Mac mini, Ubuntu splash screen halts video output until X is started (Re: Video output is stopped on Ubuntu 5.10 (breezy) ...)

[Eric Dunbar]

All right, I got somewhere with Linux video=ofonly (on my STOCK Mac mini)!

I can now see what happens at boot time if I use "Linux video=ofonly".

It seems that the Ubuntu splash screen* uses a video mode that's not
supported by my _graphics card_ (32 MB ATi Radeon 9200) and the video
signal goes dead. The monitor then goes to sleep until X starts (FYI:
monitor = 17" KDS Avitron AV-7TF... supports 1280x1024 at 60Hz,
1152*864 at 75Hz and 1024*768 at many rates)!

*splash screen = that fancy, graphical thing that's supposed to
"alleviate" users' fears, not make them think their computer died
;-PPPP

PS I'm fairly sure that the computer is not outputting a video signal
b/c the monitor will tell me if it's getting a signal that's outside
of its normal frequency & resolution range.

PSS hardware: Mac mini 1.25 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB drive (5.2 GB for
Linux), no extra hardware.

PS^3 I reinstalled the OS and STILL had the same problem.

So, what's the solution to this? If I boot without video=ofonly I will
eventually get the gdm but only after a significant wait. What
determines what video mode the splash screen will use?

Eric.

On 12/11/05, Olafur Arason <olafra at gmail.com> wrote:
> Try doing ctrl-alt-F1 and then log in and change the Xorg setting by
> doing:
> sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg and then choose vesa then at
> least you see something.
>
> Olafur Arason
> P.S you can file a bug with your /var/log/Xorg.0.log at
> http://bugzilla.ubuntu.com
> 2005/12/9, Eric Dunbar <eric.dunbar at gmail.com>:
> > Hi all, I've got a bit of a funny problem (and thought I'd rename the thread).
> >
> > I installed Ubuntu 5.10 (breezy) onto my Mac mini (512 MB RAM, 40 GB
> > HD (5.2 GB Ubuntu, 35 GB Mac OS X), 1.25 GHz G4, _no_ additional
> > hardware).
> >
> > The install process went fine. When the computer reboots I get the
> > normal two yaboot-related menus. Up to this point, no problems. When
> > Ubuntu continues booting past this point I get some text (which I'll
> > paste below) and then the screen goes to sleep (i.e. no signal coming
> > from the video card) and STAYS asleep.
> >
> > Ubuntu apparently boots normally, because I can cause it to shutdown
> > (halt) or reboot by typing "blindly" (ctrl-alt-F1 followed by
> > username, password... wait a second then enter 'sudo halt' followed by
> > the password for sudo at which point the computer beeps angrily and
> > promptly restarts/shuts down).
> >
> > How can I get video working? Do I need to reinstall or can I modify
> > yaboot using the live CD?
> >
> > Anyone run into this problem on the Mac mini?
> >
> > Thanks, Eric.
> >
> > FYI Here's what's displayed on my screen before it goes "down for the count":
> >
> > I'm running yaboot 1.313
> >
> > device=/pci at f4000000/ata-6 at d/disk at 0
> >
> > partition=3
> >
> > After allowing yaboot to load the kernel this is what appears (a white
> > screen with text flashes but it passes by too fast for me to capture):
> >
> > Welcome to Linux, kernel 2.6.12-9-powerpc
> >
> > linked at:          0xc0000000
> > frame buffer at  :0x9c008000  (phys), 0xd0008000  (log)
> > klimit:               0xc0320b20
> > MSR:                0x00003030
> > HID0:                0x8418c0bc
> >
> > pmac_init(): exit
> > id_mach(): done
> > MMU:enter
> > MMU:hw init
> > hash:enter
> > hash:find piece
> > hash:patch
> > hash:done
> > MMU:mapin
> > MMU:setio
> > MMU:exit
> > setup_arch: enter
> > setup_arch: bootmem
> > arch: exit
> > openpic: enter
> > openpic: timer
> > openpic: external
> > openpic: spurious
> > openpic: exit