Blinking cursor after GRUB loads Gentoo

Duelmaster2001 · n00b Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 6

OK, I am a rank newb at using Linux of any kind, so I may be missing somehting fundamantal here, but I followed the directions in the handbook excatly, using genkernel. When it came to reboot the computer, I did, GRUB loaded, I selected Gentoo, and GRUB sent back a list of things it loaded (looked normal, nothing that was obviosly an error) but then the system hung with a blinking cursor beneath these messages. Help would be appreciated on this matter. Fortunatly, the computer I am doing this on is purely for me to test and learn Linux, so i don't care what happens to it, but I plan to install Gentoo on my current desktop when I recieve my laptop.

borfig · Apprentice Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 162

just being curious - can you enter GRUB's menu? GRUB's shell during boot?

Duelmaster2001 · n00b Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 6

Yup, I can enter the GRUB menu. I tried reentering all the GRUB.conf commands by hand, then again without the framebuffer kernel options, didn't do anything. Though now I remember that I must have set the framebuffer options incorrectly, because it gave me an error message. I'm not at that computer right now, but I think it said something about an incorrect video mode and told me to input another one. Whether I skipped the error or changed the video mode, the same blinkning cursor happened. And when I took out the framebuffer options by editing the GRUB.conf using the GRUB menu, same problem.

borfig · Apprentice Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 162

regarding framebuffer - as I remember if your don't use fbsplash, you can omit the framebuffer options from the kernel command line so that the default ones will be used instead (the ones compiled into the kernel)

Sadako

Duelmaster2001 · n00b Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 6

OK, here everything that I thought might be useful:

Here is the messages (These were taken from my Linux screen, written down, then rewritten here, so there may be typos)

Booting 'Gentoo Linux 2.16.12-r9'
root (hd0,0)
Firesystem type is ext 2fs, partition type 0x83
kernel /kernel-genkernel-x86-2.6.12-genoo-r9 root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc ramdisk=8192 real_root=/dev/hda3 udev vga=0x314 video-vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
[Linux-bzImage, setup=0x1c00, size-0x1c7a4c]
initrd /initramfs-genkernel-x86-2.6.12-gentoo-r9
[Linux-initrd@0x3e2a000, 0x1b1e91 bytes]

You passed an undefined mode number. Press <RETURN> to see video modes availiable, <SPACE> to continue or wait 30 secs.

This is after just letting it book without touching anything on my keyboard

Duelmaster2001 · n00b Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 6

OK, re-reading the handbook, it looks like I read that section about the framebuffer exact opposite of what it meant. However, taking those lines out and booting from the command prompt just lead to the boot screen looking gray with the same damned blinking cursor. Editing the confg file from inside to GRUB to not include the framebuffer options leads to the same thing minus the bottom part obout the undefined video mode.

Sadako · Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2005 6:44 pm Post subject:

All I can think of is trying to compile your kernel manually (it really isn't as hard as it sounds). Genkernel just doesn't seem to be working for you.

Run lsmod from the livecd to see most of what you need to include, and come back here with any problems/questions.
_________________
"You have to invite me in"