getting a blank screen during gui install

[neo95]

I am installing RH 8 on a compaq presario 1200 ;aptop
When I try the graphical install, I get a blank screnn. The textual install goes throiugh fine but when I boot up, everything loads fine but the screen goes blank when it tries to load the gui. I can navigate around with the copmmand line no prob. I am a noob to Linux but I think its a config issue w the trident graphics card. I tried installing in low res mode and also in 800x600 resolution. Nothing works. Any tips please?

I ran starx x and this is what I get:

first the screen goes blank, than I hit ctrl alt bakspace
The application 'gnome-session' lost itsconnection to the display ':0' ;
most likely the x server was shut down or you killed/destroyed the window manager.
xinit: connection to server x lost.

Fatal Python error: could not import _gtk

Tried startx again and got this:
(first it gives the xfree86 version info) 4.2.0

Next paragraph has os kernel version info

(ww) TRIDENT(0): failed to set up write combing range (0xf5000000,0x400000)

[hafnium]

red hat 8.0 was notoriously known for being buggy. that is why red hat didn't continue the 8.0 series, and as fast as possible got red hat 9.0 out. i would recomend installing from some red hat 9.0 cds. i installed red hat 8 when it first came out, and it gave me a bunch of wierd stuff also when i ran it. it was by far red hat's worst distro.

[monkey8]

You probably didn't choose the right driver for xf86config.

Here's the information for the trident driver, is your card listed? http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/trident.4.html

[neo95]

You probably didn't choose the right driver for xf86config.

Here's the information for the trident driver, is your card listed? http://www.xfree86.org/4.4.0/trident.4.html

yes its a Trident Blade3D AGP video controller
during setup it automatically chose Trident Blade (Generic)

[neo95]

I found this while searching for help. This is the same laptop I have:
http://www.rodsbooks.com/presario/

He makes an interesting note. Could someone maybe interpret what this means? Can I not use redhat?

"I chose to install Linux Mandrake 7.0 on the computer, primarily because I knew from others' posts that the Trident Blade3D graphics chip was only supported in XFree86 3.3.4 (or thereabouts) and above, so I wanted a very current distribution to get the latest XFree86 possible. Linux Mandrake 7.0 comes with XFree86 3.3.6. "