UNIX for Beginners Questions & Answers

You can use the file ~/.xinitrc

Code:

#!/bin/sh
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 800x600 #example

or

Code:

xrandr --output VGA1 --primary

--- Post updated at 14:03 ---

It is also possible that your video output is called VGA-0

Can you ssh to kali 'broken screen' with cable connected and DHCP available in the network ?
From the terminal, check out /var/log/Xorg.0.log (or similar) to see if your display is detected and X running.
If you do not know the IP address, a simple nmap -sn n.n.n.0/24 should provide live hosts in simple home network environment.

You can also execute other commands, and provide additional details, such as lspci, lshw, lsmod.

Depending on your hardware, you might need a non-free firmware package if you have video issues.
For instance, you say 'you can move your mouse after some time and see it', which probably means X server is running.

What is the model of your laptop ?

Hope the helps
Regards
Peasant.

I do have the laptop function keys, but when I press the FN + F5 it just makes the screen flash for a split second without switching it.

Also I was able to connect to the internet during the install, I'll try to learn more about live hosts and see if it can assist me. Laptop is an Acer aspire 7736z - 4088.

Thanks everyone for your responses, I will try the advice mentioned here and report later today.

Code:

journalctl -b -1 -p emerg 
journalctl -b -1 -p 0

Both of these brought up "Specifying boot ID or boot offset has no effect, no persistant journal was found"

"You can use the file

Code:

~/.xinitrc"

in my etc/X11 directory it has some Xsession sort of stuff, I tried ./Xsession but it just says "Terminated". There
was no /xinit I could find. I did see initrd.img in / but it wont let me open it.

Any and all xrandr commands always show "Cant show display"

"check out

Code:

/var/log/Xorg.0.log

(or similar) to see if your display is detected and X running."

I could not find this file, and everything in this directory tells me "permission denied" when trying to open it,
like most things.

lspci, lshw, and lsmod came up with whats in the attachments

EDIT not sure if they were uploaded here are online links just incase

lspci - imgbb.com
lsmod - imgbb.com
lspci continued - imgbb.com

Moderator's Comments:

TODO: Remove feature where user can posts attachments using 3rd party providers (like above). Reason: These links disappear, break over time, not secure, and are not part of the forum records. It is best to use the forum feature for image attachments since those images will not disappear or break over time. (Neo).

The Acers have a "Fn" key modifier but the various models are not consistent about which key goes to what: some models have

Code:

- Fn-key + F<n>-key = "normal" F-key
- F<n>-key = special laptop functions like "switch screen", "higher/lower brightness", etc.

and on some models this is reversed. If i remember correctly i needed to adjust that in the BIOS of my own Acer E5-774G so that the F<n>-keys are working normally without having to press <Fn> each time. Try "F5" alone (without the <Fn> key) as this may switch the screen.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

PS: you may need this link with a manual for your laptop

Would anyone here be able to tell me how I could log in blind using just the keyboard without seeing? I tried 'passphrase' then return, return 'passphrase' return, 'passphrase' tab return. If I could log in this way I could just right click the desktop for shell menu graphic options to mirror the displays. Or maybe a way to have a boot command that auto logs me in?