Installation Woes

[443dds]

I figured it would be slow at 512mb of RAM, but for testing I didn't think it would be an issue.

The next option for the Frame Buffer is 8mb, so I set it to that and started in Video Safe Mode again.

I get the same text login box where my admin credentials don't work.

If you really think this is a video issue I'll dig up another video card and monitor to isolate that part of the situation. Will I need to reinstall the product? Or should Video Safe Mode work regardless?

[wilddoktor]

As a newb, I'll chime in and say this is a RAM issue. I was unable to install with 512Mb physical RAM, because really I only had about 488Mb after all was said and done.

Add RAM. The minimum req's ain't kidding. :-)

[443dds]

As a newb, I'll chime in and say this is a RAM issue. I was unable to install with 512Mb physical RAM, because really I only had about 488Mb after all was said and done.

Add RAM. The minimum req's ain't kidding. :-)

FWIW, my *installation* went fine. Video support was fine once I selected 640x480 when prompted, and the product ran like a champ. Physical memory usage wasn't completely saturated, and the box ran for about six hours as I watched it block this or that.

Once I reboot it cannot load, which seems different than your issue.

[sky-knight]

I would try a reinstall just to be safe. But technically speaking it should just fire up. It's odd that you say it works fine for one reboot... it's not like X is going to change its configuration because it feels like it.

[ggallagh]

If I was you, I would save myself some hassle and do the easy thing first, throw another stick of RAM in before you go changing video cards.

[edit] to clarify, I'd be more inclined to do a reinstall if I was changing video cards, but not memory

[443dds]

Okay so I grabbed a new Acer v223w LCD off the shelf and crammed it on my system. I booted to Video Safe Mode and had the same issue.

I installed a PCI Radeon 7000 64mb video card (using the 22in LCD), set the onboard Frame Buffer to 512k, the booted to Video Safe Mode and had the same issue.

I then crammed in another 512mb of RAM to make 1gb total and booted to Video Safe Mode and had the same issue.

I'm in the process of reinstalling yet again, so after it is repartitioned, reformatted, and reconfigured I'll reboot and report back. That might be tomorrow...

[443dds]

I would try a reinstall just to be safe. But technically speaking it should just fire up. It's odd that you say it works fine for one reboot... it's not like X is going to change its configuration because it feels like it.

Two installations in a row it works perfectly before the reboot. The first time I left the box up for hours so it had time to finish all background tasks, although the second time I only left it up for about 15mins after testing the transparent bridge before rebooting.

Consistently same issue after rebooting.

[dmorris]

When did it prompt you to choose a resolution?
At which time did you choose 640x480? after the first reboot?

I didn't know it ever prompted you for this .. ?

[sky-knight]

Framebuffer applies to the amount of ram reserved for the onboard graphics adapter. That setting is meaningless once an AGP card is inserted as the onboard adapter will always be disabled with AGP.

This is no longer true for PCI-Express so newer installs you sometimes have to kill the onboard manually after you add a card to enable the extra ram.

This is something hardware, and I can't put my finger on it. If I had the box here I may be able to dig through the logs... troubleshooting hardware over a forum is a PITA.

You nead a graphics adapter with at least 4mb of ram, and a system with at least 512mb of ram preferably 1gb of ram to install.

[443dds]

When did it prompt you to choose a resolution?
At which time did you choose 640x480? after the first reboot?

I didn't know it ever prompted you for this .. ?

During installation only, I believe right after selecting 'Graphic / Normal Install' or whatever. When it didn't auto-detect my video card/monitor resolution capability, it prompted me for what to use. It gave me an option of maybe... 15 items. I selected what was option E for me to get 640x480x16.