Black Screen when booting Backtrack Live cd on NVidia Switchable Optimus

Hello,
I have been trying to install Backtrack 5 the last few days, first on VM under Windows 7, but i figured out that the best solution for me was a classical hard disk install.
When I have been booting my Backtrack 5 CD (32bit GNOME), there were a stack of initialization, and even before the first BackTrack5 wallpaper before even having to type the "startx" command, my screen turns totally black, but is still illuminated.
I was facing with previous versions of Backtrack the "no screen found" error, but I cannot even see this error message this time, since the screen gets totally black.

I tried to boot it forcing the Integrated GPU in the BIOS, and it works fine, but it would be really annoying to have to go in the BIOS whenever booting (i.e. with a multiple boot win7, bt5).

My question is the following. Do you have any solutions to avoid that Black screen error?
If not, do you have any idea how to force BT5 to boot on a specified gpu ?
I have been trying to google it, but nothing relevant came out.

I am at your disposal for further information.

Best regards,
Franckysnow

My configuration is the following:
Lenovo T410s :
Intel HD Graphics and NVIDIA NVS3100M Graphics (NVidia Optimus technology)
Intel Core i5-540M (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB, 35W)

Did you install the Nvidia Drivers ?

Thank you for your answer Sickness!
Well, if i can not even reach any command prompt, how could I install any driver? Should I install first (choosing integrated gpu in the bios) BT5, then install Nvidia drivers, and then choose back switchable gpu in bios?
I only tried to boot from the cd so far.
According to my experience with linux distributions, installing nvidia drivers for nvidia optimus technologies has never been a solution because no real drivers have been developed yet, meaning, i can not start xserver again after installing the drivers (for various Ubuntu distributions at least). Then I am a bit reticent to this solution.

Can I expect it to work on the hard disk even if it does not boot from CD !?

Thank you again

The simple question to this is I don't know ... you can try it and see if it works, but if you install the drivers correctly it should work. Also you might want to check on the forum, there were some guides on how to install Nvidia drivers.

Well, I have not been able to boot on liveCD under "Switchable graphics", nor to run the installed OS under "Switchable graphics".
The work around i did was the following, using "Integrated Graphics" from the BIOS, each time I want to use Backtrack :


Manually, through the BIOS, change Graphics Device to "Integrated Graphics" ; OS Detection for Switchable Graphics to "Disabled".

Boot the liveCD, proceed to regular, restart.

Once you entered into the Grub, you can try starting the newly installed OS, but for me, I had that black screen after typing the startx command (more informations here : http://www.backtrack-linux.org/forum...-startx-2.html)

To solve this issue, when you're into the grub, first line, type 'e' to edit, replace the text without the quotes

Quote:

---

text splash nomodeset

---

by

Quote:

---

i915.modeset=1

---

. Recall that i have Switchable nVidia Optimus technology, for other GPU, refer to here : http://ubuntu4beginners.blogspot.com...n-problem.html.

Type CTRL + X to execute

You should be now able to see your nice BT5 desktop.


To make the changes you applied to the Grub permanent :

Start a new terminal (or press CTRL+ALT+T)
Type

Code:

---

gedit /etc/default/grub

---

Modify the part

Quote:

---

text splash nomodeset

---

by

Quote:

---

i915.modeset=1

---

or by the command you used above.
Update your Grub by typing

Code:

---

update-grub

---

There you go, this worked for me, but I want to recall that i HAVE to be in "Integrated Graphics", otherwise, i keep having my first problem, as for LiveCD.

Best regards,

Franckysnow



P.S.: For further informations about the not existing drivers for nVidia Optimus : http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=188184

AND FINALLY I CAN LOGIN WITH STARTX WITH NVIDIA OPTIMUS...THANKS FRANCKYSNOW... :cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kohcanho

AND FINALLY I CAN LOGIN WITH STARTX WITH NVIDIA OPTIMUS...THANKS FRANCKYSNOW... :cool:

---

Hi Kohcanho, Please, if you do not have the same model as my GPU, please, add which model you have and which command you typed. That may help others.

I am glad i could help you !

my laptop is msi fx 400 with nvidia gt 325m.. i add more text but not replace..i type

Code:

---

text splash i915.modeset=1  nomodeset vga=791 or text splash i915.modeset=1  nomodeset vga=0x791

---

after that execute...good Luck.

i have the same problem but i resolved by waiting like 2 minutes after the screen get black (or the dvd-rom stop to make noise)
digiting StartX and then Enter wait and ..... magic http://www.backtrack-linux.org/forum...ilies/wink.png

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kohcanho

my laptop is msi fx 400 with nvidia gt 325m.. i add more text but not replace..i type

Code:

---

text splash i915.modeset=1  nomodeset vga=791 or text splash i915.modeset=1  nomodeset vga=0x791

---

after that execute...good Luck.

---

hi kohcanho,

may i know exactly you did? my laptop is also msi fx400 i3 and i can't proceed with the installation process.

i edit the grub and input text splash i915.modeset=1 nomodeset vga=791, i also tried text splash i915.modeset=1 nomodeset vga=0x791 but nothings happens.

i tried the update-grub but shows some error. /usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: cannot find a device for / (is /dev mounted?).


thank you very much in advance.

Edit:

i also tried the tuts about vesa and about the tuts below

rm /root/.kde/cache-root/icon-cache.kcache
rm /root/.kde/cache-root/plasma_theme_Volatile.kcache
rm /root/.kde/cache-bt/icon-cache.kcache
rm /root/.kde/cache-bt/plasma_theme_Volatile.kcache

nothing happens. please help !!!