Problems installing Linux on Sony Vaio Desktop

[mdlc 0]

I have a sony VAIO desktop PCG-GRT816M, 2.8 P4, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB (IDE), nVIDIA GeForce FX Go5600 Video card and 16.1" TFT SXGA+ 1400x1050 monitor. I want to install Mandrake 10.0 but the graphical interface won't show up. I can go through the whole installation process, but once rebooted, and passed the prompt of the bootloader for linux, the command line "localhost login:" appear without no graphical interface. Somebody knows how I can superate the problem?

 

Thank you for your help

 

micheledelac@yahoo.ca

[blackpage 0]

howdy mdlc

 

Two things spring to mind. The first is of cosmetic nature: you seem to have given your box the name "localhost" or the installer has picked this as default as you have not explicetly set another name. As "localhost" in network-terms is a synonym for the IP addie "127.0.0.1" it is maybe a good idea to change that at some point in the near future to keep things nice and easy.

 

Secondly: Obviously a login is presented to you. To track down the error, log into your machine as user "root" (followed by entering the right password). Then start the GUI by typing "startx" and maybe post whatever you get in response here (mabye somethings like "no screens found", or any form of "permission denied"-messages).

 

Generally speaking: Many "mobile" notebook-gfx cards seem to be made of gremlins rather than transistors as their major intent seems to be to pull the jolly linux-user's nerves by making a lot ado and fuss.

 

So give it a go by manually launching "X" via the "startx"-command and let us know what your fancy LCD spews out.

 

good luck

[danleff 0]

Found a couple of articles on the vaio and video card. Looks like Fedora Core 1 works, with some modifications. The problem lies with the video card and the xf86config settings.

 

For reference see here.

[jimf43 0]

Originally posted by blackpage:

Quote:

Generally speaking: Many "mobile" notebook-gfx cards seem to be made of gremlins rather than transistors as their major intent seems to be to pull the jolly linux-user's nerves by making a lot ado and fuss.

You got that right ;-). Mepis configuration has a whole special section for configuring sony VAIO laptops. The graphics card may not be th only problem.