Redhat 9.0 install display problems

drknow · 01-04-2004, 10:03 PM

Ok, Im getting very frustrated with this. I know very little about Linux. I just downloaded the ISOs for redhat 9.0. When I try to install, the screen goes black whenever it tries to go into graphical mode. I could install with the text mode, but i would be lost from there. Will somebody please give me the breakdown of how to get redhat 9.0 running with a geforce fx 5200 nvidia card. I see this problem all the time, but I can never seem to find an answer that an average user like me can understand. I appreciate any help on this subject.

Thanks,
Thad Blankenship
big_thad@hotmail.com

bencotton · 01-05-2004, 03:34 AM

Have you installed using the lores option? If not from the initial prompt where one must press enter to install, check the syntax on this, but type install lores.

drknow · 01-05-2004, 02:23 PM

what is the lores option???

atnan · 01-06-2004, 10:12 AM

I had the same problem. You don't by any chance have an LCD screen and use the DVI interface do you? That's the problem for me. I just switch to using the DSUB interface while I install, and then switch back when it's all done. I was then able to use my working XF86Config file from RH8 (which strangely works with my LCD running on DVI).

Bit of a pain though eh?

VoodooAlien · 01-06-2004, 11:21 AM

Hmmm...this problem has been plaguing me for some time now. I can't ever get RH9 to use the DVI connection.

So far i've resigned to live with the VGA connection until I can figure out why the DVI never works. So based on what I'm seeing, I really need to load the nVidia drivers first and then edit my XF86Config before attempting to switch to the DVI.

atnan · 01-06-2004, 11:29 AM

This is my process.

1. Install RH9 using DSUB
2. Copy relevant sections from RH8 XF86Config on first boot
3. Shutdown
4. Switch to DVI
5. Install drivers

Hope that helps.

VoodooAlien · 01-06-2004, 11:36 AM

Thanks atnan! I'll give it a shot when I get home.

wiesnerem · 01-07-2004, 09:29 PM

I bought RH 9 from amazon.com and, among other problems, found that the graphic installation does not run. Upon my consultation Red Hat Inc. said that their Linux 9 does not support this fx 5200 card, and an additional driver is needed that can be found in Nvidia website. They advice that we run text installation from the CDs and then execute the driver downloaded from Nvidia. My problem now is that the CDs in the boxed package have defects - consider yourself fortunate that you didn´t pay $35 for a faulty software. In the next days I will download the ISOs and try the nvidia upgrade. (I don´t know how to do it). Try the Nvidia download and let us know about your success, good luck.

Antonio Wiesner

atnan · 01-08-2004, 08:35 AM

I would say installing the NVIDIA drivers was one of the easiest things I have done...kudos to them for making it so simple.

init 3
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg1.run
vi /etc/X11/XF86Config
Find the Device section and replace either Driver "nv" or Driver "vesa" with Driver "nvidia".
In the Module section, make sure you have Load "glx"
Remove Load "dri" and Load "GLcore" (if you have them).
init 5

All this is also explained in the README...although if you do it my way you won't need to reboot (just switch between runlevels). Good luck

.

six11 · 02-06-2004, 07:02 PM

There are many people out there that have essentially the same problem: Whether you are installing Knoppix, RH9, or Fedora (even some Suse users, I've noticed), you get to a point in the install process where the graphical install hangs or otherwise trips up when it attempts to enter into full-screen X mode. Apparently XFree has a hard time discovering exactly what your hardware configuration is, but it doesn't realize its error, so it doesn't even fail gracefully.

I scoured the earth in search of wisdom in this matter. From many posts on the Internet and a little guesswork on my end, I figured it out. Or, at least, I figured out how to solve my particular issues.

Here's my specific hardware configuration: I have an NVidia GeForce 4 Ti 4400 and a sweet-ass 19" IiyamaAS4821DT display. The graphics adapter has a VGA out and a digital (DVI) out. I am connecting the two through a DVI cable, making sure the display is drinking from input 1. I did this on a fresh install of Fedora (yarrow).

(1) If you are installing a distro, install in text-only mode. When you boot for the first time after installing, make sure to enter into runlevel 2. To do this (assuming GRUB as your bootloader), when GRUB comes up, edit the command that boots the system, and tack on 'init 2' to the end. This will give you a single-user console bootup process.
(2) Edit /etc/X11/XF86Config (or, if your distro is using it, XF86Config-4). Find the section marked "Device" and add to it the last two lines (with my comments).

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Videocard0"
	Driver      "nv"
	VendorName  "Videocard vendor"
	BoardName   "NVIDIA GeForce 4 (generic)"
	Option "FlatPanel" "true" # without this it thinks it's in CRT-land
	Option "CrtcNumber" "1" # without this it may try to use the analog VGA out 
EndSection

Save your XF86Config file and fire up X by typing 'startx'. This worked for me, YMMV. Next time you boot, you may have to re-edit your GRUB bootline and remove the 'init 2' thing.

I've seen lots of people asking desperately about this, and I didn't find any clear answers, so I thought I'd post this and save other people the five days of Linux-less that I recently endured.