Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

[negotiaetor]

So, im a complete linux noob, but would like to put Kubuntu on my laptop as i have heard of it and used it some before. It is a compaq presario f500 series.
Here are some specs:
Amd athlon x2 1.7 GHz processor
1 gig of ram
nvidia go 6100 integrated video card
80 gig hard drive
broadcom wireless card (ive heard of issues with that company and kubuntu, but im sure thats not the problem right now)

When installing kubuntu, it goes into the restricted drivers, but i suppose that it cannot find a driver for my video card, tries to use another driver, and fails miserably, though it produces a very beautiful screen that starts at white then progresses to red and stays there. How can i fix this or "go around it"

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

Probably the quick solution, assuming you can get the text login prompt, is to set it up as a VESA display, as per this:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3085112.0

But you'll want an Nvidia driver for best performance. I prefer the Envy script installer, as per this:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3086232.0

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

how do i get the text login prompt?
I have not even been able to make an account or install at all. Everything feezes just after i boot from the cd and select start or install kubuntu

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

also, i think that it does go into vesa state, because while i see text and what it is doing, it says: saving vesa state.

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

Before you press "Run or Install", I think you have some "Options", right? Is it F6? If you play around with those, I think you will see a "VGA" mode -- try that. Once you get it running, then you can change it to VESA per the link I posted.

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

ok, so i was able to install kubuntu in text mode succesfully. now i can go into the x server config, but still get that weird screen, so i tried to select vga under the xerver thing, i tried several differnt things(maybe i should explore all possibilities under vga?) but it either says tells me that it doesnt mot work, or gives the the pretty screen

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

ok, so i was able to install kubuntu in text mode succesfully

Hey, progress!

OK, now this is really important: When you start the

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

script, the answer to the very first question is "NO" -- you do NOT want it to detect your graphics chip. Then on the next screen you choose "VESA" as the display type. Then make sure when you get to the monitor settings, that you choose refresh and sync rates that are within the allowable range for your LCD or monitor.

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

Ok, well when i said that i had chosen vesa under the xserver thing, i mean that i had already chosen NO as the answer to the question as to whether or not to auto detect the video card.
I choose vesa, enter nvidia go 6100 as the video card description, give the vid card 256000 kB of memory, go through several keyboard and mouse options, i leave everything alone there as well as whether or not to use opengl, choose 1024x768 as the resolution ( i know it can handle this) and the normal refresh rate(60). for some reason it still leads me to the weird screen

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

i get the pretty screen whether i choose vga or vesa, same screen

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

maybe i should choose another thing like vesa?

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

Ok, so umm, i have no diea what i did, but after i let the laptop sit a bit, i turned it back on, and just for kicks went into regular start... guess what?
it started, wooo, thank you very much for your help, dibl!!I am going to try to get envy working now, WOOO

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

...... darn, so it seems that when i logged back out, o got the screen again and its making me sad, i had it then it slipped through my finger due to impatience... hmm, ill just keep trying to repeat whatever i had done

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

i had it then it slipped through my finger due to impatience...

Ahhh, yes, like so many things in life!

Well, you can probably do again that which you did correctly once.

[negotiaetor]

Re: Kubuntu 7.0.4 and my compaq laptop...

yup yup, ok, its all working, envy worked great. now all i have to do is get my wireless card working...woo?
well, that will be saved for another day(namely tomorrow during my freeblock with my friend who can probably fix it)
again, thanks a lot!