Re: [tlug] BIOS / Video Problems

[Kalin KOZHUHAROV <me.kalin@example.com>]

Ouch... sounds like a horrible New Year's eve...

As always attack the problem step-by-step:
* hardware and BIOS
* OS/kernel
* graphical/multimedia fluff :-D

step 0: Get a bootable USB with SysrescueCD:
http://www.system-rescue-cd.org/Installing-SystemRescueCd-on-a-USB-stick/
step 1: disconnect all hardware to be left with
PSU+MB+CPU+RAM+KBD+monitor (your MB has video on board). It will
greatly help and will not accidentally kill a drive.

> - get BIOS access back so I can activate the video card
>
Did you try F2 to enter BIOS? Or just <Del>?
Try plugging your KBD in another port, on the MB directly, USB1.1 if you have.
Try plugging a PS/2 KBD, even if it doesn't work once the OS is booted.
Check other connections on the video card, if you can, D-Sub->DVI-D->HDMI->DP
I'd suggest removing the external video card, it should activate the
internal one.
Also, can try to clear the CMOS (BIOS settings) with the proper jumper
(p22 in the manual).

PS/2 KBD might not work in (recent) kernels, if the support is not
compiled (I would never do that for machine that has physical PS/2).
USB keyboard may not work in BIOS, esp. if connected via extra
hardware (hub, controller), or sometimes even directly with certain
USB settings inside BIOS (chicken/egg problem).
Look for USB Legacy support once you get into the BIOS setup.

> - Activate boot from USB disk or CD/DVD drive.
>
Find a manual for your MB
(http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/960GMU3S3%20FX.pdf) and
... try to find a key for boot menu... I could not see any, but try
F8, F9, F10, F12.

Only after you have confirmed access to the hardware, use SysrescueCD,
do a memtest, boot defaults, check that it works. Then put back all
the hardware you disconnected in step 1 and try to boot again till X.
If all works, you know it is _only_ a software problem :-D

* Restore from backup
* Reinstall (after backup)
...

Cheers,
Kalin.