No Video on a Mac Mini

[joedamac]

Hello!

First try running Ubuntu.
Starting up off the CD on my Mac Mini, DVI Out to my HD TV.
Once my Mac starts booting off the CD, screen goes black, no video, out of range.

Just wondering if theres some simple way I can, without being able to see the screen, change the resolution to something that might display.

Someone I spoke to on the #Ubuntu channel told me I can hit F6 to change resolutions. But I'm wondering, since I can't actually SEE anything, what keystrokes I might use next to change to the next available resolution.

Thanks for any help!

Joseph

[Leslie Viljoen]

My PPC MacMini (connected to a monitor via VGA cable) had a blank screen when I first rebooted after the installation (of Xubuntu). I pressed ctrl-alt-f1 repeatedly during the boot and got a text screen. After that it showed the login screen normally.

To solve the problem permanently I added a "nosplash" option to the /etc/yaboot.conf file; see below. Not sure, but maybe this will work for you.

To edit yaboot.conf on Ubuntu, press alt-f2 and type "gksudo gedit /etc/yaboot.conf". See the example below - I just added the append="nospash". Then save, press alt-f2 again and enter "gksudo ybin" to update yaboot. You get text at startup, but booting works.

## yaboot.conf generated by the Ubuntu installer
##
## run: "man yaboot.conf" for details. Do not make changes until you have!!
## see also: /usr/share/doc/yaboot/examples for example configurations.
##
## For a dual-boot menu, add one or more of:
## bsd=/dev/hdaX, macos=/dev/hdaY, macosx=/dev/hdaZ

boot=/dev/hda2
device=/pci@f4000000/ata-6@d/disk@0:
partition=4
root=/dev/hda4
timeout=100
install=/usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot
magicboot=/usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot
enablecdboot
macosx=/dev/hda3

image=/boot/vmlinux
	label=Linux
	read-only
	initrd=/boot/initrd.img
	append="nosplash"

[joedamac]

Would this work on an Intel Mac Mini? You mentioned having a PPC Macmini

[Leslie Viljoen]

If you can get to a login screen by pressing ctrl-alt-f1 during boot then yes, you should try turning off the splash screen.

If ctrl-alt-f1 doesn't help, your problem is something else.

[joedamac]

Hmm, doesn't seem to do anything.

I guess it might be, I can't see my display, monitor out of range. Need to change the resolution. What exactly does ctrl-alt-f1 do?

[joedamac]

Greetings,

Running on OSX on a Mac Mini Intel.

From the moment I boot off the Ubuntu install CD I get no video, monitor goes out of range. Splash screen from OSX displays as the Mac Mini starts up, but the moment boot begins from install CD my display goes black and is out of range.

I've posted about this problem previously and all answers to my question have required that I'm able to see anything, which I'm not. =(

I've previously setup some custom resolutions using SwitchResX, but all work with my display. I'm concerned that this has caused the issue, though I have no idea why.

If there's some way I can tell Ubuntu to try a different resolution by modifying something off the Ubuntu disc image before I burn it to CD, but I'm not able to see anything during the boot process, whatsoever.

Thanks for any help!

[cyberdork33]

Greetings,

Running on OSX on a Mac Mini Intel.

From the moment I boot off the Ubuntu install CD I get no video, monitor goes out of range. Splash screen from OSX displays as the Mac Mini starts up, but the moment boot begins from install CD my display goes black and is out of range.

I've posted about this problem previously and all answers to my question have required that I'm able to see anything, which I'm not. =(

I've previously setup some custom resolutions using SwitchResX, but all work with my display. I'm concerned that this has caused the issue, though I have no idea why.

If there's some way I can tell Ubuntu to try a different resolution by modifying something off the Ubuntu disc image before I burn it to CD, but I'm not able to see anything during the boot process, whatsoever.

Thanks for any help!

You can select your resolution on the initial bootscreen of the LiveCD. There are are various options along the bottom of the screen.

[joedamac]

Easy enough, however, I can't actually see anything. The LiveCD I'm booting off of is choosing a resolution that's out of range.

Is there a way I could do this without being able to see anything?

I guess I should've been more specific, I was under the impression the LiveCD is also an install cd.

Forgive me, first time trying to use Ubuntu. =)

Thanks!

[cyberdork33]

Easy enough, however, I can't actually see anything. The LiveCD I'm booting off of is choosing a resolution that's out of range.

I am not talking about the GUI where the system chooses a resolution, I am talking about where you initially choose to "Use Ubuntu without making changes to your disk". It looks like what is in the attachment... If you do not even see this, then you probably need to use a different monitor, or try the alt install disc.

I guess I should've been more specific, I was under the impression the LiveCD is also an install cd.

it is

[joedamac]

Yeah, I'm not getting any video, whatsoever.

I'll try the alt install disc.

Thanks for the advice!