I'm trying to install 9.2 on my laptop, but am having problems on the summery screen.

When I try to configure my video card, I can't seem to pick the correct settings. I pick what I figure is correct and allow it to test the configuration, and then I get a scrambled display. It then stays there, as if there's no timeout on the settings test.

Is there a key-combo I can hit to force it to cancel the test and allow me to choose again?

So far I've had to turn off the machine when I get to this point, and then reinstall since I'm not familiar enough with the command line it will boot to after this.

The graphics card is a 64mb Nvidia G-force FX 5200go, and have tried the following card settings: Geforce FX, nv, vesa, and vga.

Thanks.

Should be ok. Download the nvidia drivers and the kernel source and save them somewhere that's not going to be overwritten with your linux install. If you're installing the default 9.2, you will need kernel-source-2.4.22-10mdk which you can get here

Make sure your laptop is set to boot to the command line first (you can change this in mcc later) Once you have booted and logged in, su to root and install the kernel source, then the nvidia drivers. Edit your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file and look for a line that says
and change it to

Using vim you can do this by first issuing the command. Then press i for insert mode. Scroll to the Driver= section and make your changes. Then hit Esc then :wq (colon, W Q) then reboot and start X as you normally would. From the command line, after you log in, simly type startx

After that, you should be all set. Having a garbled display on a laptop is normal. Installing the driver will fix the issue, and it will only be garbled for the graphical environment.

I'll try that, and get back to you with the results.

Thank you for your help.

hmmmm.... Going to have to try again tomorrow, it's still giving me hell.

Installed 9.2, configured the video to what it left as default (vesa), skipped the test, set it to boot to the command line, finished the install and rebooted.

I then installed the kernel source, installed the nvidia driver, and went to edit the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, but it opened a new blank file. I checked, and there doesn't appear to be an /etc/x11 directory.

"-bash: cd: /etc/x11: no such file or directory"

Maybe I messed something in my rush to try it out, it was my 6th attempt and I was getting impatient. I'll let you know how my next attempt tomorrow fares.

ARG!!!!

Case sensitivity will be the death of me yet, hehehe.

OK, successfully edited /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 , but when I type startx, I get I black screen with a few scattered blue lines along the bottom of the screen.

I'm stumped. Possibly I need to pick a specific disply type? I've been letting the installer pick it's default of "flat panel 1024x768", my laptops native resolution. Unfortunatly, I don't know who makes the screen on my laptop, and the manufactuter's website appears useless for any specifics.

Any ideas, or should I just give in and settle for WinXP home?

If it helps, my laptop is a Medion md 40566.

you did the rt thing. Yes, fiddle with the mointo setting could fix it. Because to stay with in it's parameters though, like just a smaller resolution maybe? From init 3 (console/prompt) as root you can run
drakconf
to change your settings. Don't give up yet!

have you tried the nv driver? or the svga driver? I did a quick google and though nothing matched the 40566 a saw a few people using those drivers with the Generic Laptop Display Panel 1024x768

Hmmmm... thanks for the tips.

Yes I tried nv and svga, I just get a scrambled screen. Vesa is the worst, as I get this really intense white pattern starting from the edges that starts to consume my screen. Looks really nasty and damaging.

I just tried drakconf, thanks for telling me about it. One good thing about this is I'm learning the command line, hehehe. I tried various resolutions at various colour depths, and the only thing that changed was the width of the scattered blue lines along the bottom of the screen.

And to think, I was quite impressed when I managed to talk the normally anal sales staff into letting me boot a knoppix 3.3 CDR on the display model. I thought I'd picked a decent laptop that wouldn't give me many problems in Mandrake since it booted knoppix so flawlessly.

try to find the settings and driver that knoppix uses and use them for now. If the basic driver is the same then it should work.