Finding a command line

I have a problem with knoppix booting on two Dell computers, they load showing much of the boot scripts but finish with a black screen. After searching these pages I've learned about cheat-codes to try at the boot-command prompt.

My trouble is that I never see a prompt - or am required to press [Enter] to continue boot. This is ver. 6.x.x and on the computers it has worked on, It just cranks right on through to the GUI desktop.

I keep trying combinations of [Alt-Fx] or [Ctrl-Alt-Fx] (yes just trying all the function keys). This takes a loooonnng time and I keep coming back to search for info here. I did get some run levels and a root terminal screen but no command line.

Some notes found here:

Quote:

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http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Syslinux_bootprompt
The syslinux bootprompt is a visual command line prompt that appears right after the host computer has started knoppix from the CD or other media. The syslinux bootprompt allows you to put in Cheat Codes.
It looks like this:
boot>

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Quote:

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The rapid rabbit start-up that makes it nearly impossible to do cheat-codes, not nice.

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Please, at what point in boot sequence is the command line accessed? How do you interrupt boot loading to get a cheat-code submitted?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by topcat

I have a problem with knoppix booting on two Dell computers, they load showing much of the boot scripts but finish with a black screen. After searching these pages I've learned about cheat-codes to try at the boot-command prompt.

My trouble is that I never see a prompt - or am required to press [Enter] to continue boot. This is ver. 6.x.x and on the computers it has worked on, It just cranks right on through to the GUI desktop.

I keep trying combinations of [Alt-Fx] or [Ctrl-Alt-Fx] (yes just trying all the function keys). This takes a loooonnng time and I keep coming back to search for info here. I did get some run levels and a root terminal screen but no command line.

Some notes found here:

Quote:

---

http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Syslinux_bootprompt
The syslinux bootprompt is a visual command line prompt that appears right after the host computer has started knoppix from the CD or other media. The syslinux bootprompt allows you to put in Cheat Codes.
It looks like this:
boot>

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Quote:

---

The rapid rabbit start-up that makes it nearly impossible to do cheat-codes, not nice.

---

Please, at what point in boot sequence is the command line accessed? How do you interrupt boot loading to get a cheat-code submitted?

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Try pressing F2 (without any extras like Ctrl- or Alt- ) - that will stop the countdown to auto-boot.

Thanks,
When pressing F2 it would open the Dell system BIOS. Had previously used this to set CD as #1 in boot priority.. when exiting BIOS screens it continues to boot knoppix to a black screen.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by topcat

Thanks,
When pressing F2 it would open the Dell system BIOS. Had previously used this to set CD as #1 in boot priority.. when exiting BIOS screens it continues to boot knoppix to a black screen.

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At the point where it says "Hit Enter to boot" you should able hit any key on the keyboard to end the timeout, whereupon you'll have more time to read the directions on-screen. :)

I've had no luck getting to the shell with Ctrl-Alt-Fx when I'm in the GUI. :cry:

If I do an init 2 I can then use those key-combos, but I've already got a command line, too. This used to work...

Krishna