So I finnally decided to take the plunge and try out Linux. I’ve got a Suse DVD and I’m trying to install it. The splash screen comes up, then then an installation menu, and when I hit Install it goes to black and the monitor says “Out Of Range” (this message is directly from the monitor, not the computer." From what I’ve read it seems to have to do with the resolution being wrong (too high?), is there someway to fix this so I can get through the install?
That’s interesting. You’d think the installation process would have a safe default value.
Try it again, but this time don’t click install. At that point, try pressing the Ctrl, Alt and 1 key (Ctrl+Alt+1) at the same time. If that doesn’t work, try Ctrl+Alt+2. What you’re after is a console without a graphical environment.
If it asks for a login, use “root” and then hit enter if it asks for the password.
Once you are logged in, change to the /etc/X11 directory:
cd /etc/X11
Now, you want to edit one of two files. I’m not sure which Suse uses. If xorg.conf is present, edit it. If not, edit XF86Config-4. They both have the same syntax.
vi xorg.conf
or
vi XF86Config-4
In this file, there is a Section “Monitor” that defines the ranges for you monitor. HorizSync and VertRefresh are two options you will be interested in. If you still have the documentation for your monitor, it will have these values. If not, you can try and get them from the company’s web site. Failing that, you can pick some safe values that will probably work:
HorizSync 30-83
VertRefresh 55-75
are the settings for my monitor.
Give it a shot. I can’t guarantee any of these directions, but it’s something to try
Oh, and the X configuration file should only be temporary. The installation process will put down a new one. If you reboot, you will have to change it again since it is dynamically built by scripts in the install process.
Ok, so that didn’t work. I tried Ctrl + Alt +1 nothing, Ctrl + Alt +2 nothing. Ctrl + Alt + everything else, nothing. After a while I just started holding down Alt and hitting random combonations of numbers and eventually I DID end up in a text only area. But when I tried to change directory I got an error (but of course I didn’t thing to write it down, if you need it I’ll attemt to get it back). My other question is, even if I did manage to edit that file and change those numbers…then what?
If you had managed to change the settings to lower, safer numbers then the graphical output would have been within range for your monitor and you could continue on.
I don’t know what to suggest. I’ve never had an installation fail because the settings weren’t in range for the monitor. That’s just strange.
Is there an option for a text based install?
Is it possible I couldn’t change to that directory (and/or edit the file) because the installing files are on a DVD and not a HD? Anyways, what I was saying is, how would I continue? As for the out of range thing, if you google “out of range LCD linux” you’ll find alot of stories, but they generally seem to deal with people who have linux and then got a new monitor, not having problems during the install, and they seem to recommend basically what you suggested. There IS an option for a text based install “manual installation” but it does the same thing. It says “Loading linux kernal” it progresses from 1 to 100% then the screen goes black and I get the message. Oh, and a couple other things I should add. There’s a bunch of things at the bottom of the screen ie F1 = Help etc. One that caught my eye was F2=1280 x 1024, but pushing it does nothing. Also pressing Ctrl + Alt + Backspace seems to crash everything. The screen goes black (it actually seems like it’s going to reboot the computer) and nothing else happens, computer doesn’t reset, message doesn’t pop up. Oh well, maybe I can try and hook something else up to the computer to do the install. OR, what about either copying the installation DVD to my computer so I can edit that file (it would have to be on a different drive then the drive I intend to install too correct, and a different drive then the C:\ drive (good thing I have three drives in there right now), lastly could I install it from my laptop across a network onto my desktop computer?
Without wanting to seem really obvious, is there a particular reason you want to install Suse, or could you try another distro to see if it works easier?
No reason other then becuase it was recommended here. The only reason I would have against trying another distro is because I bought a book for this one that came with the OS and I can’t return it at this point. Also, my CD writer isn’t working at the moment and I don’t want to replace it right now (but DVD player is fine and that’s what the OS came on).
OK, ummmmm, yup, that might explain the choice of Suse blush …and yeah, I can imagine a defunct CD writer could be a problem…
But don’t worry that another distro will make the book you bought redundant - 90% of it will still be entirely accurate and relevant should you switch to another distro.
So what about installing it across a LAN, is that an option?
Anyone???
Or am I just better off burning some CD’s for another release (I have a working CD writter on my laptop) and giving that a try. *GorillaMan can you suggest another release for someone that has never so much as seen a linux screen shot, but is fairly well versed in DOS and some programming.
If Suse can’t recognise the monitor correctly, a LAN installation won’t be any different. If you want to try another option, go for Mandrake.
Okay, downloading Mandrake, do you know of any free software (even if it’s just a trial version) that will burn an ISO file? All the one’s I try tell me after downloading and installing that the trial version won’t burn do any actual burning.
There’s some information about how to burn ISOs here: http://www.debian.org/CD/faq/
Okay, so I’m getting closer. I installed Mandrake (kinda, problem with the second disk, but I just had it skip all the stuff on that one and move on, so I’ll go back and re-install it with a good disk, but the install itself was still successful). I can get into the bootloader (lilo?) but if boot to linux I still get the out of range error. This time, however, I was able to edit that file (went to failsafe and got a command prompt) and change the values to meet those of my monitor and I still got it. I went in again and tried bringing the values even closer together and still got the error. Any ideas? I’m getting closer atleast, maybe I’ll be lucky and find out that it was just some file on the second disk that caused the problem.