Can't get Mandrake 10.1 to run

[ice1000]

I got a copy of Mandrake 10.1 so I could learn Linux on an old desktop. I partitioned the hard drive and the install seemed to work.
After the reboot, the bootloader loads and I see many prompts (everything says OK) and then....a blank screen. That's it, nothing else.

I tried CRTL F1, and nothing happened.
I pressed ESC at the bootloader and tried two commands I was asked to try

1)linux noapic acpi=off
The first command still led to the blank screen.

2)linux nolapic noapic acpi=off
The second command hangs at the step "Calibrating Delay loop"

The PC is a PIII, 128Mb Ram with a maxtor hard drive and a NVIDIA card. I tried several reinstalls with several configurations. Only the Intel graphics card, both graphics cards, the other option (can't remember it now) and nothing seems to work.

Windows still boots perfectly.

Anyone have any ideas?

[daemonOS]

When it detects your video card it it correct? Check your monitor settings. What options did you choose to install or not to install? Please give as much detail as you can.

[ice1000]

When it detects your video card it it correct? Check your monitor settings. What options did you choose to install or not to install? Please give as much detail as you can.

OK I'm working from memory here...

In windows device manager I have two display components. One is the Intel display driver and the other is a NVIDIA GeForce.

The first install I let the autodetect configure everything and in the summary screen, the monitor was set as 'Not Configured'

The monitor setting was set as Plug N play. That got me the blank screen.
Next try, I set my monitor as Dell 1702fp (Digital). Blank screen.
Next try, I set my monitor as Dell 1702fp (Analog). Blank screen.
Next try, I set my monitor as Dell 1702fp (Analog) with resolution 1024*768 (I think). Blank screen.
Next try, I set my monitor as Dell 1702fp (Analog) with a lower resolution (don't remember which one). Blank screen.
Next try, I set my monitor as Generic with refresh rate @ 60. Blank screen.

Note: I get a prompt that says my monitor supports multiple heads. For each try, I made the same choices, to be consistent.

I continued:
Next try, I only configured one of the heads as Dell 1702fp (Analog). Blank screen.

That's where I am now. By the way, by "next try", I mean I reinstalled Mandrake from the CD's.

[daemonOS]

That's where I am now. By the way, by "next try", I mean I reinstalled Mandrake from the CD's.

Thats a lot of reinstalls. .
I assume you might have both onboard video and either a AGP or PCI video card. Tell me if you can. AGP should override any thing else but when you have a problem try simple things frist. First make sure the plug is in the video card of you choice. ie onboard would proberly be below the PS2 keyboard/mouse. A AGP would be the first open slot in the back and a PCI just below it. Next off to the BIOS. If its AGP or PCI disable the onboard option. Also tell it to look for AGP/PCI first. Next look on the back of you monitor write down the make and model. On your setting options what bit are you using? Try 16bit insted of 32bit. On a old monitor I had I had to set it to 1024x768@16bit. If you can please tell what kind of nvidia video card you have. I hope one of these options helps some.

[ice1000]

I figured it out!

Thanks for asking me all those specifics. It made me verify what I had on my desktop. The thing is so old that I had forgotten.

I escaped work for lunch and went home. I did YET another reinstall, this time I did not leave the xserver as Intel 820. I chose the nVIDIA card and I have Mandrake running!

I have one last concern however. I selected only to confgure this Geforce card, not the Intel one. The startup prompts show everything as OK, except eth0. that one has a FAILED status. What is that, should I be concerned?

[jeremy1701]

eth0 is your network card. You may have more then one, in which case they'll be eth1, eth2, etc... eth1 may be connected to the net and that's how your able to get on.

Jeremy

[daemonOS]

eth0 is your network card. You might need to ifconfig eth0. Must be root to do this. su root : password

[ice1000]

Yeah I need to configure my Ethernet card. ok So I sign off, sign on again as root then what?

Do I do this from the command line or through KDE?

[daemonOS]

Oh, and one more thing to add. You got that Geforce card and desktop working now. Why not play and learn some more and install those nvidia drivers for your card. Their are many forums on that topic but if you need help here thats fine to.

[daemonOS]

Either! If in KDE use the term window. More over you can press ctrl+atl F1 and do the same. ctrl+alt F7 get you back.