Booting CentOS 5, logo screen appears, stuff initializes, then screen goes black
 

I'm new to Linux and this is my first post. I installed CentOS 5. When I power on my system, I see the text messages from the boot, then the gui with the CentOS logo appears. A bunch of services get started. The last service I see is "starting first-time boot configuration". If I view the text messages while this is happening the last line I see is "starting smartd". Then the screen goes totally black.

If I hit esc on the initial boot screen and then select CentOS (2.6.18-8.1.10.el5), then edit the kernal line and add space and '3' to the end of it, I can get to the login screen. I login as root, then I type "startx" and what I think is Gnome comes up. Then things are fine - I can use Firefox and applications, etc.

Then when I logout out of the gui, I get a black screen again and then I have to cycle power and do the same routing again. The PC I'm using is an HP DC5700 Core 2 Duo, single boot. The display adapter shows as an Intel Q965/Q963 Express Chipset family.

My xorg.conf file shows:

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "i810"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Is this a driver issue?
Thanks!

Try the following;

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "i810" <<<---------replace with intel here
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480" <<<------Add "1024x768" before the "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Also see; http://www.intellinuxgraphics.org/install.html

Lenard: I made the suggested changes, but I'm still having the same problem.

Update: I booted init level 3 and then did:

system-config-display --reconfig --set-resolution=1024x768 --set-depth=16 --set-driver=vesa

startx

This worked. Then when I got out of xwin, it returned me to the shell prompt, which was a first. Then I did a reboot and just let the thing come up and it went to xwin & gnome. I'm good to go now. Thanks for the help!

Good for you I'm glad you resolved the issue, glad to see that you also do some searching and reading on your own also, way to go!!!

Sorry, this has nothing to do with your problem, but with a problem of mine.
How do you start a new post in this forum? I can post a reply to existing ones using the Quick Reply box, but I can't find a way to start a new post. How is this done?

Janneman.

Go to the forum you want to post your question in and near the top on the left hand side just below the menu bar look for the "New Thread" button and click on it.