Hardware

i have an older server from about 2001 i was given. i recently lost the OS drive on the system and dicided to go to linux instead of windows. i have tried open suse, centos and both do just about the same thing. they boot fine then they go into installing drivers it hits vidio driver then another line pops up after that for <=1sec then blanks out. i left it run for about 5 min on both os thinking mayby normal install, but still no video. the chip is a cirus logic cl-gd54m30. i looked all over for drivers for it, but everything is for windows. is there any way i can bypass this and just use the genaric driver it uses when it boots? it's just a home use file server so as long as ther is video it will be fine.

here are some specs on the system if it helps

Code:

unisys aquanta ES: 2000 series 2 dual CPU intel PIII xeon @500 mhz, ram max 1GB, SCSI ultra-2 SE
video= cirus logic cl-gd54m30[-I-AC-A] (part in bracets don't seem to relate to madel# usaly saw it as gd54m30)
SCSI controler= 2X adaptec aic 7890 AB
network= intel sb82558b
IDE controler= apears to be a national PC97307

can anyone tell me how i could bypass this vidio driver loading, or somewhare to look for a linux driver for it or a universal linux vidio driver.
also does anyone think that i'll have isues with any of these other devices?

Do you get to the point you get to pick packages, or does it crash out even before then? If possible I'd try installing without an X server.

Cirrus Logic video is going to be really old and liable to confuse lots of distros that use graphical installers. Perhaps there's a way to install without graphics.

i'm not sure, but don't think so. it boots it asked to test install media did that restarted then had menu wiht install, and some other options. saw something that sugested maybey vesa mode helps, but was in that mode when tryed open suse and did same thing so that don't seem to help. centos look seems to have i bit difrent installation setup than suse, ubuntu that i'v worked with before some. so will probly need guidance on the options i would need to use to bypass this if posible

---------- Post updated at 01:27 PM ---------- Previous update was at 10:31 AM ----------

got it to install tryied the text install and then added the xserver, gnome desktop restarted booted to comand line i entered start x and then went blank. so definitly something with the vidio card. begining to think i should just disable that one and throw in a PCI expansion card for video. hoping wouldn't have to do that becuse don't want to lose a slot unless have to and onboard still works just not with linux. but also not a big deal if i have to. i only have 2 PCI cards that i could use. a diamond stelth 3D 2000 pro V1.01 chip S3 VIRGE/DX (think from around 1995-1998) and a trident TGui9680-1. i'll try these see what happens. thinking the tridents my best bet since its a bit newer.

Why do you need an X server to serve files?

don't relly need x server technicly, but i know just enogh about linux to be dangerous. want a GUI then if i forget how or can't figure out bash then i can use GUI YAST, etc. pretty sure if i understood right you need x server to have a gui. also may use this system for testing drives, cards, etc on ocasion so most likley use gui for that.
tryeied an expansion vidio card tell it to do graphical install and it keeps going into text mode for some reason. going to reformat the drive and try again.