Fedora 12 Full DVD failed install (Black Screen)

[maverick1968]

Hi All

Small piece about me, totally new to Linux based systems. Have been looking at having a play for a long time but being used to a GUI has always put me of. Started playing with computers back in the days of DOS and was quite happy with command line instruction, however i have found it very hard to find good information on Linux systems that start at 1 and don't assume you already know everything about Linux. (Still interested if someone can point me to good information that assumes i know nothing!, I am just being born into the world of Linux!)

So I finally came across the Amahi web site whilst looking into home servers and decided that this might do two things for me, enable me to get a home server running and also get to grips with a basic Linux system. So i have a spare box, downloaded the full Fedora 12 DVD and proceeded to install. Hit my first problem, which was, it wanted to install from command line and I could not suss out how to then do the repository thing for Amahi. Anyway I noticed an error message on the second time of trying the install about not enough memory to run the graphical display. I managed to scrounge some RAM from a good colleague in IT at work, it now has 1 Gig. Machine by the way is an old Compaq Presario 2200+ (1.8GHZ) now with 1GIG Ram.

So I restarted tonight and installed to the free space on the hard drive. Following the install instructions on the Amahi site. Gets all the way through the Fedora installation and says finished and re boots. Comes up with the finalisation screens, created a user with password etc and also the synchronisation of time. After this it proceeds to list my hardware etc and asks if I want to feed that back, first time I said yes and I then hear the screen resolution click over (its an old CRT monitor) and end up with blank screen no writing, however it is still powered up receiving signal (green light on). There is no hard drive activity so assume its not doing anything.

I switched PC off and tried a reboot, it went through that phase again, it had created the user because I entered same details second time and it found the previous directories and asked to use those. Anyway second time I asked it not to feed back system details and it did the same thing. Need some help to try and understand what to do now.

Had a look through the forum and cannot find this issue, checked out the link to the troubleshooting which appears to be post where I am in the install process, i.e. its about the Amahi installation once you have logged in (not got that far!)

Thanks for any help.

Kevin

[bigfoot65]

First of all, welcome. I hope we can help you get this sorted out.

When you do the install, do not use the option to use free space. Set the drive partition to use whole drive or remove linux partitions. This could be part of your problem.

The install should proceed as grahpical if you follow the Amahi install instructions. If it does not, could be a compatibility issue with your monitor/video card. This would be a Fedora problem and you would need to check their forums for that.

However, sounds like you have made some progress. So, the part where you indicated to send info about your machine. Leave it at no and then proceed. Always best to go with defaults on install unless you are instructed otherwise.

Hope this helps and you are able to get Amahi up and running.

[maverick1968]

First of all, welcome. I hope we can help you get this sorted out.

Thanks and i hope so too.

Set the drive partition to use whole drive or remove linux partitions. This could be part of your problem.

OK, did not want to use whole of drive due to a recovery partition for windows being on the drive. Will try remove Linux partitions.

If it does not, could be a compatibility issue with your monitor/video card. This would be a Fedora problem and you would need to check their forums for that.

Hmm, i see the enhanced graphical display for the install so assumed monitor / video was ok, I found the Fedora forums may see if they can help if i get no joy tonight after another go.

So, the part where you indicated to send info about your machine. Leave it at no and then proceed. Always best to go with defaults on install unless you are instructed otherwise.

Yes tried both already, no difference same result.

Thanks

Kevin

[maverick1968]

ok, done a re install tonight using option of install with basic video driver and then once into the GUI selecting the default of remove Linux partitions.

Result was the same, when i get to the end of the finalisation screen after selecting synchronise the clock, it displays hardware profile and as soon as I click the confirm do not send profile it blanks screen and that's it, no hard drive activity nothing.

I will try Fedora forums.

Thanks

Kevin

[maverick1968]

NOW SOLVED

After reading through some installation manuals at the Fedora web site now moved on.

Changed selection on the installation from the second option of basic video driver to the first option of install new or upgrade existing, this then when clicking the finish installation after the report of hardware profile changed the screen resolution (had just click before but nothing displayed) and displayed the Fedora desktop with login.

Now moved on to installing Amahi.

Thanks

Kevin