[SOLVED] Slackware 14.1 64-bit Black Screen at startx

notoMS · 08-19-2014, 08:46 PM

Good evening. Sorry I'm late in responding. I did not get online last night.

O.k. So, I tried the suggestions you guys provided.

1. I started Slackware from the installation DVD using the following suggested by onebuck:

Code:

Boot: huge.s root=/dev/sda5 initrd=ro nomodeset

I then logged on to Darkstar as root. I entered startx at the prompt.

Quote:

You should get your Lilo boot screen for the Slackware install.

I did not get the LILO boot screen. I again received the same unresponsive black screen.

2. As requested by onebuck, here are the contents of the Slackware '/etc/lilo.conf' file:

Code:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda5

#compact        # faster, but won't work on all systems.

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
  bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
  bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" (this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used.  We don't specify it here, as there's just one column.
  bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
  bmp-timer = 65,27,0,255
# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append=" vt.default_utf8=0"
prompt
timeout = 300
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# Ask for video mode at boot (time out to normal in 30s)
#vga = ask
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0     # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda5
  label = Slackware
  read-only  # Partitions should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/sda1
  label = Windows
  table = /dev/sda
# Windows bootable partition config ends

3. I restarted the computer. I again logged on to Darkstar as root. At the prompt I tried startxfce4 as suggested by Drakeo:

Quote:

Food for thought.
last but not least try startxfce4 and see what happens. because I do remember
a long time ago with kde there was a start up problem with the default 3d desktop.

I again received the same unresponsive black screen upon entering startxfce4 at the boot prompt.

4. I retried the code provided by Didier, and verified that I typed it just as directed (with upper case X in Xorg):

Code:

 mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
lspci -knn | grep -A3 VGA > /mnt/lspci.txt
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log > /mnt/xorglog.txt
umount /mnt

The contents of the lspci.txt file are as follows:

Quote:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:1439]
Kernel modules: i915
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)

Again, the xorglog.txt file is empty.

5. To answer the question posed by Didier:

Quote:

So just a thought: did you set up the BIOS of your machine to first try an USB boot (before any other media), else to boot off an USB stick once? If you forgot that it's normal that you couldn't boot off the USB stick. Also, some BIOS need a specific setting to allow booting off an USB device.

Yes, I have BIOS set to boot from both the DVD drive and USB prior to the hard drive. I have a boot USB thumb drive for Slax Linux that I can boot the computer into just fine (in fact, I used the Slax Linux booted from the USB thumb drive to run the cfdisk command to partition my hard drive).

6. To answer the other questions posed by Didier:

Quote:

Also, when you say that typing "startx" you receive a black screen, do you mean that the screen becomes fully black instantly, or do you first see some messages and then, which ones?

Other question, did you make a full Slackware installation (installed all packages), as recommended?

I allowed Slackware to perform a full installation with all packages (selected the "recommended" option during install).

Perhaps I need to be a little more specific when I say that I receive a "black screen". Yes, I do see a full screen of code flash by just prior to the "black" screen; however, it scrolls so quickly that I cannot read it. Also, the screen is not completely black, such as when the display is turned off, or when Windows is in Hibernation mode. The screen technically appears as a slightly back-lit grey/black color just as when the computer begins booting from BIOS when initially turned on.

7. Drakeo mentioned that the problem could possibly be loading 64-bit Slackware onto a 32-bit machine. I don't think this would be the problem, since I run Windows 7 64-bit on it.

I sincerely appreciate all of the energy you guys are expending in assisting me in getting Slackware running!

Didier Spaier · 08-20-2014, 06:00 PM

Thanks for your precise answers that really help investigate.

Maybe, the black screen is linked to the lack of a line beginning with "kernel driver in use" in the output of the lspci command. I have three more questions to investigate further.

1. What is the output of following commands (once logged in your system as root):

Code:

modprobe i915 #output should be empty
lsmod | grep i915

2. After the screen has become black (after "startx"), can you switch virtual terminals? In other words, if for instance you press together [Alt]+[F2], do you see the the prompt, or just a black screen as before?

3. Did you check the integrity of the Slackware ISO image before burning it to the USB stick? If not please do that. I remind you that the check-sum .md5 files for each Slackware DVD ISO image are available in the same directory as the ISO image itself, in a sub-directory of http://mirrors.slackware.com/slackware/slackware-iso/

Oh and a small remark: you could have used the Slackware installer itself to run cfdisk, it contains this utility among other ones.

allend · 08-20-2014, 07:29 PM

It has been reported that the HP G72 may require the 'acpi_backlight=vendor' kernel parameter. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...7/#post4645378

To test this, you could boot from the install disk and use

Code:

huge.s root=/dev/sda5 initrd=ro acpi_backlight=vendor

If this works then you can make this permanent by adding the parameter to the append= line in your lilo.conf file

Code:

append=" vt.default_utf8=0 acpi_backlight=vendor"

and rerunning lilo.

notoMS · 08-20-2014, 09:45 PM

Hi, Didier.

1. I ran the code as you instructed:

Code:

modprobe i915 #output should be empty
lsmod | grep i915

The output of the first command was indeed empty.

The output to the second command is as follows:

Code:

i915                    567446  0
drm_kms_helper           35118  1  i915
drm                     229054  2  i915, drm_kms_helper
video                    11451  1  i915
intel_agp                10864  1  i915
ic2_algo_bit              5351  1  i915
ic2_core                 20936  7  drm, i915, i2c_i801, i2c_dev, drm_kms_helper, ic2_algo_bit, videodev
intel_gtt                12600  3  i915, intel_agp
button                    4696  1  i915

2.

Quote:

After the screen has become black (after "startx"), can you switch virtual terminals? In other words, if for instance you press together [Alt]+[F2], do you see the the prompt, or just a black screen as before?

[Alt]+[F2] works prior to me entering "startx" (it opens tty2). However, after I enter "startx" and receive the "black" screen, and [Alt]+[F2], [Alt]+[F1], [Alt]+[F3], etc. have no affect - they do nothing.

3.

Quote:

Did you check the integrity of the Slackware ISO image before burning it to the USB stick? If not please do that. I remind you that the check-sum .md5 files for each Slackware DVD ISO image are available in the same directory as the ISO image itself, in a sub-directory of http://mirrors.slackware.com/slackware/slackware-iso/

I downloaded the Slackware DVD ISO file twice (from two different locations) and installed it twice with the same result when I enter "startx". However, I did not check the integrity of the ISO image. Honestly, I don't know how to use the check-sum .md5. Please forgive my ignorance. If you can give me some direction, I'll be glad to check it.

-------
Hi, allend.
I tried the code you provided:

Code:

huge.s root=/dev/sda5 initrd=ro acpi_backlight=vendor

It didn't appear to have any affect. When I entered "startx" I still received the "black" screen.

allend · 08-20-2014, 11:00 PM

The lack of output in /var/log/Xorg.0.log is strange. There should at least be information on the version of the X.Org X Server in use.
Is the D-bus message service available? i.e. is /etc/rc.d/rc.messagebus an executable file

If you have been able to configure networking, then you could use slackpkg to check your installation for missing packages. Type 'man slackpkg' for further information.

TracyTiger · 08-21-2014, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notoMS

2.
[Alt]+[F2] works prior to me entering "startx" (it opens tty2). However, after I enter "startx" and receive the "black" screen, and [Alt]+[F2], [Alt]+[F1], [Alt]+[F3], etc. have no affect - they do nothing.

Try adding the CTRL key to the combination so it's a three-key combination [ctrl]+[alt]+[fx]. That's often what's required to return to a virtual terminal once X starts. (though that part is in question.)

Didier Spaier · 08-21-2014, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notoMS

I downloaded the Slackware DVD ISO file twice (from two different locations) and installed it twice with the same result when I enter "startx". However, I did not check the integrity of the ISO image. Honestly, I don't know how to use the check-sum .md5. Please forgive my ignorance. If you can give me some direction, I'll be glad to check it.

In Linux, use the command md5sum. For instance the command
Code:
```
md5sum <filename ending in .iso>
```
will output a long character string that should be exactly the same (else the ISO file is corrupt) as found in output of:
Code:
```
cat <same filename but ending in .md5>
```
"man md5sum" will tell you more.
In Windows, you can use in a terminal the command fciv, to get and use it see here (this utility is old but still works in Windows 7, I just checked). The command is similar:
Code:
```
fciv <filename ending in .iso>
```
Just typing fciv will output a help text. You can also have a look at the ReadMe file included in the package.

notoMS · 08-24-2014, 10:57 PM

allend:

Quote:

Is the D-bus message service available? i.e. is /etc/rc.d/rc.messagebus an executable file?

Yes. I checked. The file "rc.messagebus" is an executable file. Is there something I need to do with it?

Didier:

Quote:

Did you check the integrity of the Slackware ISO image before burning it to the USB stick? If not please do that.

I followed your instructions (thank you). I checked the integrity of the Slackware ISO image. The character string output is indeed exactly the same.

notoMS · 08-30-2014, 12:36 PM

Any suggestions? Still need help!

Thanks!

allend · 08-30-2014, 10:24 PM

Quote:

NOTE: I wanted to ensure I could still boot into Windows in case I still had issues so I did not allow LILO to modify the Master Boot Record.

I think that as you have not installed LILO to the MBR, then when you have been booting from the install media, you have been in the Slackware installer environment. There is no X windows system available there.

I suggest installing LILO to the MBR so that you have a multiboot setup.
1. Boot from the install media and continue till you are logged in as root.
2. Mount your Slackware partition with 'mount /dev/sda5 /mnt'
3. Take a copy of the first track of your disk with 'dd if=/dev/sda of=/mnt/boot/track0.img bs=512 count=63'
3. Test installing LILO to the MBR with 'lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda -t'
4. If all looks OK, install LILO to the MBR with 'lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda'

I understand your concern about protecting your Windows setup, but installing LILO to the MBR is what I have always done and I have never experienced any problems. If a disaster occurs, then your options include:
a) use the Windows repair function to recover e.g. http://www.tomshardware.com/news/win...mbr,10036.html.
b) restore disk track 0 by following steps 1 and 2 above, then 'dd if=/mnt/boot/track0.img of=/dev/sda'.
c) restore the copy of the first sector of the disk (containing your disk partition table) that LILO placed in the /boot directory using dd.

notoMS · 01-03-2015, 08:30 PM

Good evening. My apologies for taking so long in reposting. My graduate school semester began and I had to put getting Slackware running on the backburner - only so many hours in a day with little sleep. :-)

So, now that my semester is over and we're through the Christmas holidays, I'm back trying to get Slackware running on my laptop. I finally stopped being hard-headed and took the advice many of you gave - I loaded LILO to the Master Boot Record. To do so, I used the process provided by allend:

Quote:

I suggest installing LILO to the MBR so that you have a multiboot setup.
1. Boot from the install media and continue till you are logged in as root.
2. Mount your Slackware partition with 'mount /dev/sda5 /mnt'
3. Take a copy of the first track of your disk with 'dd if=/dev/sda of=/mnt/boot/track0.img bs=512 count=63'
3. Test installing LILO to the MBR with 'lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda -t'
4. If all looks OK, install LILO to the MBR with 'lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda'

When I ran the LILO test line I received the following message:

Quote:

Backup copy of /dev/sda in /boot/boot.0800 (test mode)
The Master Boot Record of /dev/sda has *NOT* been updated.

When I ran the step to install LILO to the Master Boot Record I received the following message:

Quote:

Backup copy of /dev/sda in /boot/boot.0800
The Master Boot Record of /dev/sda has been updated.

BUT... the problem is that when I reboot the computer it acts as if LILO were never installed. It boots straight into Windows 7!

I even tried re-running cfdisk and changing sda5 partition to bootable, instead of sda1. However, when I restarted the computer it were as if the BIOS couldn't find the bootable partition. I received a message stating that there was not a bootable partition. I re-ran cfdisk, changed sda1 partition back to be bootable, and restarted the computer. It boots straight into Windows 7 again.

As a recap, here's my lilo config file contents:

Quote:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda5

#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" (this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used. We don't specify it here, as there's just one column.
bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
bmp-timer = 65,27,0,255
# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append=" vt.default_utf8=0"
prompt
timeout = 300
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# Ask for video mode at boot (time out to normal in 30s)
#vga = ask
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda5
label = Slackware
read-only # Partitions should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# Windows bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/sda1
label = Windows
table = /dev/sda
# Windows bootable partition config ends

Any suggestions on why it appears the system is "skipping" LILO and going straight into Windows 7?

Thanks!

allend · 01-03-2015, 08:55 PM

Quote:

# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda5

That should read

Code:

# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/sda

You will need to boot from the Slackware install media, and once you get to the root login prompt, mount the sda5 partition, chroot, edit /etc/lilo.conf and rerun lilo. This SlackDocs page has further details. http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sla...oot_from_media

BTW - You may also want to add these lines to the global section of your /etc/lilo.conf.

Code:

lba32 # Allow booting past 1024th cylinder with a recent BIOS
large-memory
compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.

notoMS · 01-04-2015, 12:18 AM

Hi, allend.

I edited the lilo.conf file as you directed.

In the LILO global section I changed:

Code:

boot = /dev/sda

In the LILO global section I added the following two lines:

Code:

lba32
compact

I re-ran:

Code:

lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda

When I restart the laptop it boots straight into Windows 7 again.

Now... I did initially make a typing mistake. When I first typed the lilo command, I accidently hit the enter key before typing the rest of the command (immediately after the word lilo). So, I reentered the full line lilo -r /mnt -M /dev/sda again.

Did my typing mistake mess something up?

allend · 01-04-2015, 12:23 AM

When you are in the chroot environment, just type 'lilo'.

notoMS · 01-04-2015, 12:25 AM

Ahhh. Ok.

Will that still make LILO write to the Master Boot Record?