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Re: [LUG] Strange Problem 2

 

On 19/12/12 17:44, Rob Beard wrote:
>
>
> Yes, it's a driver issue as mentioned on the thread Tom started.
>
> As for starting in VGA mode, I can't remember exactly what I did on a
> machine which had this problem (and I won't be anywhere near the
> machine until Friday).  I think I just selected the safe graphics mode
> from the boot menu (press a key at the boot menu when it's counting
> down).
>
> If you have a graphics card you can put in for now that's probably the
> easiest option, you'll at least hopefully be able to get something
> installed.  I wonder if the initramfs issue is it not being able to
> find what you're installing from.  What installation media are you
> using? CD? DVD? USB stick?
>
> Which version of Mint have you tried?
>
> When you get the OS installed it will work but you need to install the
> lastest drivers from AMD's web site.  You might find it just easier to
> bung in a graphics card, possibly something like a NVidia Geforce 210,
> at least it *should* start with a basic driver then.
>
> Rob
>

Yes, this was *all* covered in the last thread, and the standard recipe
for fixing graphics drivers issues hasn't changed for many, many years
either.

You won't get a countdown menu with grub2 unless another OS is detected,
if it's the only OS on the system you'll have to hold left shift to get
the grub menu up in the first place. Then either boot into recovery mode
and remount root r/w or edit the regular kernel stanza to disable
graphical mode. Either way, you'll end up with a fully functional text
mode system on which you can now update/add your repos and install the
correct display drivers. At this point it's always worth installing
openssh and noting your DHCP assigned address so if you still screw
something up, you'll just be able to ssh in from another machine on next
boot to fix it without mucking about with grub again.

The initramfs errors are a red herring from the failsafe installer
system and have nothing to do with anything. Don't use the failsafe
installers, use the regular ones properly to make that go away.

And adding additional graphics cards just to get a working X desktop in
order to install drivers for the other graphics card? Really? Good
grief, that is really the worst possible way to go about it... Just use
the sane instruction already covered here and it will  be functional in
no time.

Regards

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