Linux Mint - blank screen on logon

Tinytony

Hi,

I had been running Linux Mint 7 live and decided I would install the full version on the machine (HP nx7300). But I have run into problems. The install seemed to go ok, there were no error messages but now it will boot as far as the logon screen, I enter the username/password I set up, it accepts it but then the screen goes blank and all I can see is the cursor.

I tried booting in recovery mode but it is looking for a root maintenance password, which I never set.

any ideas?

I wouldn't mind installing it again but I'm not sure how to get it off the machine. I selected the option to install side by side with my Windows 7 install.

duffman85

I googled your laptop - it uses intel graphics chip,there have been problems with this chip and the latest version of ubuntu which linux mint is based on.

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/904

See the known issues down near the end of that page.

If you want to reinstall mint again - go through the installation until the partitioning section.
select manual partitioning and then click next.
there are a couple of things to look out for here.
don't touch the any of the partitions with filesystem fat32 or ntfs

Partitions with ext3 or ext4 and swap are the ones you're concerned with.
Click on each partition marked ext3 or ext 4 and click the delete partition button and accept the changes

You can then make one partition call "/" or make two partitions "/" and "/home"

The "/"(root) partition needs to be at least 10GB the /home partition can be as big as you want.
Click on where it says free space and then click the new partition button .

a dialog box pops up - choose the partition size in MB,pick ext3 from the filesystem dropdown list,pick "/" from the mount point dropdown and click on the format checkbox to format the partition.

Repeat the process with the /home partition if you want a home partition.

for more see the Linux Mint user guide

Tinytony

Cheers Duffman. Great answer. I'll have a lash at that now.

Thanks.

Tinytony

Well, I deleted the Linux partition but I think that also contained the Windows loader, so when I rebooted it wouldn't let me on and I was getting a GRUB Error 17. I had a Windows 7 recovery disk here so manged to boot off that and fix the MBR.

Am back running fine with Windows again. Any recommendations for a Linux Distro that runs well with the intel graphics chip?

duffman85

Tinytony wrote: »

Well, I deleted the Linux partition but I think that also contained the Windows loader, so when I rebooted it wouldn't let me on and I was getting a GRUB Error 17. I had a Windows 7 recovery disk here so manged to boot off that and fix the MBR.

Am back running fine with Windows again. Any recommendations for a Linux Distro that runs well with the intel graphics chip?

When you install linux grub overwrites the windows boot loader/MBR. Grub was still there but it was looking for a file on the linux partition that you deleted. A windows recovery disk will rewrite the MBR allowing in to windows again.

You could try Linux Mint 6 or ubuntu 8.10 either should work fine with an intel graphics chip.

Tinytony

duffman85 wrote: »

When you install linux grub overwrites the windows boot loader/MBR. Grub was still there but it was looking for a file on the linux partition that you deleted. A windows recovery disk will rewrite the MBR allowing in to windows again.

You could try Linux Mint 6 or ubuntu 8.10 either should work fine with an intel graphics chip.

It's strange that a newer version would be less compatible than an older version. I think I have the mint 6 iso somewhere so I might give that a go instead. Only installing it out of curiosity anyways.

duffman85

yeah its strange but true.

Its just that ubuntu seem to stick to a release date regardless.

Intel was working on a new driver but it wasn't(isn't?) ready for the ubuntu release. good luck with mint 6.