Linux (Debian based) on iMacs default to four miniature desktops on the one display on boot up

[mortlocli]

I've tried several Linux distributions and hit this problem. Tried again recently using antix from a Linux format magazines DVDs and it works as it should. But when I created a boot up usb stick...back to the same old problem. Four desktops displayed. Each work as one ie the mouse moves in all four and menus too small to read on both my aging iMacs.

I found mention of this same problem in only one Linux forums but there weren't any suggested solutions.

 

[mortlocli]

Yay - discovered Antix had a builtin solution to my problem.
There a preboot menu, with advanced settings, one of which is to change 'Xorg' to 'Xorg safe'...and it comes up on boot completion as a single full screen desktop.

 

[mortlocli]

..found out why that problem occurs:

'xorg=safe
Disable the hardware video driver from controlling graphics mode. Some drivers have trouble with older hardware.'