Please Help: Probing monitor failed, hence blank screen
 

I am having a problem installing Fedora 2 as a dual boot system with Windows 2000 already installed, when I first tried installing this:

The laptop I am using has a 40Gb hard drive of which it has been partitioned with 30Gb assigned to Windows 2000. It is a Dell Lattitude D400.

I booted up from the DVD Rom, and it asked me to press enter to install graphical mode or type 'linux text' to install in text mode.

I tried to install in graphical mode and it came back with a blank green screen, and prior to this it said a message like 'Probing for monitor type: Monitor type not found'.

I gave up on this route and installed in text mode. Everything went ok. On the monitor side of things I think I selected Dell Laptop 1024*768 or something similar.

Then when I went to reboot, it gave me the 2 options of OS i.e. Fedora or Other (Windows 2000).
Windows still worked ok.
Fedora started up, but soon went into the familiar blank green screen.

Can anyone suggest anything to resolve this problem?

First of all, when you are presented with the two options, type in “2” when you select Linux. This will start Linux in text mode.

Next, log in as root and edit the file /etc/X11/XF86Config; this contains all the graphics card settings. Look at the Monitor section, and try to choose settings that better match your monitor. For more information, run the command (or Google for XF6Config)

You could also try pressing Ctrl+Alt++ (ctrl, alt and plus) to cycle the different graphics modes it's set up; some might work. Also, you can get to a text console after booting using Ctrl+Alt+F1.

Hope that helps,

—Robert J. Lee

Thanks,

In the mean time I spoke to a colleague who had the much later Fedora 2.92 (the Fedora 3 test version). I installed this over the top and it solved all the problems.

I will also play with the information that you gave me. Thanks again.