[SOLVED] Can “core” version be installed on Lenovo T400?

[Member return of could be]

I would like to install “core” to a T400. When I try to boot the live usb medium, it gets past grub, begins starting linux for a few seconds, then hangs with a blank screen. I am able to boot the “base” version fine, anything with a GUI is fine, but I’d prefer to start with core, so I can start with testing or sid. The problem might have to do with the fact that the T400 comes with two video cards. I’m thinking this might be a known issue.

If I can’t boot core live, maybe there are instructions for how to install by hand?

• This topic was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.
• This topic was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.

[Member dknestaut]

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This last Sunday I installed core on a Dell Latitude CPx. It behaved very much like you described, just a cursor blinking in the upper left-hand corner, but my hands were busy and I just let it sit for a minute or so, and then it suddenly finished booting into the CLI installer.

Later, I figured out that GRUB wasn’t loading my screen configuration properly, and as a result, I got treated to a blank screen when I should have been watching the startup diagnostics roll past.

The moral of this story? Sit with it a few minutes and see if it works itself out.

[Member ex_Koo]

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Not a 100% sure but I think that xorg , xserver-xorg , xutils , mesa-utils or something like this needs to be installed to get intel video working. I have done it before with Debian and antiX but you need a working internet connect. Something else after the installer is finished without rebooting try running sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by ex_Koo.

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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Which version of core?
How are you booting, livecd/dvd or usb?
Have you tried the Safe Video Mode or Failsafe boot options?

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member return of could be]

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Oooooooo! Failsafe boot! Thank you, that works. I’d forgotten that that’s there, further down the menu. I had tried Safe Video Mode and it didn’t help, then I gave up.

So I’m fine, but FWIW: antiX-19.2-runit-sid_x64-core.iso, usb. With default or with Safe Video Mode, it doesn’t really hang, it still responds to keyboard such as CapsLock and Raising Elephants. But text and cursor disappear, after “Waiting for /dev to be populated…” I waited 5 minutes but it didn’t sort itself out. I was expecting the text must be going to the wrong video card, but when I tried setting the other card default in BIOS, it didn’t seem to matter.

Thanks ac, thanks all!

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.

[Member ex_Koo]

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So Safe Video Mode do not work ?

I just did a core install on my x220 antiX 19 core x64.

A lan connection is a must if you want access to the internet.

Use Safe Video Mode Thanks anticapitalista I forgot this one.

During the install I was ask (do you want to install packagers) said yes to this just to check my lan was working. checked upgrades sure was 52 upgrades did not install them.
Next said yes to Timezone setup my time zone. Nice screen too.

After installing & rebooting

Logged into tty
Ran sudo apt update (worked just fine)
Then sudo apt upgrade (52 upgrades upgraded) I rebooted said yes to grub update MBR.
Back to tty and loggged in.
Ran sudo apt install xorg xserver-xorg xutils mesa-utils xinit << this was to get Xorg working as in GUI. If not you live in the terminal world. Also if you have an nvidia card install nvidia-detect as well.

As I use i3wm I installed i3wm you may use fluxbox rox icewm etc just install what you use in desktop environments. And did did not install a login manager like Slim LightDM or whatever I went the .xinitrc way.

With .xinitrc their is no login screen just tty to start X11 after logging in type startx

sudo apt install i3 dmenu rofi thunar geany this is for starters just to give me a desktop. (If I used

fluxbox

dmenu and rofi are not needed)

Now the above is installed I have everything that is need to get to my desktop and start X11

NON of the below is needed if you installed Slim or LighDM

All I need to do now is create .xinitrc in my home directory and tell it what desktop enviroment I want to start which is i3wm in my case. With the command below.

echo “exec i3” >> ~/.xinitrc

Just reboot loggin from tty and type startx

That it really.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by ex_Koo.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by ex_Koo.

[Member return of could be]

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> Not a 100% sure but I think that xorg , xserver-xorg , xutils , mesa-utils or something like this needs to be installed to get intel video working.
Koo,

Yeah, once I got core installed, I added X11 and XFCE packages (using the list from https://eirenicon.org/knowledge-base/convert-antix-to-an-xfce4-based-distro-a-tutorial/). But X wouldn’t start properly, it would show just scrambled gletch, even after I tried adding mesa-utils etc.

I looked at another T400 I have, with a working antiX-base install, and noticed it has an /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. So I copied that in, and now Xfce4 works nice (after two restarts).

So xorg.conf is back? I thought it went away years ago. I recall 10 or 15 years ago reading messages on Ubuntu fora, to find out what I should have in that file. Is it because of systemd? Maybe video autoconf got moved into systemd, so us Luddites can’t autoconfigure the old way anymore, so we have to revert to the old old way?

How does the file get there, in base and full? Is it part of a package, or does install put it there?

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by return of could be.

[Member ex_Koo]

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On my antiX 19 base x64 their is no etc/X11/xorg.conf only a xorg.conf.in file. But I don’t use xorg.conf file anyway and you are right you don’t need one anymore.
My i7 cpu has a intel 4000.

To stop screen tearing and have smooth video play back I use 20-intel.conf file. Place the file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf
20-intel.conf

Section "Device"
   Identifier  "Intel Graphics"
   Driver      "intel"
   Option      "AccelMethod" "sna"
   Option      "TearFree" "true"
EndSection

Yesterday on my X220 I did a core install X64. Worked 100% And I made a post about it in this very thread but in got lost. I’m sure I backed it up on the x220 will have a look.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by ex_Koo.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by ex_Koo.

[Member ex_Koo]

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I just did a core install on my x220 antiX 19 core x64.

A lan connection is a must if you want access to the internet.

Use Safe Video Mode Thanks anticapitalista I forgot this one.

During the install I was ask (do you want to install packagers) said yes to this just to check my lan was working. checked upgrades sure was 52 upgrades did not install them.
Next said yes to Timezone setup my time zone. Nice screen too.

After installing & rebooting

Logged into tty
Ran sudo apt update (worked just fine)
Then sudo apt upgrade (52 upgrades upgraded) I rebooted said yes to grub update MBR.
Back to tty and loggged in.
Ran sudo apt install xorg xserver-xorg xutils mesa-utils xinit this was to get Xorg working as in GUI. If not you live in the terminal world. Also if you have an nvidia card install nvidia-detect as well.

As I use i3wm I installed i3wm you may use fluxbox rox icewm etc just install what you use in desktop environments. And did did not install a login manager like Slim LightDM or whatever I went the .xinitrc way.

With .xinitrc their is no login screen just tty to start X11 after logging in type startx

sudo apt install i3 dmenu rofi thunar geany this is for starters just to give me a desktop. (If I used

fluxbox

dmenu and rofi are not needed)

Now the above is installed I have everything that is need to get to my desktop and start X11

NON of the below is needed if you installed Slim or LighDM

All I need to do now is create .xinitrc in my home directory and tell it what desktop enviroment I want to start which is i3wm in my case. With the command below.

echo “exec i3” >> ~/.xinitrc

Just reboot loggin from tty and type startx

That it really.

[Member ex_Koo]

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The only thing I find about a core install is grub only uses MBR or root. And i use uefi on my T430 just get grub rescue screen so stick with base..

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