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Black Screen

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
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Axolotl9250
Posts: 11
Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Black Screen

#1 Post by Axolotl9250 »

Hi there, I have a problem after installing Debian and running it on my machine. Instead of taking me to a splash login screen, it instead remains a black screen like a console where I type in my username and password, and it remains in this black command line mode beginning ben@ben-desktop:~$. Like it does in a terminal. What can I do to resolve this? This is completely new to me and hasn't happened to me in Ubuntu or Mint. I am familiar with using the terminal for the odd task but obviously I can't use it like this without a visible desktop. Cheers.

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alpha-dog
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Re: Black Screen

#2 Post by alpha-dog »

you could give the sgfxi script a chance to install your display. I've used it to fix that problem before. Go to "http://smxi.org/" to find out how.
Good for newbies

refracta
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Joined: 2008-10-26 01:46

Re: Black Screen

#3 Post by refracta »

install xorg, your favorite desktop, and a login manager

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craigevil
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Re: Black Screen

#4 Post by craigevil »

Did you choose to install a desktop?

When you boot do you get any messages about xorg not being properly configured?

Take a look at dmesg. And post your video card info from the lspci -nn command.
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Axolotl9250
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Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#5 Post by Axolotl9250 »

I'm not sure how to download things without the internet, it was a pure cd-install and I was hoping to, once installed find the right way to get my wireless to work, I've tried making more CDs and re-starting the install of the operating system but now it won't even go to boot from CD to do an install.

Axolotl9250
Posts: 11
Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#6 Post by Axolotl9250 »

I've just tried to send the whole thing back to windows but its still not accepting cds, so I can't easily reformat the hard drive, I'm stuck with a command line and any action I try to do is void because it keeps blocking me for not being on the sudoers list.

refracta
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Re: Black Screen

#7 Post by refracta »

what happens when you use the command startx as a user



oh and stop using sudo, this isn't your mommas ubuntu...

su
(enter root password)

Axolotl9250
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Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#8 Post by Axolotl9250 »

Ok su not sudo - gottit. Ok when I use startx I get a screen that is a sort of grey with a cross for my cursor, and if I hold down the mouse button a little menu appears with the Options: - Debian, Show Icon Manager, Hide Icon Manager, and Exit.

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nadir
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Re: Black Screen

#9 Post by nadir »

Axolotl9250 wrote:Ok su not sudo - gottit. Ok when I use startx I get a screen that is a sort of grey with a cross for my cursor, and if I hold down the mouse button a little menu appears with the Options: - Debian, Show Icon Manager, Hide Icon Manager, and Exit.
Sounds pretty much like the tiny window-manager called twm (it came per default with lenny, but now no more :cry: )

Install the environment you like:
su
and then one of the following:
apt-get install kde (?)
apt-get install xfce4
apt-get install gnome (gnome-desktop-environment ?)
apt-get install gnome-core
and what else is out there. I for one would go for xfce4 or gnome-core...

First of all you might try:
ls /usr/bin | grep session
ls /usr/bin | grep start

PS: btw. sudo:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=45390
but su sure is a good choice.
"I am not fine with it, so there is nothing for me to do but stand aside." M.D.

Axolotl9250
Posts: 11
Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#10 Post by Axolotl9250 »

Ok, tried

Code: Select all

su
apt-get install gnome-core
It told me to insert CD-1 and press enter, I did, and now it wont detect the disks-ive made 7 disk1's to see if at least ONE will work and none of them had. Is there a way around this - or a way I can just erase the entire hard-disk and start again?

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nadir
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Re: Black Screen

#11 Post by nadir »

Sounds odd...
anyway:
Sure you can start over. Reboot with the install-CD in place, choose
-> "complete disk"
choose
-> " all in one partition" or -> "seperate /home partition" or -> "all kind of separate partitions"
and thats it. The installer will take care of the rest.
Short Version: Just reboot with the install-CD in place.

Make sure to select [*] desktop-environment when it comes to taskel (software selection). Double-check. If it doesn't work again something is wrong.
"I am not fine with it, so there is nothing for me to do but stand aside." M.D.

Axolotl9250
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Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#12 Post by Axolotl9250 »

I can't do that with the CD because it keeps telling me there's nothing there

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nadir
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Re: Black Screen

#13 Post by nadir »

If you can't burn a CD which gets booted and/or mounted and if you can't set up network you will have to give up on Debian ... or you might try stuff like unebootin.
I for one would re-install either Ubuntu or Mint and be done with the problem (in case you still got those CDs anyway).Or try some of the Debian-based distros: Crunchbang and such (antix and add an environment, Mepis, sidux)
"I am not fine with it, so there is nothing for me to do but stand aside." M.D.

Axolotl9250
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Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#14 Post by Axolotl9250 »

Ok I'm giving unebootin a go, but when I boot up my computer now it won't give me the BIOS, Ive tried F1,2,4,6,10, and 12 ESC and backspace and none of those are working. Is there a way to get the usb going inside Debian? (answers probably yes but I don't know it).

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bluesdog
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Re: Black Screen

#15 Post by bluesdog »

Axolotl9250 wrote:Ok I'm giving unebootin a go, but when I boot up my computer now it won't give me the BIOS, Ive tried F1,2,4,6,10, and 12 ESC and backspace and none of those are working. Is there a way to get the usb going inside Debian? (answers probably yes but I don't know it).
Some BIOS require the <del> key to be pressed in order to invoke the BIOS setup.

If your computer's CD device is exhibiting weird behavior, it could indicate a failing CD drive. I've encountered systems with failing CD drives, and they were impossible to work with until the CD unit was replaced or at least deactivated/bypassed.

Make sure all your hardware is operating normally before continuing. No OS will work properly unless the hardware is working correctly.

goodluck

Axolotl9250
Posts: 11
Joined: 2010-05-18 22:04

Re: Black Screen

#16 Post by Axolotl9250 »

Ok Cheers, I'm going to try and get the hard drive wiped and set up with a different OS once I can plug in as a slave in my friends Windows 7 tower and do a reformat. Then I'll try XP (the one it came with) and see if it is the hardware failing - it is old.

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