[laptop/video] Windows OK, Linux NOK : Why?

littlebigman · 11-24-2011, 04:22 AM

Hello

I'd like to know why even a basic Windows (bootable CD with WinPE) displays OK, while even a recent Ubuntu (11.04) shows a blank screen (I can SSH to it, so it works, it's just the video that doesn't).

According to this review, the Acer 3810T laptop uses an Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card.

Is it some kind of licensing issue that would explain why Ubuntu is unable to work with that video card?

Thank you.

mukt-kalandar · 11-24-2011, 05:33 AM

You need check whether appropriate display driver is installed or not on ubuntu. This is purely issue with required display driver. Contact to hardware vendor to get details about latest driver for ubuntu.

littlebigman · 11-25-2011, 03:56 AM

There are two files available for that laptop:

VGA_ATI_8.603.0.0000_XPx86XPx64_A.zip
VGA_Intel_6.14.10.5060_XPx86_A.zip

I don't know why it has two video drivers, but anyhow, my question was: How come a very basic Windows CD (WinPE) can work with the video while even a complete Ubuntu install can't?

Does someone know if this could be a licensing issue?

EDDY1 · 11-25-2011, 04:16 AM

Maybe this will help
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...3&postcount=13

littlebigman · 11-26-2011, 06:06 PM

Thanks for the tip. If this bug is supposed to have been fixed in 2009, it's strange that a very recent and updated version of Ubuntu doesn't work.

I guess that Windows mini CD is either more up-to-date than Ubuntu, or it contains licensed drivers, which would explain why it works while Ubuntu doesn't.

syg00 · 11-26-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebigman

According to this review, the Acer 3810T laptop uses an Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card.

And only 64 MB of video memory ???.
Hello ...

I'm guessing that is like some crappy Dells I've used that use a Windows driver to share memory. 915resolution used to fill that hole, and eventually the Intel driver for X.
You might be able to get away with an insmod in grub2 for later Ubuntus.

littlebigman · 11-29-2011, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

You might be able to get away with an insmod in grub2 for later Ubuntus.

It boots fine with that Windows recovery CD, without having to add video drivers to it, so I find it strange that Ubuntu can't handle it as-is, at least in basic mode (eg. 1024x768). I guess Microsoft has some agreement with Intel so that even a downsized version on a bootable CD supports Intel video.

I'll see if I can get some basic video by just adding a repo and running the usual apt-get update/install.

Thanks.