I installed Suse 10.1, and ended up with a black screen. I can't do anything with this, there isn't even a command line.
I believe my video card is not supported. It's an ATI Radeon 7000 agp card.
I also had problems with Suse 10.0, though not this bad. Suse 10.1 installed ok on my other pc, a PIII with an old nvidia pci card, and other distros work fine on this system. It's kind of weird, actually.

I am prepared to get a new card, but can someone advise which card I can buy so I can get my favourite distro up and running?
I don't need the latest and greatest, as I won't be playing any whizz-bang video games.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

The ATI Radeon 7200 is supported. The driver may not be loaded (SuSE occaisionally doesn't correctly detect some video cards, and consequently doesn't load the correct driver).

Have you tried booting to runlevel 3? Do you see text?

If so, try lsmod. Look for the redeon driver. If you don't see it, try modprobe radeon. Then init 5 to get to graphics mode.
If it still doesn't work, inspect the kernel .config file in /usr/src/linux to see whether or not ATI support is compiled into the kernel or as a module.

I had similar problems with my amd_64 + Radeon XT9800 install. My card is detected as a R300 for some reason?? Try this:

During boot select the failsafe option. -- This should take you to a text screen.

Log on with your normal account ant then su or if safe then log on as root.
Type in: sax2 -m 0=radeonold (Please note the 0 is zero)

You should then be able to configure your card and test it. Probably best to accept the defaults.

When complete type reboot and you should be fine.

Hope that helps but if not let me know.

Thank you, Bosey, that has worked, sort of. I tried to change the resolutioon from 1680 (the default) to 1024 and it crashed, but at least I have a desktop now.

Also, lsmod shows no mention of a Radeon driver.

I have a radeon 7000 agp card and did not experience any problems with 10.1. Here is my xorg.conf may be of help.
# /.../
# SaX generated X11 config file
# Created on: 2006-05-23T20:58:54+1000.
#
# Version: 7.1
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005
# Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>
#
# Automatically generated by [ISaX] (7.1)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/xtest"
FontPath "/opt/kde3/share/fonts"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "on"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "glx"
Load "freetype"
Load "dbe"
Load "v4l"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "kbd"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us,us"
Option "XkbModel" "microsoftmult"
Option "XkbOptions" "grp:alt_shift_toggle"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbVariant" "xfree86"
EndSection


Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Buttons" "7"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Name" "ImExPS/2 Generic Explorer Mouse"
Option "Protocol" "explorerps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
DisplaySize 340 270
HorizSync 30-83
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "BENQ FP737S-D"
Option "DPMS"
VendorName "BNQ"
VertRefresh 43-76
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
Modeline "1280x1024" 136.57 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1068
Modeline "1280x1024" 134.72 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1068
Modeline "1280x1024" 132.75 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1067
Modeline "1280x960" 128.13 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002
Modeline "1280x960" 126.27 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1001
Modeline "1280x960" 124.54 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1001
Modeline "1280x800" 105.78 1280 1360 1496 1712 800 801 804 835
Modeline "1280x800" 104.35 1280 1360 1496 1712 800 801 804 835
Modeline "1280x800" 102.80 1280 1360 1496 1712 800 801 804 834
Modeline "1152x864" 103.59 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 902
Modeline "1152x864" 102.08 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 901
Modeline "1152x864" 99.64 1152 1224 1344 1536 864 865 868 901
Modeline "1280x768" 101.60 1280 1360 1496 1712 768 769 772 802
Modeline "1280x768" 99.17 1280 1352 1488 1696 768 769 772 801
Modeline "1280x768" 97.81 1280 1352 1488 1696 768 769 772 801
Modeline "1024x768" 80.71 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802
Modeline "1024x768" 79.52 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 801
Modeline "1024x768" 78.43 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 801
Modeline "1280x600" 77.82 1280 1344 1480 1680 600 601 604 626
Modeline "1280x600" 76.04 1280 1336 1472 1664 600 601 604 626
Modeline "1280x600" 75.00 1280 1336 1472 1664 600 601 604 626
Modeline "1024x600" 62.26 1024 1080 1184 1344 600 601 604 626
Modeline "1024x600" 61.42 1024 1080 1184 1344 600 601 604 626
Modeline "1024x600" 59.86 1024 1072 1176 1328 600 601 604 626
Modeline "800x600" 48.18 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626
Modeline "800x600" 47.53 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626
Modeline "800x600" 46.87 800 840 920 1040 600 601 604 626
Modeline "768x576" 44.83 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 601
Modeline "768x576" 43.52 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 601
Modeline "768x576" 42.93 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 601
Modeline "640x480" 30.25 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501
Modeline "640x480" 29.84 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501
Modeline "640x480" 29.43 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 501
EndSection


Section "Screen"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1280x800" "1152x864" "1280x768" "1024x768" "1280x600" "1024x600" "800x600" "768x576" "640x480"
EndSubSection
Device "Device[0]"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "Device"
BoardName "Radeon VE"
BusID "1:0:0"
Driver "radeon"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Option "RenderAccel"
Option "AGPMode" "4"
Screen 0
VendorName "ATI"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
Screen "Screen[0]"
EndSection


Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
EndSection

Regards
Sharke

Thanks, Sharke. My X11.conf file is a little different from yours, as I've got a 19" monitor, and it may be the card-monitor combination that was causing the problem.
I've fiddled around with Sax2 a bit, and have got the thing looking ok now, at 1280 resolution, but no 3D or Xgl.

Thanks for all your help.