Black Screen, Can't Install Retail - iDeneb OK (X3100)

[CharredPC]

After doing some hardware upgrades (CPU, LCD, HD, RAM), my Acer Extensa 5620 laptop (GMA965 chipset, X3100 video) will no longer handle a retail installation, though it did previously. Using a Boot CD I can get the retail install DVD to boot no problem, but when it transitions from the Apple logo to the GUI, I get a second of blue, then black. Backlight is still on, but nothing shows up graphically.

 

iDeneb will show the setup GUI and install fine, though the black screen returns at first bootup unless I select the X3100 driver during installation (apparently my system now needs a certain framebuffer).Then it's glitchy, but works enough for me to finish setup and install some properly working X3100 drivers. At that point, I have full QE 1440x900 every time- before the upgrades it had a 'cold boot' problem

 

But no retail! Thus far I've tried every command line under the sun (all end up at the Black Screen of Death instead of showing setup); tried using an external monitor (shows a blue screen, no GUI); tried including my working X3100 drivers on the Boot CD (no change). It's frustrating to have iDeneb installed and working excellently, but I can't get retail to go. Can anyone think of a way around the BSOD?

 

PS. FWIW, SL does the exact same- Boot CD lets it start, but I get a Black / blank screen instead of the setup GUI showing after the Apple logo.

[CharredPC]

Probably not the nicest or cleanest way, but I got around it:

 

Put the laptop's hard drive into my AOpen Mini PC, installed retail 10.5.6 on it, installed the correct video driver, then put it back in my laptop. After updating to 10.5.8, I had to repeat the process (boot using the the Mini, reinstall video driver).

 

Now if I can just figure out why doing any DSDT patch kills my USB Ethernet adapter...