Black screen of death?

[michaelforydl]

Hi guys,

Well, I didn't think my first experience with Linux would be a screen of death, but there it was. I was able to install to bootloader, and boot to the other OS (YDL 6), and it displayed kboot. Once I hit enter though, (with YDL6 in the PS3) all I got was a black screen. It's happened several times...

I've read through other posts that have had fuzzy screens because of the TV etc, but not one where they got nothing. I'm using a 1080p TV, btw.

Any ideas? I don't have a problem booting back to the game os, as I've read many posts about that, I just want to get linux running on my 10 GB partition.

Thanks

[michaelforydl]

Oh, and my sha1sum came back ok, too.

[ppietro]

Hi guys,

Well, I didn't think my first experience with Linux would be a screen of death, but there it was. I was able to install to bootloader, and boot to the other OS (YDL 6), and it displayed kboot. Once I hit enter though, (with YDL6 in the PS3) all I got was a black screen. It's happened several times...

It sounds like you haven't completed the YDL install. Try typing the TAB key at the first kboot: prompt until you see an install option you like, then hit Enter. You should see various screen options to try. You would want the install_ps3_1080p or install_ps3_720p option, I think.

Just to be clear - the install procedure is:
1. Insert YDL 6.0 DVD in drive.
2. Select Install Other OS from System Settings in the Settings XMB - this copies the boot firmware into the PS3. (otheros.bld)
3. In the same System Settings menu from the Settings XMB, set the Default System to OtherOS and reboot.
4. At the first kboot: prompt, use the tab key to select one of the PS3 install resolutions, then hit Enter.
5. Complete the Yellow Dog install.

Cheers,
Paul

[michaelforydl]

Thanks Paul,

I haven't completed the install, but that's where I'm having trouble; I get to the first kboot, but hitting tab doesn't do anything and hitting Enter is what makes it hang! I've done steps 1-3 above to get to the first kboot, I just don't get any options to tab between. Typing game *does* boot me back into the game os though.

I'm not sure what the preceding screen is supposed to look like, but I get 3 lines of "Sending discover..." followed by a "don't understand "leasefail"", followed by a "leasefailing" line. Is this normal, since I don't have Linux installed yet, or is this my problem?

I have the new version of the PS3 with the 80 GB HDD and no PS2 compatibility, in case there's a difference between install procedures.

Thanks again

[billb]

No difference in the install procedure for the 80 GB PS3. Sounds like a problem with your install DVD (though your sha1sum checked out ok). What program did you use to burn the DVD? Many users here report success with using imgburn (http://www.imgburn.com) on Windows -- and it's free. Be sure to burn the DVD with the "verify after writing" option checked. Also you might try burning it at a low speed like 2.4x.

[michaelforydl]

Alright, so I made a new DVD with imgburn, confirmed the burn, and I'm stuck in the same spot. Now I think the install does load, though, there's just no way to see it.

I'm using an HDMI cable. I couldn't see any way it would be affected by running it through an amp, but it's now directly connected to the TV, just in case, and no change.

There's text after I hit enter at the kboot, and then the screen goes black. I may be able to tab through options, since I hear a noise when I hit tab (but that may just be an error noise). When I hit enter again, though, there is definitely processing going on, I just can't see what it's doing. Can anyone confirm which option in the menu the 1080p selection is? I could try tabbing over to that, and seeing if that helps...

Any other suggestions?

[michaelforydl]

A little more info that may help, given the questions that are being asked on other people's posts... I don't think there's anything really new here, but I'm running out of ideas...

I used Yellowdog 6.0 and the iso is labeled 20080207.
My display is a 46" Sharp - the 46D64U

Thanks again

[ppietro]

Alright, so I made a new DVD with imgburn, confirmed the burn, and I'm stuck in the same spot. Now I think the install does load, though, there's just no way to see it.

I'm using an HDMI cable. I couldn't see any way it would be affected by running it through an amp, but it's now directly connected to the TV, just in case, and no change.

There's text after I hit enter at the kboot, and then the screen goes black. I may be able to tab through options, since I hear a noise when I hit tab (but that may just be an error noise). When I hit enter again, though, there is definitely processing going on, I just can't see what it's doing. Can anyone confirm which option in the menu the 1080p selection is? I could try tabbing over to that, and seeing if that helps...

Any other suggestions?

Re: The black screen. Two things come to mind.

1st - your screen may not like the default resolution or refresh rate. (I know, I know - it should But - it might not.) Can you bypass HDMI and use component cables to start? That might help.

2nd - One thing that would cause this black screen of death is HDCP issues - the HDMI copy protection. The PS3 will black screen if it doesn't have the correct HDCP handshake over HDMI. Although - I don't think that this is the problem. You don't mention it directly, but it sounds like you can use the regular PS3 GameOS with your TV. You wouldn't be able to see the regular PS3 screen if there were HDCP issues.

RE: Kboot. You may be tabbing too late. The way it works is when you see the kboot: prompt, you hit tab. Text will magically fill the kboot: prompt for you, then you hit enter. Typing doesn't seem to work here - only tabbing. If you hit enter to go past the screen, that's too late -the installer has started.

Are you sure you downloaded an install disc? It should be from a mirror like this:
http://ydl.oregonstate.edu/

and the ISO should be titled something like this:
http://ydl.oregonstate.edu/iso/yellowdo ... 080207.iso

Also - what type of keyboard are you using? It works best if you install with the simplest, most generic USB keyboard possible. Bluetooth keyboards won't work until you finish the YDL install.

Cheers,
Paul

[michaelforydl]

Well, it's fixed!

I tried all the suggestions except using alternate cables and got nothing, so I switched to the cables that came with the PS3. That got me one screen further into the set up (no idea why). The best part was that, somehow, when I switched back to HDMI, everything worked without a problem! Linux is now installed, and I didn't even have any of the wireless problems that have been plaguing other people. Hope this helps someone else, even though I'm still not sure what went wrong... Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, I guess!