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Shoofly 03-30-2007 10:31 PM

blank screen
 
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Hello everybody!

I am brand new to the Linux world and I am trying to run Kubuntu for the very first time.

I have an IBM 300 PL pc with a 733 MHz P lll processor and 128 Megs of RAM. I have an 11 GB drive (hd0) and a 200 GB drive (hd1). I am using an XFX mx400 nvidia based video card.

My installation appears to go OK with one exception. After the install the OS tries to reboot. The Kubuntu logo and a progress bar appear on the screen. About half way through the boot process the screen goes blank. The hard drive light keeps flashing to indicate activity but the screen remains blank.

I have gotten the same result with ver. 6.10 and 6.06. I also got the same result with ver. 6.10 and 6.06. of Ubuntu. I downloaded the low memory (alternate) distributions because I do not have 256 Meg of RAM.

I downloaded a recent recent version of knoppix to look an my configuration files, but I do not what to look for. Incidentally, when the screen saver in knoppix kicks in I cannot restore my desktop. The screen goes blank and remains so.

I cannot edit any files using 'sudo' as recommended in some of the forums that I have read.

I think I may have a video setting wrong but the the video card was installed automatically by the Kubuntu installer.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Shoofly

GrapefruiTgirl 03-31-2007 08:47 AM

Hi there :) Welcome to Linux..
Here's a couple suggestions to get you started.
By default, when using a Knoppix Live CD, based on my experience, the sudo command won't work yet. You must use 'su' instead, to get yourself root priveleges. The live CD as I recall won't ask for a password because I think there isn't one by default. However, if It *does* then try to locate in the system menu somewhere the option to 'set root password'. I think that su will work though.
After you su yourself, you can do the same stuff that sudo would let you do, like using mc (midnight Commander -- type 'mc') to edit your config files.
I think you are on the right track that the problem is video-card or video-settings related.
When I installed my Slackware and a couple other distros over the last few months, the video config file that was created by default after installation caused my monitor to turn off!! Not very helpful.
The file you are looking for is located at /etc/X11/xorg.conf. You will want to check that there is a suitable video driver selected for your card/device and that the HorizSync and VertRefresh are appropriate for your monitor, and that the resolutions available are also able to be displayed by your monitor.
If you have the manual for your monitor, you should find the needed settings in it; if not, Google your monitor to get the specs.
Let us know if this gets you anywhere.
OH PS - you *might* need to use 'chroot' to get yourself into the ubuntu installation, if Knoppix is unable to edit/save files in the ubuntu partition. do like:
knoppix-user#: su
knoppix-root$: mount /dev/hda1 /media/somewhere (if the ubuntu partition is not mounted yet)
knoppix-root$: chroot /dev/hda1 (to CHange ROOT into the ubuntu partition)
ubuntu-root#: mc
<now find and edit and save the file>
ubuntu-root#: exit
knoppix-root$:

And now test Ubuntu.

Let us know if this gets you anywhere :) and Good luck!

Shoofly 04-03-2007 10:38 PM

blank screen
 
Success!!!

First, Thanks to G r a p e f r u i Tgirl for the quick response:).

The solution:

I forgot that my PC has a second video card that I had deactivated while I was running Windows. (DUH!) Linux, however, picked it up and after installation defaulted to that card instead of my regular card. Voila! Instant blank screen.

I removed the old card and everything seems to work fine. Now I can work on all the other stuff that I don't know...

Shoofly


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