bug#65572: [PATCH v3] doc: Describe black screen issue when booting the installer.

[Csepp]

"pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)"  writes:

> Pushed as 2890114a708e3a54a14ceb762f0726b013ffdc85.
>
> Csepp  writes:
>> There was a thread about having a dedicated "safe video" option in the
>> GRUB menu, like a lot of distros do.  I still think we should do that
>
> Yes, I agree.  It would need a way to make a custom GRUB menu entry that
> refers to a Guix System generation, and adding that feature is
> complicated because it best worked for other non-GRUB bootloaders too.
> If it were added, “safe video” could be described in the same place.
>
> Regards,
> Florian

I think we should just handle a (nested?) (a-)list of operating-system
objects.  It would be useful for a lot of other use cases too.  I for
one would like to have the option to boot my Thinkpad with libre
software by default but have the ability to use drivers from The
Forbidden Channel when I bring it to campus and need wifi.
Or to be able to choose a noPAE kernel on old machines.  Or have both an
LTS kernel and the latest release, and maybe even a nightly build for
testing.

bug#65572: [PATCH v3] doc: Describe black screen issue when booting the installer.

[pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)]

Pushed as 2890114a708e3a54a14ceb762f0726b013ffdc85.

Csepp  writes:
> There was a thread about having a dedicated "safe video" option in the
> GRUB menu, like a lot of distros do.  I still think we should do that

Yes, I agree.  It would need a way to make a custom GRUB menu entry that
refers to a Guix System generation, and adding that feature is
complicated because it best worked for other non-GRUB bootloaders too.
If it were added, “safe video” could be described in the same place.

Regards,
Florian

bug#65572: [PATCH v3] doc: Describe black screen issue when booting the installer.

[Csepp]

Florian Pelz  writes:

> With suggestions by Iku-Tulo Vilutar .
> Fixes .
>
> * doc/guix.texi (System Installation): Add suggestion when
> booting the installer fails with a black screen.
> ---
> changes:
>  - tell users to wait 10 minutes, not 2
>  - don't suggest video=uvesafb which is without effect
>  - more positive wording (don't give up just yet)
>
>  doc/guix.texi | 10 ++
>  1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)
>

There was a thread about having a dedicated "safe video" option in the
GRUB menu, like a lot of distros do.  I still think we should do that as
well, because having to edit the kernel boot arguments is much more
difficult, and because the user wouldn't have to go consult the manual
to know that there is such an option, it would be right in front of
them.
But of course documenting the workaround like this is the next best
thing.

bug#65572: [PATCH v3] doc: Describe black screen issue when booting the installer.

[Florian Pelz]

With suggestions by Iku-Tulo Vilutar .
Fixes .

* doc/guix.texi (System Installation): Add suggestion when
booting the installer fails with a black screen.
---
changes:
 - tell users to wait 10 minutes, not 2
 - don't suggest video=uvesafb which is without effect
 - more positive wording (don't give up just yet)

 doc/guix.texi | 10 ++
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+)

diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index 04e5875925..464060f42c 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -2402,6 +2402,16 @@ BIOS or UEFI boot menu, where you can choose to boot 
from the USB stick.
 In order to boot from Libreboot, switch to the command mode by pressing
 the @kbd{c} key and type @command{search_grub usb}.
 
+Sadly, on some machines, the installation medium cannot be properly
+booted and you only see a black screen after booting even after you
+waited for ten minutes.  This may indicate that your machine cannot run
+Guix System; perhaps you instead want to install Guix on a foreign
+distro (@pxref{Binary Installation}).  But don't give up just yet; a
+possible workaround is pressing the @kbd{e} key in the GRUB boot menu
+and appending @option{nomodeset} to the Linux bootline.
+Sometimes the black screen issue can also be resolved by connecting a
+different display.
+
 @xref{Installing Guix in a VM}, if, instead, you would like to install
 Guix System in a virtual machine (VM).
 

base-commit: b51e45d3aaa8a85d39a8a4c3d18e8b57254aeaf2
-- 
2.41.0