[WORKAROUND] No graphical environment during installation

[johnpenguin]

I am trying to install Mageia 7 on a laptop with a modified BIOS (I mention this as it may have something to do with the problem).

After booting net-install and selecting installation media, the installation process won't enter graphics mode. Instead, it goes into some (EE) errors and then a message pops up about how display server could not start. After a couple of minutes that the message repeats, installation enters text mode and I can proceed.

Examining the log later I see that the display is not recognized.

I would prefer the graphics mode as the partitioning seems more intuitive and I am afraid of mistakes using the text mode. I also don't know how "idiot-proof" partitioning in text mode is.

I tried "linux noxorgconf", the options suggested on the help screen, and also using an external monitor, the result is always the same.

I have tried various live images, also tested with an existing SSD with Mageia already installed, and they run fine, so the problem is only during the installation.

Is there a simple solution to this?

[benmc]

Hi johnpenguin

some more info would be helpful!

make /model of laptop.
Graphics card, you can get this with:

Code: Select all

 lspcidrake

regards

[johnpenguin]

Hi benmc!

This is a Thinkpad T420 running coreboot with the integrated Intel GPU (no extra NVidia card). The original video bios is not installed, so it can't run Windows (if this helps). But the card is reported as

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller

[ITA84]

Intel Ivy Bridge is generally well supported even without Xorg.conf, as far as I know; maybe there's another problem. Just to make sure, have you checked the integrity of your netinstall image (sha512 checksum)?

[johnpenguin]

I did check checksums, and had the same problem with Mageia 6 just before the finalization of 7.

[martinw]

The noxorgconf option only applies to the Live ISOs.

The classical installer uses the framebuffer device, which is intended to maximise the chance of it working on any hardware. Sadly that doesn't seem to be the case with your modified BIOS. I assume you have tried booting with different vga= options.

I would suggest doing an install from one of the Live ISOs. I realise that doesn't give you much choice over what is installed, but you can always add/remove packages afterwards.

[johnpenguin]

I assume you have tried booting with different vga= options.

Yes, I have, with no success.

Maybe I should go further with the text installer and give text-mode partitioning a try, but I think an easier solution would be to take the SSD to another computer, install Mageia there, then move the SSD back to its place.

[johnpenguin]

Here is an update in case someone faces a similar situation.

The Live ISO is obviously the easiest route here, but I wanted to install a different DE so didn't went with it.

I tried to use the text installer, but I found it lacking. It wouldn't allow me to setup partitions the way the graphical installer would, for example creating separate partitions inside an LVM. Maybe there is some way to do this with the text installer, but I couldn't figure it out.

Otherwise, I believe the text installer would be fine.

As a solution, I moved the SSD into another machine and installed Mageia there. The architecture wasn't that similar, though still an Intel one. Moving back the SSD into the original machine it booted up and so far I haven't noticed any major problems.

Unfortunately, during installation I should have set GRUB to use text mode, because otherwise you don't see anything on screen and Mageia Control Center won't change it into text mode. I will open another thread for that, but I mention it here as it's a problem of the same origin.