I recently installed mandriva linux on my pc.
first attempt: instalation worked fine until installing the bootloader. After instaling the bootloader i got the install summary and said that my graphic card is not configured so i started to select the rezolution, refresh and so on. Then i got prompted to test my configuration. I click yes and a black screen appears with some strangely collored lines (kinda freezed). I had no choise but to reboot my computer from the reset button.
When prompted wich system to start, i chosed linux and then i got a command prompt asking for my username and password. After the login i was able to write commands.. (i am a linux newbie.. so i typed help.. god rather confused .. and rebooted my pc; this time ctrl+alt+del worked )
second attempt: i insert linux cd1 and when prompted to choose between instal or upgrade i choosed upgrade. This time i clicked no when asked to test my configuration and the instalation was completed, but when linux started i got a black screen with some stuff written (ex: checking..... [ok])
third attempt: i install linux all over again, but this time i choose moke packages (especialy graphics) but i got the same screen as before
I must mention that in those attampts i didn't choose any swap partition.
last attempt: i chosed a swap partition, and now i don't even get the screen as before.. i only get a black screen and some weird collored lines.
btw, is it possible that my video card (gforce mx 440 64 mb ram) is broken in some way(windows xp works fine)? I have knoppix on a bootable disc and that workes just fine.
So if anybody can help me...

It sounds like you're getting good at installing Mandrake but you are obviously having a hard time configuring the xserver.

You should let the install complete and when you get to the install summary, set up the xserver using the generic Nvidia driver and test it, if the screen goes horrible press Ctl+Alt+Backspace which will kill the test and put you back at the install summary.

Try a different xserver until you get it right

welcome to LQ
Is this a laptop?

try at the boot prompt (press F2) parameters (even during install)
acpi=off video=vesa

Look in mandriva forum (do not cross post) for plenty of similar
newbie having problem setting the video card

do install grub as bootloader, not lilo

look in lq bookmark for newbie and rute for some linux references / must know

once you have installed and booted (acpi=off video=vesa)
start a terminal, type su, then password for root, then drakx11
play with the video driver setting and choose the right one

When those colored lines apper that is the test, amd you should get in the middle of those lines a box with option to keep or not this sttings! That screen it will stay for only 15-20sec. just have a little pations If it freezes or locks maybe you choosed an unsuported refresh rate or resolution or the monitor make/model is not correct set, try different settings (CTRL+ALT+backspace will get you out from the test) I'm also using the same videocard and it's working like a charm. BTW if you have at least 512 RAM is not necesary to make swap partition but it's always good to have in case you need it! I recomand you use 500 MB of swap but this doasn't wreally have to do anithing with the videocard settings... so keep it up!

What is the output of lspcidrake -v
for the video card so we/you can tell t_mann what driver to use

lspci -v
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV18 [GeForce4 MX 440 AGP
8x] (rev c1) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
Flags: bus master, 66Mhz, medium devsel, latency 248, IRQ 16
Memory at de000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at d0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Expansion ROM at dfee0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <available only to root>

lspcidrake -v
via-agp : VIA Technologies Inc|VT8377 CPU to PCI Bridge [BRIDGE_HOST] (v
endor:1106 device:3189 subv:1849 subd:3189)
via-agp : VIA Technologies Inc|PCI-to-PCI Bridge (AGP 2.0/3.0) [BRIDGE_P
CI] (vendor:1106 device:b198)
sata_via : VIA Technologies Inc|VT6420 SATA RAID Controller [STORAGE_RAID
] (vendor:1106 device:3149 subv:1849 subd:3149)
via82cxxx : VIA Technologies|VT82C586 IDE [Apollo] [STORAGE_IDE] (vendor:1
106 device:0571 subv:1849 subd:0571)
usb-uhci : VIA Technologies|VT82C586B USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1106 devic
e:3038 subv:1849 subd:3038)
usb-uhci : VIA Technologies|VT82C586B USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1106 devic
e:3038 subv:1849 subd:3038)
usb-uhci : VIA Technologies|VT82C586B USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1106 devic
e:3038 subv:1849 subd:3038)
usb-uhci : VIA Technologies|VT82C586B USB [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:1106 devic e:3038 subv:1849 subd:3038)
ehci-hcd : VIA Technologies Inc|VT8235 USB Enhanced Controller [SERIAL_US B] (vendor:1106 device:3104 subv:1849 subd:3104)
i2c-viapro : VIA Technologies Inc|VT8237 PCI-to-ISA Bridge [BRIDGE_ISA] (ve ndor:1106 device:3227 subv:1849 subd:3227)
snd-via82xx : VIA Technologies, Inc.|K7VT4 motherboard [MULTIMEDIA_AUDIO] (v endor:1106 device:3059 subv:1849 subd:9761)
via-rhine : VIA Technologies|VT6102 [Rhine II 10/100] [NETWORK_ETHERNET] ( vendor:1106 device:3065 subv:1849 subd:3065)
Card:NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic): nVidia Corp.|NV18 GeForce4 MX440 AGP 8x [DISPLAY _VGA] (vendor:10de device:0181)
hub : Linux 2.6.12-12mdk ehci_hcd|EHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.12-12mdk uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.12-12mdk uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.12-12mdk uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)
hub : Linux 2.6.12-12mdk uhci_hcd|UHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused] (vendor:0000 device:0000)


I have downloaded from Nvidia website the driver 1.0-81.78! I also have the latest driver from Nvidia 1.0-87.56 but it's not working correctlly as described in this thread:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=445388
When I installd Mandriva I just use Geforce 4 MX generic or something like this avaible in the settings options at the installation summary!

thx for your help
I'm gonna try your suggestions and keep u up-to-date with my situation.

Ctl+Alt+Backspace dosen't work. It dosent take me out of the test area.
I selected a diferent monitor (1024 768 @ 60Hz), And at the test i got a diferent image then before.. with some written stuff (checking... [ok]), but still it wasn't a clear picture, and the only thing i could do was to move the mouse cursor.

Running out of suggestions for now
can you at least login graphically when using options
acpi=off video=vesa

As a newbie I have also been totally stumped with my Nvidia Geforce 4 MX440 AGP 8x card. Both Mandriva versions , LE2005 and 2006 froze , either before Gnome was launched or a few key-strokes later. Having a strong dislike of the command line , I didn't want to follow the complex solutions being offered here. (Do they actually work ?)
By chance , (in another experimental attempt to get Mandrive 2006 working,) during the set-up process , I selected the Xorg video driver 'nv' instead of the 'Nvidia' one. I tried only the KDE desktop , and , lo and behold it worked ! Later I added Gnome (my favourite from Mandrake 10.1) also with no problems.
Ok the questions : Why did this work ? Do Xorg's drivers compete with Nvidia's ? Given that my PC is not used for games is the 'nv' driver adequate ? Is there a 'patch' or RPM that will solve the Nvidia problem for us (simple , backward) 'newbies' ?