Trouble Install Kubuntu 8.10 64bit with GeForce 8600 GTS Card

[Alan Dacey]

Brian Blater wrote:
> I'm trying to setup a machine for my 12 year old to use and get him
> exposed to linux. I have a spare machine that has an AMD64 3000+
> processor, 3GB RAM on a MS-7125 motherboard with a eVGA GeForce 8600
> GTS video card. For the life of me I can't even get Kubuntu Ibex 64bit
> to install on this setup. If I try to run the install I get the
> Kubuntu splash screen and it does its thing for a little while and
> then I get a blank screen with a flashing cursor in the upper left
> corner. On screens F1-F6 is just a standard user prompt on F7 is the
> flashing cursor and nothing on F8-F12. If I try to just run Kubuntu as
> a live CD I get the same thing on the various F# screens.
. . .
> 

Sometimes the combination of certain motherboards + GeForce cards does not play 
nice with the Kubuntu installer.  I run into that problem with 64-bit on my 
machine.  The way around it is to download the alternate CD and use that to 
install.  That uses a text-based installer that I have found to work (and brings 
back memories of DOS).  At the first reboot after the install, you will probably 
have to Alt-F2 then Alt-F7 to see the login screen and even then the display 
will probably intermittently turn off for a second and then restore itself.  So 
the very first thing you should do is install the nvidia driver and reboot, then 
do your updates, then install everything else.  If your are using 8.04 & before 
use envyng-core, otherwise use System --> Hardware Drivers from the Kmenu.  I 
have an eVGA GTS 8800 and the nvidia-glx-180 package works great in 8.10 and 
9.04 Alpha


Alan

make sure to check the alternate CD box right below the 'Download Now' button
http://www.kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/download

-- 
"The second most satisfying thing in life is to totally understand a complicated 
concept.  If you are very lucky you may attain *the* most satisfying thing in 
life and actually grok it."