Old Machine dont enter Graphic mode only console

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: Old Machine dont enter Graphic mode only console
started by: Psykoholic

Posted by Psykoholic on Oct. 19 2006,08:56

Hello all. im looking for some help, here is the problem:

The installation process looks normal but never start the graphical mode, stops in command line. I tried lowram, and others options and doesnt seems to work.

I try with the current and dsl syslinux 3.0 with floppy boot because the compuert dont have the option too boot from CD.

The specs of the machine are:

486DX2 66 mhz
1GB HD
16 MB Ram
Floppy
CDROM
ISA Netcard

I appreciate

some help to get in the graphic mode.
Thanx.

Posted by mikshaw on Oct. 19 2006,13:26

I'd make a swap partition if not already done.
Did you do a traditional harddrive install, or frugal/poorman? Frugal isn't going to do much on 16mb.

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Oct. 19 2006,15:22

It seems like he's just using a bootfloppy and the livecd - I'd suggest installing as a traditional hd-install as mikshaw suggested. (boot with "dsl install"? Might have to partition first)

Posted by Psykoholic on Oct. 19 2006,20:38

Ok, I made the partition. Format then one with
mkfs /dev/hda1 and the other with
mkswap /dev/hda2

install to HD and get me a no space in device, so? what kind of File System must be, is ext2 ok?

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Oct. 19 2006,22:39

Yes ext2 is fine (though I thought the scripts prompts for formatting)

Posted by Psykoholic on Oct. 19 2006,22:56

Im not really shure if the script format, but still I try everything, formating without formating and let the script make the work.

Ok, the problem looks to be this.

When Installing, creates a ramdisk...Done
Autoconfigure devices ...Done
Scan Hardware partition /etc/fstab...Done
Usinf swap partition /dev/hda2
mount can't find /ramdisk in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
pcilib: Cannot open /proc/bus/pci
lspci: Cannot find any working access method
mkdir Cannot create directory /ramdusk/tmp.... the same for /tmp/mydsl.icons, /ramdisk/tmp/pipe.lua

then before get to terminal mode

xinit: No such file or directory (errno 2): unable to connect to X server.

Im not really shure what im doing wrong, its look like is not accesing the right way.

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Oct. 20 2006,03:36

I don't think that's the install boot scripts - that's just running it as some frugal still.
If you want to do that, try to boot with "dsl failsafe lowram"

If you want to install, start with "dsl install"

Posted by Psykoholic on Oct. 20 2006,08:06

OK, it looks like its installing but now i have no image, the monitor only display random horizontal lines, in the part where the menu suppose to be and some others in the middle, do i try will all the vga options and see what happens or my B/W monitor is the problem?

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Oct. 20 2006,13:12

Try playing around with xsetup.sh.
I'd suggest starting with 640x480x16 and work your way from there.

Make sure you restart X after though. (ctrl+alt+bkspace, then run startx)

Posted by Psykoholic on Oct. 20 2006,15:53

OK, yes its working i got out with ctrl+alt+backspace, and re-enter strartx. Now how should i play with xsetup.sh Do i have edit it with some notepad, or where are the options?

Woohoooo, now its working. Is not fast, not even some near to slow, but is working, lets see how behave firefox.
Thax a lot ^thehatsrule^, reaaly appreciate your support.
:laugh:

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Oct. 20 2006,16:13

Its a script file - you run it. i.e. type "xsetup.sh" in a terminal, or run it from the menu - it's listed as "X Setup" I think.