messed up GNOME on iBook G3 500mhz

[jonafro666]

hi all,

this is the first time i've tried to use linux (as in ever) and i want to learn more about it at some point...

anyway to the point. I've downloaded and installed Debian Etch for PowerPC and it boots OK but whe I come to the GUI (GNOME) it only shws in the left hand most inch and a half of the screen and the rest stays blank. I can log in and use the machine (well as much as is possible with only 1 1/2 inches of your desktop showing) is there something I can do to fix this (I can follow instructions but remember ((please!)) that I know absolutely nothing about using linux)

I have tried Googling about to find help but no success, seemingly hardly anyone even runs Etch on a Mac.

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My Machine Specs are: PowerPC 750 (G3) 500Mhz, 384MB RAM, 60GB HD (10GB for Debian, 50 for OSX), 1024x768 12" internal display, Debian Etch (Netinstall), Mac OS X 10.3.9

[Vergil83]

Wow, that is odd. Try using ctrl-alt-F1 (do mac have that button?). Then login as root and run

dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

It will ask you questions about your video card, etc... If you know your vertical/horizontal syncs use them, that is most likely the issue

[jonafro666]

that probably is it but when i tried to press ctrl+option(thats what a macv calls alt btw)+F1 it just turned the display brightness down (thats all F1 does on a Mac laptop, I'll try again tomolrrow qith an external keyboard. are there any other ways to enter th terminal during (or after) boot without starting GNOME?

[jonafro666]

that probably is it but when i tried to press ctrl+option(thats what a macv calls alt btw)+F1 it just turned the display brightness down (thats all F1 does on a Mac laptop, I'll try again tomolrrow qith an external keyboard. are there any other ways to enter th terminal during (or after) boot without starting GNOME?

[Vergil83]

or replace F1 with any of the F#. You can also try ctrl-alt-delete (that should also kill x)

[Vergil83]

that probably is it but when i tried to press ctrl+option(thats what a macv calls alt btw)+F1 it just turned the display brightness down (thats all F1 does on a Mac laptop, I'll try again tomolrrow qith an external keyboard. are there any other ways to enter th terminal during (or after) boot without starting GNOME?

if you install grub, take a look for the "recovery mode" and use it. That will boot without X (and gnome).

[jonafro666]

umm, my comp doesnt have a "delete" key, only a backspace, i get forward delete by pressing Fn+Bckspace but ill try ctrl+opt+F6 (F1-F5 are brightness+volume)