Blank screen after GRUB

Using applications, configuring, problems
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Squishy
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon 28 Dec 2009, 23:09

Blank screen after GRUB

#1 Post by Squishy »

I installed fluxbox and it seemed to cause some problems (X wouldn't start and power errors started) and I didn't have much vital info on the partition anyway, so I formatted it (ext3) and reinstalled Puppy 431. The installation seemed to go just fine, no errors or anything. However, now whenever I boot up and get past GRUB, the screen goes blank, the HDD light flickers for 30 seconds (the exact time it took Puppy to load before the problems with X) and it stays blank. The screen is on, just completely black. I have no idea why its doing that, does anyone else have a clue?
Squishy
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon 28 Dec 2009, 23:09

#2 Post by Squishy »

I have an update - I left the system running for about 10 minutes on a blank screen, then hit enter a few times, and voila it booted - in 640x480 mode. Obviously not right since this screen is 1024x768. So I went into the Xorg Wizard to see if I could rectify the situation and hit a major snag - the screen splits in half, top half black button half horribly distorted Puppy - and it stays like that. Exiting to prompt and restarting X does the same. Any ideas guys? I'm stumped.
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rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#3 Post by rcrsn51 »

Please post your GRUB menu.lst entry.
Squishy
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon 28 Dec 2009, 23:09

#4 Post by Squishy »

Code: Select all

# GRUB configuration file '/boot/grub/menu.lst'.
# generated by 'grubconfig'.  Thu Jan  7 00:44:45 2010
#
# The backup copy of the MBR for drive '/dev/sda' is
# here '/boot/grub/mbr.sda.25714'.  You can restore it like this.
# dd if=/boot/grub/mbr.sda.25714 of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
#
# Start GRUB global section
#timeout 30
color light-gray/blue black/light-gray
# End GRUB global section
# Other bootable partition config begins
  title Windows (on /dev/sda1)
  rootnoverify (hd0,0)
  makeactive
  chainloader +1
# Other bootable partition config ends
# Linux bootable partition config begins
  title Puppy Linux (on /dev/sda5)
  root (hd0,4)
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 ro vga=788
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# Linux bootable partition config begins
  title Linux (on /dev/sda6)
  root (hd0,5)
  kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6 ro vga=788
# Linux bootable partition config ends
title Install GRUB to floppy disk (on /dev/fd0)
pause Insert a formatted floppy disk and press enter.
root (hd0,4)
setup (fd0)
pause Press enter to continue.
title Install GRUB to Linux partition (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
setup (hd0,4)
pause Press enter to continue.
title -     For help press 'c', then type: 'help'
root (hd0)
title -     For usage examples, type: 'cat /boot/grub/usage.txt'
root (hd0)
Partition that Puppy is installed on is hd5, GRUB is also on hd5.

More button mashing has managed to get me back to the right resolution, but it still glitches like crazy whenever I exit to prompt or restart to X. I'm not happy about this at all, I was having difficulty with X before I reinstalled (X flat out refused to start) but I assumed that a partition format and reinstall would sort all that out!

Looking at the GRUB file, should I change the vga= value to "normal"?
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rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#5 Post by rcrsn51 »

Looking at the GRUB file, should I change the vga= value to "normal"?
Yes
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