Installation Problems

[RonH]

I have problems with the install using the standard process. Installing live cd with the safe option works. When i install with out this option all i get at boot up is all garbled screen.

I have posted the system config off the dell site. I have tried various live cd's and all come back with this problem. The only disto that seems to work ok is freespire. Screen res is ok and refresh rate is ok. I have also tried to install to hard disk and the same thing happens. Is it because of the pci-e card, the intel 925 chip set, or is it just a dell problem. I would love to run Linux and get rid of Mr Gates, but nothing seems to work. Thanks for any help you can give.

System Type: Dimension 8400
Ship Date: 1/4/2005
Dell IBU: Americas



Quantity Parts # Part Description

1 T7282 PROCESSOR, 80547, PENTIUM 4 PRESCOTT DT, Pentium 4 Prescott DT, 3.2GHZ, 1 MEGB, 800FSB, SOCKET T, E0, MALE
1 N6835 INSTRUCTION, DEVIATE FOR CHAS L5.5/L6
1 702EX INFORMATION, PREPARATION MATERIAL, DEVIATION, PRECISION WORKSTATION, INCREASE, #1
2 W3768 DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE, 512, 533M, 64X64, 8, 240, 1RX8
1 X2749 MODEM, V.92, DATA FAX, INTERNAL, DONNY, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION
1 U5945 ASSEMBLY, DIGITAL VIDEO DISK DRIVE, 16X, HALF HEIGHT, HITACHI LG DATA STORAGE, CHASSIS 2001
1 W7065 ASSEMBLY, DVD+/-RW, 16X, HALF HEIGHT, PHILIPS, CHASSIS 2001
1 P7665 CARD (CIRCUIT), MULTI-MEDIA, AUDIO, 1394, SB0358
1 M7803 CARD (CIRCUIT), GRAPHICS, 256, GEFORCE, 6800, HMGA11
1 7J597 HARD DRIVE, 160GB, Serial ATA, 7.2K, 8MB, NATIVE COMMAND QUEUEING, SEAGATE
1 7J597 HARD DRIVE, 160GB, Serial ATA, 7.2K, 8MB, NATIVE COMMAND QUEUEING, SEAGATE
1 C6355 ASSEMBLY, CABLE, Serial ATA, TRANSFORMER SKY DIVE MINITOWER, 2.0
1 T7166 KIT, SOFTWARE, WP-PRDCT-STE12, ENGLAND/ENGLISH, V2
1 G7624 KIT, SOFTWARE, OVERPACK, WXPPSP2, COMPACT DISKETTE W/DOCUMENTATION, ENGLAND/ENGLISH
1 N8757 KIT, DOCUMENTATON ON FLOPPY DISK, SOFTWARE, POWERDVD, 5.3.1012

[askrieger]

Re: Installation Problems

If your screen is garbled, you almost certainly have a problem with the way Linux is sending signals to your display system. The fact that Kubuntu works when you start the live CD in safe mode, indicates that your problem is solvable. At the very least, you can use Linux that way.

Because the display software is a little different when Linux starts than it is, later on in the boot process, it is important to know exactly where the garbled screen starts. For example,would you have a chance to type something in at the start of the boot process? Another consideration is your monitor, the Live CD makes certain assumptions about the monitor frequencies that will work with your system. Sometimes, these are wrong. What type of monitor do you have (CRT or Flat Panel)? Who manufactured it, and what is its model number? If possible can you determine the range of horizontal sync frequencies and vertical refresh rates that the monitor will accept.

[RonH]

Re: Installation Problems

Thanks for getting back to me. I have a Dell 19 inch Flat Panel Model Number E173FB. All is well when booting up the live cd until it gets to the point where it starts up the actual log in to the desktop. all graphics are ok up till that point. I can see it setting up the software and hard ware before booting in. I can use the f4 button when starting up and if I set it to do 1024x768 it will start up in the normal mode with out using the safe graphics but then the mouse doesn't appear on the screen. I did install to the hard drive last night and tried to reset the video card and monitor and did a reset on the x-server using the default invidia card that it detected and the dell monitor but couldn't read the screen after x-server reset. Not sure if this helps Ron.

[RonH]

Re: Installation Problems

More details. I fould this on the dell site for the monitor if it helps.

Synchronization Range - Vertical 56 - 75 Hz

Synchronization Range - Horizontal 31 - 80 kHz

[askrieger]

Re: Installation Problems

That means that you're OK until the xserver (the linux graphics system) starts up. Then it sends you the wrong number of pixels, too fast or too slow. What you have to do is to correct the xserver configuration file, /etc/X11/xorg.conf. The easy way to do this (if you know what you're doing) is to edit the file by hand, but you will probably prefer to let the computer do most of the work.

If we assume that the monitor is the usual 1280x1024 pixels, you can go into a konsole (K>System>Konsole) and enter the command "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" then enter your password when requested. Choose the expert or intermediate level, you can pick the default settings for pretty much everything except your video card, "nvidia", your screen resolution, unmark everything except "1280x1024", your Vertical Refresh Rate, "75 Hz", and your Horizontal Sync Rate "31-80 kHz". This SHOULD get you going again.