problems? Or should I try again when I have a free couple of days when not on the bread winning machine?

Zest

farslayer · 01-29-2009, 09:26 AM

Debian Lenny (Testing) would have far less issues detecting hardware than Debian Etch since Etch is going on two years old now.. but Lenny is not stable yet so not a good chopice for a server at this time. (Stable is a relative term... it is very stable, but it's not the stable branch)

Solving issues with Graphics manually was one of the first things I learned how to do from the command line in Linux.. back in the day it was the most common issue when installing on a new system. So if and when I run in problems with X during an install, I don't see it as a big deal.. it's fairly easy to fix by hand with a few minutes and a basic knowledge of X and the xorg.conf file.

Quite frankly Suse was the one that always gave me the most grief with Graphics. I wanted to make a change and YAST would strongarm me through a complete reconfiguration of X when all I wanted to do was add another resolution setting, or change a basic X option. something that would take 5 seconds in Debian with a text editor. That's one of the resons I don't run Suse, I hate wizards and I hate fighting config tools.. Yast is not my friend, no matter how much it pretends to be.

So I guess I'm saying I'll take fine grained manual control over automation and everything working magically out of the box.. That's an attitude that has been developed for me by Microsoft over the years as they continuously replaced configuration pages with those stupid non-sensical wizards they so seem to prefer these days. I think wizards actually make it more difficult to configure services.. let me see all the options at once, not 2 or three at a time spread across multiple pages..
Clippy: "Looks like you're composing a suicide note, would you like some help?" Grrr..

If you have time certainly give it a go.. I go back and look at all the distros i no longer use every once in a while just to see what and how they are doing and if some of the things that annoyed me before have been changed..