Why not default install nomodeset?

[cllvt]

When I decided to try Linux, my biggest obstacle was getting beyond the black screen on the install that so many of us have faced due to graphics card drivers.

You folks were very helpful, and led me through the process, as for someone new to Linux the brief notes about this in the install directions are not enough. I see many posts with people having issues with this, over and over ... wondering why the default is not nomodeset (and/or whatever else - quiet splash, etc., is necessary) to get through a basic install with most graphics cards, and then after install whatever graphics drivers you want and need?

It seems like this would be more straightforward, and less discouraging to new folks as well.

Chris

[Pjotr]

Well, 95 % (or more) of the computers don't need nomodeset.... Don't forget that we see mainly the problem cases here, not the success stories.

[cllvt]

Well, 95 % (or more) of the computers don't need nomodeset.... Don't forget that we see mainly the problem cases here, not the success stories.

Well, maybe. I have a hard time believing 95% of the computers don't require it,maybe (?). Even just being presented with an option up front to select it, vs. having to know you have to tab and select compatibility mode or other options would be an improvement. I can get through it fine now, but when I started trying to use Linux it was certainly a frustration/obstacle. Especially for an OS that offers itself as a friendly option to Windows users I think it would be nice.

Chris

[Hoser Rob]

Well, for one thing, Intel video requires kernel modesetting. Using nomodeset will bork it. And Intel video adapters aren't exactly rare ...

[AlbertP]

Currently all preinstalled video drivers do require kernel modesetting for any kind of 3D acceleration. Only the NVIDIA/AMD official drivers which you can install after installing Mint, don't care about this option.
nomodeset on a Mint system with only its preinstalled drivers (a DVD or USB stick with Mint ISO file for instance) will in any case lead to a system that has no 3D acceleration, which is necessary to run Cinnamon well.
And that is probably what Hoser Rob meant by borking Intel graphics. Intel does not have another driver available.

I do agree though that the compatibility mode option in the boot menu should include nomodeset. I seem to recall it did include nomodeset somewhere in the past (I once asked for it at the Mint devs).

My computers (they're all slightly older) boot fine without this option. Most problems arise for very old (10+ years) hardware or very new hardware.

[scryan]

Well, 95 % (or more) of the computers don't need nomodeset.... Don't forget that we see mainly the problem cases here, not the success stories.

Well, maybe. I have a hard time believing 95% of the computers don't require it,maybe (?). Even just being presented with an option up front to select it, vs. having to know you have to tab and select compatibility mode or other options would be an improvement. I can get through it fine now, but when I started trying to use Linux it was certainly a frustration/obstacle. Especially for an OS that offers itself as a friendly option to Windows users I think it would be nice.

Chris

Linux isn't an OS that offers itself as a friendly option.

Minor different, but linux isn't an OS.
Linux is a kernel, that when bundled with a tool chain such as GNU can serve as an OS.
Linux certainly did not offer itself as a friendly option.

Mint MAY have? But Mint didn't make grub, and Grub is certainly NOT the easy/friendly boot loader option... Not sure why it is the default with most popular Distros, I guess because its very powerful and they figure the user will never mess with the config, so one is written up with plenty of variables... But in most discussions of bootloaders Grub would be listed as the most over-complicated/least friendly I would think...
Part of the problem may come from the fact that GRUB was not designed to boot your live CD on any computer. It does this well, but GRUB has a config file it works off of, and it needs to be setup to work right.
The fine folks who make GRUB think it works great, and the few people who want to disable kernel mode setting can easily do so in the config that HAS to be generated at install anyways...
Instead of installing and configuring your system yourself, you just went with a distro that automates the process... This is great, and works most the time... but will always cause minor issues in unusual cases. And yes, your case is unusual. MOST people do not need this.


Here is a decent article on kernel mode setting:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke ... de_setting

Its a feature that was added to the kernel to give the kernel control of the video card. The article talks about the benefits and why this was done... but there are definitely reasons.

Though I do suppose on the live install they could include addition grub entries with the nomodeset parameter... So that when looking at the boot menu it would have

Code: Select all

Linux Mint 17 (64)
Linux Mint 17 (32)
Linux Mint 17 - NVIDIA/AMD (64)
Linux Mint 17 - NVIDIA/AMD(32)

Though then it becomes an issue of if the OS is going to cater to Proprietary drivers or require the users to handle that..