after grub, stripy screen

[Grant Allan]

> On Sun, Oct 23, 2005 at 03:57:02AM +1300, Grant Allan wrote:
>> hi,
>>
>> i installed linux CDs using text mode 'anaconda', because i was having
>> troubles getting the GUI version to display properly.  (first i tried
>> different resolutions, and "nofb".)  but text mode seemed to install the
>> 4
>> CDs just fine.  but...
>>
>> when i get to my grub screen, it displays ok, but then when it goes to
>> start linux, it tells me it is checking the hardware and then gives me a
>> stripy screen (red and green vertical stripes, in case you were
>> wondering
>> ;) - and a little while after that, i get a screenful of orange and
>> white
>> rectangles, various sizes).
>>
>> what to do?  i expect that i need to install some special display
>> drivers
>> from nvidia - but until then, is there some way to get grub to start me
>> in
>> text mode or something.  i guess i would use the "linux rescue" to do
>> that?
>
> Not necessarily.  Use Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get to a text-mode login.  Then
> follow the directions here:
>
> http://www.rhil.net/docs/faq.html#x_fails
>
>> i did try using "linux rescue" to try looking into grub.conf (in case
>> there were some helpful comments), but no joy.  when i tried to use
>> "gedit" on grub.conf, it failed to start, citing a display problem.
>
> The answer is in /etc/inittab, not grub.conf.  See above hint for
> directions.
>
>> if editing some file somewhere is part of the solution, is there maybe a
>> text-based editor in "linux rescue" that i can use instead of gedit?
>>
>> i'm a bit worried about not being able to shut down gracefully.  when i
>> get to the an unreadable screen, my only way out would seem to be
>> hardware
>> reset button (ouch!).
>
> Use the Ctrl-Alt-F1 (or -F2 through -F6) to get to a text screen.


thankyou for your advice.  i think it is necessary for me to turn off
x-windows for a while.  and so the help on how to edit /etc/inittab is
valuable.

i think drivers are the next step for me, as the display configuring
program itself does not display correctly for me - maybe it also uses
xwindows, i don't know.

i think it is a bug that anaconda does not set up /etc/inittab to match
the settings used when installing.  eg. if the user types "linux
resolution=800x600" when installing, then that same setting should be put
into /etc/inittab.  what does anybody think about that?

b.t.w., i might be slow to react from now on.  sometime today, windows has
lost my ethernet card, and so can't access internet card until i fix that.
 i am sending this mail / looking for drivers on my pc at work.

cheers,
grant