F10 x64 PR Reloaded: My 2nd install on Homebuilt Box

[Christopher A. Williams]

After going through all of the feedback from last time, I decided to try
a few new things with my system and F10 x64PR. Install is still buggy
and prone to havoc, but it seems a couple of days makes a big
difference. As a recap, here's my system config:

Motherboard:
eVGA e7100/630i
This MB uses nVidia onboard GeForce 7100 video with the nForce 630i
chipset. It also uses nVidia MCP73 High Definition Audio

CPU: Intel 2.4GHZ Core2 Quad
4GB RAM
320GB Western Digital SATA drive (WDC_WD3200AAKS)
Monitor: Acer P243W (connected via DVI cable)

What I did this time around:
I grabbed a fresh copy of the F10 x64 Preview Live ISO, and reloaded a
USB drive with it using a 2GB persistent overlay.

I also took the time to go through CMOS on my system - just to make sure
nothing was amiss. It was previously set to the "Optimized Defaults". I
reloaded the "Optimized Defaults" again, and went through each setting.
I changed a couple of settings around CPU Identification - the default
is for Windows XP, and it was recommended to change this if you were
running any other OS.

Next, I booted the USB drive. Same as before - no video. I rebooted and
passed the xdriver=vesa kernel parameter. No change.

So, I switched to an alternate console, logged in as root, and ran yum
-y update to update everything on the USB drive. This included a kernel
update (to the 105 kernel), as well as updates to anaconda. The kernel
update actually took a normal amount of time (not 20 minutes it did on
my system post-install before). Could this be a CMOS change fixing this?

Next, I rebooted on the USB drive. Still no video. I switched to an
alternate terminal (again), logged in as root, installed
system-config-display, ran it, and accepted the defaults. This
apparently created a basic xorg.conf file. I reboot one more time and,
voila! I have a graphical (vesa based) GDM login panel!

I login as Live User. The desktop remains stable. Good! I decide to "go
for it" and launch the installer program. This time, everything works
perfectly!!! Disk partitioning works with no issues, and there's no long
delay installing anything. So far so good...

I reboot from the local hard disk. Of course, the 9.93 preview is what
launches, and of course, there's no video. Since I installed from the
Live Image, all of the old files get installed. So I do my alternate
terminal, login as root, run all of the yum updates, install
system-config-display, and run it to create a basic xorg.conf file. I
noted that, during the updates, the kernel update again proceeds in
normal time. I reboot once more, and F10 comes up with a GUI firstboot
screen! Good...! I go through everything, click finish, and I have a GDM
login screen (at vesa 800x600) resolution. Better!

Login, load up RPMFusion repos, grab the nVidia drivers, reboot one last
time, and we're good to go with a base install of F10.

Post-install, I grab all of the stuff I usually use from the online
repos, plus Adobe Reader and the new 64-bit Flash 10 Plugin (alpha). So
far, everything is working. Although, there are a couple of selinux
related issues with the Adobe stuff. The selinux troubleshooter does
help you fix them.

The only thing left is that sound still doesn't play unless I test it
first. It's like I need that to kickstart it. Looks like I'll have to
bugzilla that...

Hopefully this means F10 final will be able to install reasonably well.
We still need to do something about video though. Mine would still do
nothing - even using vesa drivers -  unless there was at least a basic
xorg.conf file present.

Cheers,

Chris

-- 
======================
"If we don't succeed,
we run the risk of failure."

-- Former President Bill Clinton