Black Screen

[vinraec]

I just downloaded the English version of Knoppix and booted it from CD. When it started it seemed ok, looked at USB devices scanned hardware, etc. but after it did its scanning my monitor just went black and didn't do anything for a half hour. Any Suggestions?

[Markus]

You're not giving much hardware info to go on...?
Try different cheatcodes (http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/CheatCodes), especially things like xmodule=what_you_have screen=1280x1024 vga=normal noscsi

[vinraec]

Specs:

AMD Athlon 1.67 GHz
224 MB of RAM
Monitor: S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR currently running at 1024x768 and at 60 hertz.

I played around with the expert cheat code and was able to get the desktop to show up when I changed the monitor to 800x600 but the display was stuck at 640x480 and that appears very large on this 17 inch monitor. I have been playing around with the display settings but everytime I come close the monitor displays a blue box that claims I am out of range, whatever that means. I will keep trying options but if anyone knows how to fix this I am all ears!

[Markus]

Another cheatcode would be vsync=60 (change 60 to what your monitor specs say for the given resolution).

[clfischer]

I had the same problem with the blackscreen. I used knoppix acpi=off
and that resolved the problem.

If that doesn't do it for you start with 'failsafe' at the boot: screen.

[vinraec]

I tried all the other cheat codes that had been sugested to me and they didn't work. Then I tried the failsafe mode which got me in at 1024x768 with no problems but I couldn't use the mouse or keyboard. I guess they mean no hard ware when they say it. I was wondering if there was a cheat code to just turn off monitor detection because that would probably be the ticket.

Thanks for all of your help so far!

[Markus]

Cheatcodes can be a tricky thing on picky hardware, you just have to keep at it and eventually you'll find the right set. At least it boots!
You could try something like:
knoppix xmodule=s3 screen=1024x768 pci=biosirq vsync=60
or
fb1024x768 xmodule=s3 pci=biosirq vsync=60
Throw in any no-options you feel like testing, sorry but it's kind of hard to guess, it's one of those trial and error/success things.

EDIT: BTW the vsync thingy stands for vertical refresh rate which is what your monitor was complaining about with the "out of sync" error. 60 will flicker quite a lot if you don't have LCD but is the best that old monitors will do, so you might want to check the manual for your monitor and videocard to see what they support for different resolutions.