Need help with flat screen lcd monitor

Hello. I hooked up a 15" Sylvania flat screen monitor. I have been using a generic 17" standard [tube] display. The flat panel monitor displays the following message right at beginning of boot-up: "vga mode not supported"

H: 35.4 kHz
V: 86.8 Hz

I tried to boot with the CD using some cheat codes and it either displays the same error, or boots all the way to where X is supposed to start, but screen goes blank and stays that way! I have a DUAL BOOT PC with Knoppix on one HDD and WINXP on the other and have used this config for a long time with no problems with previous monitor. [the old one].

My wifes PC will boot KNOPPIX fully with no prob using the Sylvania LCD monitor....Is this a VIDEO CARD issue????? Wife has a VOODOO 3 2000 card, and I have a MAD DOG [?] 3d. I dont have any idea about that one!!! My brother installed it! So I post here hoping to resolve the issue, but in mean time I have put my old monitor back in service. :(

Is something not being detected right? I used "failsafe" and it booted all the way up to right where "X" is supposed to start but it goes black and stays black. I can't use cheat codes with a HD install at boot up. Is there a file that may need a line changed so that LCD monitor will work? Please help!!!! Bob58 :x

I have looked thru forums and have found this cheat code:

"knoppix xmodule=vesa"

I can try it from a CD boot and if this works, how do I get it to work in the HD installation? Is there a file I can add this line to?

Use the cheat codes you need to boot a live KNOPPIX CD. Then when you run knoppix-installer, the correct video card settings will be copied over, usually....

Good Luck,
AJG

Hi Jorge.....I am still confused. Does this mean I have to re - install KNOPPIX to get the LCD monitor to work? With monitor hooked up, I cannot even get far enough to re install! To re install, I would have to be able to fully boot into knoppix off CD, then bring up console and type "knx2hd" to re install. But I cannot get that far. Part of the problem is I dont understand the error I get : "vga mode not supported"

So isnt there a file in knoppix I can go to and make some kind of change to make KNOPPIX work with the monitor? Another problem is I cant use cheat codes from a HDD install. I wonder if the next version of KNOPPIX could include an option in LILO when after you select the OS or kernel to run, you can select another option to "boot with cheatcodes".....

I hate to re install if I dont have to, but even so, the error I get stops me dead in the water so I cant even get far enough to do that!!!!

Try and see if "knoppix vga=normal" gets you any further.

bob58, you can't even get the liveCD to boot in video mode on that monitor? Well, then what cheatcode would you use? So hd-install is booting into console mode only? I suppose that's because you had this PC installed already for a different monitor.

BTW, I think there is a line in lilo where you can place cheatcodes. My memory is poor on this, is it "append=..."?

Regards,
AJG

Hi Baldyeti....I did try the code "knoppix vga=normal" but that did nothing. What about using:

"knoppix xmodule=vesa"

I havent tried that one yet. I am out of ideas on this one! I would like to use this monitor though. If I run failsafe it boots all the way to where "X" starts then screen stays blank. I don't understand cause my wife has a similar computer and Knoppix ran from CD perfectly using that flat panel lcd monitor. . Is it my video card? ? ? ? ?

Hi Jorge....I will look at LILO and see about what you mention about putting cheat codes in here...it may help with something. On my 2 computers i dont have to use any cheat codes, but to use this new monitor i may have to if i can find one that will work!

Sometimes you need a combination of cheatcodes. You have to play with the combos until you get the one that's right for you. Most of my PCs are OK without any cheats or maybe just one. However, my new Dell GX270s need

Code:

---

knoppix vga=normal screen=1024x768 vsync=60 nosmc nodma

---

or forget it!

Good Luck,
AJG

try fb1280x1024 or your suitable resolution as a cheat code.

This post is for Jorge......well I tried your suggestion:

knoppix vga=normal screen=1024x768 vsync=60 nosmc nodma

And it WORKED! :D

However, just before the final knoppix screen appears, there is a small distorted image that appears very briefly at top of screen. t looks like a squashed image of the picture of when you first boot knoppix from CD at that boot prompt. Then everythings OK. NOW I have gotten this far....how do I apply the code you gave me to my HDD install???? Do I have to edit LILO and put that code line in there somewhere? I am half way there! I have tried all the other suggestions from the other people but none of them worked. I will edit the code and take out maybe "NODMA" or the other one to see if it makes that distorted image go away. But its no big deal cause its finally working. Now I just need to get it to work on my hard drive install. Any further suggestions welcome... :lol:

I have noticed that my resolution is stuck at 640x480 no matter what I do! I included the code "screen=1024x768" in my bootup from CD. I know this monitor is capable of higher resolutions.
there is a little "configure display" icon at bottom of lower right screen but if I try to configure, it only has 640x480 as the only option! I think the code "vga=normal" must be the culprit. But I need to use this code in order for monitor to work. Are there other vga codes that might work?

Great!

You may not need the nosmc ot the nodma. nodma is for turning off hdd accereration. dma is set as default when you boot the KNOPPIX 3.4 liveCD and should work fine with new hdds. I used nosmc in KNOPPIX 3.3 because of a weird Dell BIOS quirk and I don't need it in 3.4.

To unstuck your 640x480 you have to find out what you video card make is and then use a cheatcode to modify what driver you use.

Good Luck,
AJG

Hi Jorge...OK I hear ya. Now As far as finding out what driver my video card uses....not sure about that. What would I have to do to find technical info on my video card? I know it is a 64 MB 3D card....its called a "MAD DOG"......So how do I use a cheat code to modify the driver? This is beyond my knowledge. If you could make a suggestion where to start I will attempt this next......I was wondering why when I finally did get the knoppix CD to boot yesterday why the info scrolling by on screen was bigger than i am used to seeing. Display is stuck at that one resolution and I thought something is up with the display. Please help further if you have time...thanks...bob58