Text install option (cutting edge cards not detected, stops installer) (duped from 64x Hardware forum)

[DigiMonk]

(I initially posted this to the 64x Hardware forum, because I was focusing on hardware incompatibility and didn't think about that forum being specifically for the 64x computer(s). Couldn't see a way to "move" that post to this forum, so I went with copy/paste)

First off, my understanding is from a few months ago and this may already be fixed. I tried some searches but didn't find any topics that seemed similar, but please direct me to such if I just missed them.

I bought an nVidia 5060Ti approximately a week after it was released, purely because it was the cheapest way at the time to get 16GB of VRAM to maximize my local AI capabilities. This also made that machine the most powerful gaming system I had, so I wanted to put COS on it.

I got through all the secure boot, trusted platform, and BIOS issues, and got up to the start of the graphical installer. But it would never continue.

I discovered, upon trying to install other Linux distros, that the available nVidia driver packages didn't understand this card at all (required building beta drivers directly from nVidia), and it was having to run in a comparatively low resolution, essentially dumb framebuffer mode. That meant that COS couldn't run a compositor, or anything 3D, or even video, probably.

I did figure out how to work my way through these problems with manual driver installs on my other distro (Mint Linux, based on Ubuntu, for anyone who's curious). It wasn't easy, and took me a couple of evenings of frustration, but I could do it. But I couldn't get COS to give me a "dumb video card" install mode so that I could get running and then log in to do all the gritty work.

Since then, the Debian/Ubuntu nVidia drivers have caught up, so I probably just need to grab the newest version of the installer ISO. But just in case this happens again (either to me or to some other hopeful who is riding the razor's edge), is there a way to do a text install, or a "dumb framebuffer" install?

Many thanks! Awesome work!

[LeoNigro]

nVidia doesn't make it easy does it. It never has.
I think in your case it might be worth updating the kernel from the Settings Manager.
There hasn't been a new ISO since launch so grabbing a new ISO won't matter.
I have been meaning to spend some time on investigating nVidia compatibility issues further.
It has never been a formal priority as none of the current C64x iterations have nVidia graphics.

[DigiMonk]

Hey Leo!

No, nVidia doesn't make Linux life easy. But they still give me the performance I want once I've fought through the oddities, so I keep using them.

I can't get the system installed at all on this machine because the live boot wants to fire up various multimedia and compositor systems before launching the installer application, and the low-level video driver it is using at that point can't do that work.

Is there a way to manually launch the installer? I tried digging through startup scripts, but to be completely honest I didn't have enough mental focus to deal with all of the possible places where the installer launch might be happening.

If not, is there any kind of text mode boot and installer?

Thank you, and glad to see the new developments!

[LeoNigro]

I would suggest installing via the Marco compositor if you're having difficulties with the default accelerated graphics on your system.
The live system is usually pretty good with graphics detection, but it isn't possible to get maximum compatibility right out of the box, short of an installation and online update.

It doesn't get more basic than the Marco desktop compositor.
From the top menu go to:
System --> Preferences --> Look and Feel --> Mate Tweak
Navigate to Windows side tab.
Change the Window Manager field to: Marco (No compositor)

To manually launch the installer issue the following commands:

Code: Select all

rm ~/.commodore/*.*
LOAD "STARTUP" &> /dev/null