[Evolution] Incorrect detection of Monitor during installation of openSuSE 11.0 (Out of range)

[Roy Leembruggen <rclee80 hetnet nl>]

Although automatic hardware detection has come a long way since earlier
versions of Linux, perhaps the following problem/solution would be
worthy of comment from Linux users. 

My older PC (Windows XP) has a peculiar monitor connected to it, namely
an LCD-TFT type used as both TV Monitor / VGA pc monitor, with 9-pin VGA
connector, 24-bit colour, 1280 X 1024 resolution (Medion TFT-2055). On
installing openSuSE  11.0 on it, the monitor was wrongly detected as an
analog type so that on boot up the screen was black with an "out of
range" message on  it. To make matters worse, on trying other boot
options nothing helped and to boot up in text mode (no X Window) on the
prompt for User name / password, the User name could be entered as root,
but when the next prompt (password) appeared there was no keyboard
response at all. As a result I was unable to login.

Previously openSuSE 10.3 was running on it with the same LCD-TFT
Monitor, so why should the latest version fail ? I then remembered that
when the previous version was installed I was using a Sony TFT PC
Monitor with a lower screen resolution, and when I later connected the
current type it automatically adjusted itself on boot up

So I connected my other Monitor to it (which openSuSE had detected as
MED MD30399PJA12, 1280 x 1024 SXVGA 24-bit) and on subsequent new
installation the boot-up was OK !

The problem with both Terminal and xTerm mode however persists on both
my PC's running openSuSE 11.0 and even changing keyboards from wireless
to non-wireless did not help. This I am sure all will agree is a
critical problem, as most linux commands run in Terminal mode, and on
entering < su > one should be able to login as root.

regards, Roy