eMachine and Fedora 9
 

After much frustration with two older laptops, I decided to try to install Fedora 9 on the kids' computer so I would have it somewhere. I see the initial install (thought pressing "i" for interactive setup has not worked on any attempt on any of the three computers). I see 2-3 lines informing me of installation progress, then the monitor goes blank. The CD continues to hash, which I assume means it's trying to install, but I never get a display. I have not tried a different monitor, but I'm doubtful that would be the issue. Ideas?

I have had SuSE 10.0 for a couple of years on an ancient laptop, but plead ignorant to understanding the magic of how it was installed - a friend did it for me.

Thanks!

Hello rritch01

I would question your decision to go for Fedora 9 to install here.

All the Fedora 9's in existence are pre-release versions in one form or another and are bound to be buggy. The full release version of F9 is not due until April/May. I don't think a final release date has been settled on yet.

I would strongly suggest that you download on of the live cd's of Fedora 8 and see if that recognises your hardware.

I suspect that the problem will be down to graphics drivers and graphics cards if that doesn't install.

In that event it would be probably be possible to get hold of a DVD version of F*, do a text install and deal with the graphics drivers afterwards.

It does depend on what graphics you have in the machine though.

If you can post back with those details we may be able to help more.

82845G graphics controller, built in to motherboard.

Maybe I'll give Fedora 8 a shot on all of these computers... maybe I'll luck out!

Hello rritch01

I wouldn't expect the Intel 82845G to be a problem for a current version of Fedora.

It's certainly worth the download of a CD.

My bad - I was loading Fedora 8. Any ideas? I do have another monitor I could try. They are both ancient and were cheap, so I would figure they are pretty generic and supported.

Hello rritch01

I have a machine here with an Intel 82845G chipset and graphics. I've just done a reinstall on it with the Fedor8 8 live cd with no problem so I know it's possible.

I suspect that the problem is, that if the monitors are that old they are not being announced as plug and play in a way that Fedora recognises and therefore fails when Fedora tries to run at too high a refresh rate.

I'd try the other monitor first in case it is better behaved.

Another possibility is to edit the options as the live cd starts.

If you press 'down arrow' when you see 'Automatic boot in 8 seconds' you will see the ordinary boot option highlighted and "Press [Tab] to edit options", press tab and add "vesa" without the quote marks at the end of the line of options or possibly "linux=vesa". They used to force a basic video level. They don't work on my machine either because they don't work with the live cd or because auto-detection is over riding them.

In any event, although they may get you to the live desktop I'm not sure they would hold through the install afterward.

Otherwise, have you a better monitor you could use for the installation? Like the one you are using to post this? That way you could get installed, set the monitor selection back to something suitable or basic, connect the older monitor and then adjust to its preferences.

Thanks.... no luck with the option, but changing monitors got me farther. I see the progress bar, but once it is done, the screen goes blank.. I'm closer, though!