Unable to install linux

[tikual]

Hi all,

I tried to install fedora core 4, debian and whitebox linux to my machine but totally failed.

Fedora core 4:
Unable to install it in graphic mode, but I could install it in text mode. Installation completed but it couldn't boot up.
Then I moved to Grub menu and there were two options -
Fedora Core (2.6.11-1.1369.FC4SMP) <-- default option, it hang after display the following message
Decompressing linux... done
Booting the kernel.
Red Hat nash version 4.2.15 starting
(hang)

Fedora Core-up (2.6.11-1.1369.FC4) <-- few [OK] messages appeared, but the screen hang when display Fedora startup page(blue)

Debian:
It was unable to detect my hard disk.

Whitebox:
when loading the first disk for installation. The screen turn blue and showed 'kill signal' something like that.

Config of my machine:
P4 630
Samsung 2G DDR
Tyan S5151 server board with onboard display
Seagate 300G SATA

I guess that the onboard display maybe the reason of installation fail. Do linux support onboard display? How to fix it? Hope someone can give me suggestions.

Thanks!


tikual

 

[ericbrunson]

Most onboard video is a standard chip with a known API. The S5151 (or Tomcat i7221A as the tyan site refers to it) is a single chip board. If they don't implement a standard API, then the OS won't know how to use it. I'm suprised that it doesn't implement SVGA, but maybe it just doesn't report its capabilities properly.

When dealing with non-standard hardware you really need to check for support. I'd ask Tyan if they support Linux on their hardware.

 

[tikual]

Thanks Eric, I really don't want MS products to be my only choice. v_v

tikual

 

[ericbrunson]

I'm totally with you. VIA has excellent support for Linux on their Mini-ATX products, I have several ML5000 based appliances running on my desk around me. We have to push the manufacturers and let them know they'll be losing sales if they only support M$.

 

[tikual]

I tried again with RH9 and suceeded enter the graphic mode. But this time it was unable to detect my SATA HD. Now my question is how come FC4 not support my onboard display but the RH9 support. Do M$2003 is my only choice?

tikual

 

[thedaver]

Use Fedora for SATA support, not RH9.

Check google for base video settings. You might need to install in text mode (an option) and then manually configure X windows once you've got the machine installed and booted.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[stefanwagner]

... and perhaps the RH9 settings help building a working config file.
Do both use xorg or both use XFree86?

seeking a job as java-programmer in Berlin:

http://home.arcor.de/hirnstrom/bewerbung

 

[tikual]

Now, I edited the default run level to be 3 in FC4. Anyone know how to configure the X win to support my onboard display? And, what is the meaning of the options from the Grub menu?
Fedora Core-up (2.6.11-1.1369.FC4SMP) <- i cannot boot when choose this one
Fedora Core-up (2.6.11-1.1369.FC4)

Thanks!

tikual

 

[thedaver]

SMP is support for multiple processor (or dual core) installations. You don't need to use it.

try "xconfigurator" command

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[ericbrunson]

Or try "X -configure" as root.

 

[tikual]

Hi thedaver & eric, tried both commands

xconfigurator: command not found
then I use 'find / -name 'xconfigurator', it showed:

find: WARNING: Hard link count is wrong for /proc. This may be a bug in your file system driver. Automatically turning on find's -noleaf option. Earlier result may have failed to include directories that should have been searched.

X -configure: generate a xorg.conf.new, then run X again as X -config /root/xorg.conf.new

Fatal server error:
fail to initialize core device

I checked the /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see any error related to VGA. The finding is:

VGA: Generic VGA driver (version 4.0) for chipsets: generic
VGA: initializing int10
VGA: Bad V_BIOS checksum
VGA: Not using default mode "640x480" (hsync out of range) <-- so many simular messages of this, just the mode is different
I can't list all of these because so much messages.

Now I still work hard to configure my machine in runlevel 3 text mode.

tikual

 

[thedaver]

I think you're going to need to take this to the Fedora support lists elsewhere. This looks like a hardware specific issue to me.

D.E.R. Management - IT Project Management Consulting

http://www.dermanagement.com/

 

[tikual]

Thanks all of your help. I passed this issue to Tyan support team and they will get back to me once the problem is fixed.

tikual

 

[ericbrunson]

Please be sure to post back if you get it working.

 

[tikual]

Hi all,

Tyan support team provided me a bin file for BIOS upgrade and they said that I need to obtain "xorg.tar.gz" from fedora web site. Unfortunately they didn't provide me the exactly path of that file. Do anyone know where can I download this file? They said that the file size should be 34.3MB.

Thanks,

tikual