display out of range on 800X600 laptop when installing

jhperezd · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 3

Hi, I have been trying to install gentoo for some time now, I have a small SONY PCG-432N laptop, with a small screen 8X6 inches of real display space with 800X600 resolution.
My gentoo CD boots properly, but the display doesnt fit on the screen, the command line is off range and i cannot see what i am typing on it and what is going on at the bottom and right side of the installation.
I have tried using the "noapic" option and trying different kernels options without success.
I was wondering if there is some other code that i could type on boot (such as ide2=0x180,0x386 if using PCMCIA CD-ROM) for gentoo to read the proper screen size.
I was also wondering if it was possible to install gentoo from CollegeLinux in the same computer but different partiotion?
Thanks for your help

plbe · l33t Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 661

when I first got my dell inspiron 8000 X was very picky about the parameters with it...a good source for linux on laptops is

http://www.linux-laptop.net/

hopefully this site can help you out some

Lotu · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 6:36 pm Post subject:

Try 'gentoo-nofb' instead of just 'gentoo'. Tell us if it worked.
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plbe · l33t Joined: 01 May 2004 Posts: 661

jhperezd · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 3

Hi, thanks, the option "gentoo-nofb" solves the problem no i can see what happens. But now the the installation gets stock at
"Autoconfiguring devices... done"
"Not loading APM Bios support"
"Starting usb hotplugging..."

holds here for some time and then something like

end_request: I/O error, dev hde, sector 4196
Bufferer I/O error on devide hde, logical block 3636

these two lines repeat for like 100 times changing the numbers on it
finnaly appearing

root@livecd root #

but no command will work, whatever I type will make the two lines
above repeat again.

I am thinking ti is because I am using a PCMCIA cdrom to install, but using the "dopcmcia" option doesnt work, it asks for a shell because cd-rom was not found. I have used "ide2=0x180,0x386" in the past to solve this with other distros but doesnt seem to work now.

Lotu · Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject:

Your theory sounds reasonable. A workaround came to my mind: Use some of the other livecds, like Knoppix. See https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=39998 for instructions.

Should work great.

Edit: It also could be that your cdrom doesn't support dma. Try ide=nodma on startup (where you used the gentoo-nofb).
_________________
In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?

I'm an evil homosexual communist.

jhperezd · n00b Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Posts: 3

thanks, i will try that and hopefully it will work.