[SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

sammysam · 2009-01-26 14:39:43

This is my first post on these forums, and I am a TOTAL noob when it comes to linux. The problems started today when my computer froze completely. I was in X at the time, and nothing (ctl+alt+backspace, or ctl+alt+F2) would get me out of it. I waited, but eventually had to press the power button. When I tried to restart my laptop, nothing showed up on the screen. I tried it a couple of more times, but the blank screen remained. I tried to login by typing even though nothing showed up, but that didn't work either.

Is there anything I can do? Sorry if I left any details out, but thanks for the help.

Last edited by sammysam (2009-01-28 01:42:59)

userlander · 2009-01-26 14:45:01

Do you mean you can't even get video when booting the computer? It sounds like the video card died, possibly from overheating. What were you doing when it froze?

What laptop is it, anyway (and what video hardware)?

leeyee · 2009-01-26 14:49:06

Get a liveCD to edit /etc/inittab to change system boot into runlevel 3. Use startx in console to see output when X crashes, and copy /var/log/Xorg.0.log to your home folder for checking and saving.(It will be overwritten by next X session)

sammysam · 2009-01-26 14:50:45

"Do you mean you can't even get video when booting the computer?"

Yeah thats pretty much exactly what I mean. Usually the HP screen comes up and then GRUB(?) where I can choose to startup Archlinux.

It is an hp pavilion 6700 with an nvidia geforce 8400 graphics card. I'm pretty sure it didn't overheat because the rest of the laptop was ice cold after being in my car for about 45 minutes to an hour.

userlander · 2009-01-26 14:59:02

something's not right if you can't even get the intro screen. can you get into the BIOS at all?

> Edit to add that if it truly was that ice cold and you started using it before letting it warm up to room temperature first, I can conceive that it might have been too much of a shock for the video hardware going from ice cold to relatively warm in a short period like that. I'm just speculating, but it seems possible.

Last edited by userlander (2009-01-26 15:04:44)

sammysam · 2009-01-26 21:55:30

OK so I just performed a power drain and it works now. Weird. Thanks to everyone for their help!

PS: how do I change this thread to "solved"??

Last edited by sammysam (2009-01-26 21:56:07)

userlander · 2009-01-26 23:09:14

sammysam wrote:

OK so I just performed a power drain and it works now. Weird. Thanks to everyone for their help!
PS: how do I change this thread to "solved"??

oh good to hear - I was afraid your gpu was fried.

to add "solved," just edit the first post and change the subject line.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-01-26 14:39:43

[SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#2 2009-01-26 14:45:01

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#3 2009-01-26 14:49:06

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#4 2009-01-26 14:50:45

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#5 2009-01-26 14:59:02

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#6 2009-01-26 21:55:30

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

#7 2009-01-26 23:09:14

Re: [SOLVED] Blank Screen on Startup

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