Installed Fedora Core 6 On Dell C521 - Resolution Problems
 

Hi Linux Newbies

I installed Fedora Core 6 on my Dell C521 with a 19" Dell monitor Desktop today (I replaced the existing Win XP). The installation went on fine. The problem is that after some stage of booting (i.e., I see 2 green OKs or [OK] and then the monitor shows I cannot display ( something like that) , optimum resolution is 1280*1024 60Hz. And the screen stays like that forever. I cannot change the monitor resolution from the monitor itself. The monitor is a 19" Dell E19FP, I tried Dell support, but they also said that it can be changed only form the OS.

I was thinking of installing Windows again and then changing the monitor resolution and then again installing Fedore Core 6. However, now the problem is that when I insert the Windows installation disc, nothing happens. I am sure that the boot sequence is to boot from the CD-ROM before HDD. I do not know what is the problem there.

So, I am kind of stuck! I cannot re-install Windows and FC6 would not show anything because of a resolution problem.

Is there any way of specifying in GRUB that resolution is 1280*1024. I tried inserting 'linux resolution-1280*1024' after the kernel line (second line after HDD..., )in GRUB, but it says invalid command.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. I can go with re-installing windows or getting to see the linux load up. I can provide the exact messages, if further elaboration of the problem is required.

Thanks in advance
Ayesha

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Thanks jlighter

Thanks for the advice, when I said "I do not know what the problem is there", I meant I do not know why I am not able to re-install Windows as inserting the installation CD does not give any display and I am sure that the BOOT sequence is floppy,CD-ROM and then HDD.

I also think that the problem is there with graphics card, I saw a recent post about NVIDIA card, and as far as I remember, I think I also have some NVIDIA card. Anyway, I will try to get to login prompt by doing what you suggested. I will keep you posted.

Thanks again!
Ayesha

Boot sequence is controlled by the PC's BIOS. If you're system won't boot from the CD you should check the BIOS for the BOOT sequence (e.g. floppy first, CD next and hard drive last).

Do a hard boot on the system and during POST (Power On Self Test) you should see a prompt to hit a key to enter BIOS configuration. Usually it is F2 or DEL.

Separately before you try reloading windows you could try to get to a text mode instead of graphics mode. Try hitting alt-F2 when you see the first "green OK". If that doesn't work when you see it go "blank" try hitting "ctrl-alt-F2". If you get a login prompt you can login as root.

You'd then have to work on your graphics setup in /etc/xorg.conf. Doing a Google search for your monitor model along with Linux may help though most of the time the issues appear to be the graphics card rather than the monitor.

The graphics card is

256MB nVidia GeForce 7300LE TurboCache

Ayesha

I have similar monitor, mine is a digital (1905FP), I usually let Fedora use default resolution, right now Windows is using 1152 x 864. If I remeber right, in Fedora I use 1024 x 768, possibly even 1280 x 1024 after installing nvidia drivers from livna repositories. To boot from the Windows CD, when you first boot-up the computer and see the "Dell" splash with a progress bar, hit F12 to select a custom boot device, "USB device, CD-ROM". Then when it says to hit any key to boot from CD, hit any key on the keyboard.

Here is good reference on how to setup Fedora Core 6, and setting up repositories like livna to get your nvidia drivers.
http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-fc6.html

FC 6 ctrl-alt-F2 didn't work. I installed Ubuntu. Ubuntu works. Ubuntu rocks.