Update killed my linux :'(

[JavaByte]

I did an update to 0.25 kernel and all updates available less than an hour ago into a totally clean install - using gb.unbuntu etc.. repo

The X/KDE desktop now won't display - when i select any of the boot options, even in safe recovery of the .23 kernel, either version does exactly the same, gets to near the login screen then just comes up with a timer which does nothing (i waited 15 minutes) - if i Alt+F2 or Alt+Esc i get a desktop login - how do i recover from this? - another clean install is the only option i have atm

[Fenyx]

Re: Update killed my linux

When you updated the kernel, it should install a new kernel (linux-image-2.6.15.25-something) and should add an entry in your GRUB's menu.lst. The old kernel (linux-image-2.6.15-23-something) should still be there (unless you uninstalled it). Can you still login to KDE by booting into that older kernel?

Also, have you installed anything that requires the linux-restricted-modules? you also have to reinstall/update linux-restricted-modules so you can get them working again.

[JavaByte]

Re: Update killed my linux

"Can you still login to KDE by booting into that older kernel?" No

"Also, have you installed anything that requires the linux-restricted-modules?"
A clean install of linux then did an update, never installed anything, which was working fine booted several times after that, 50 packages + the kernel are updated with a clean install - after going into Adept and hitting full update it downloaded them all, including the new kernel

only thing i did do was change the gfx driver to radeon - and the resolution to 1024

also i did notice when it was updating the packages it said - "splash not found" skipping" or something similar, and as it's as the point at startup where the logon screen should appear perhaps some missing splash screen gfx has broken it?

[jakamoko]

Re: Update killed my linux

Try switching back to the free driver for radeon (whatever its called) i.e. using the steps at http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=6130.0

I'm on nvidia, going to do an update if available and see if that gets me 3d gfx again. atm i'm on the nv driver and everything is back ok but obviously no 3d graphic

I think a big warning about such a breakage (before you commit the updates) would be a good thing, for people who don't realise its going to happen and for people like me who should know better but weren't paying proper attention to what the adept updater was updating

[Edit] There doesn't seem to be an update for nvidia yet

[JavaByte]

Re: Update killed my linux

ok, note that i do not get to the logon screen i get the Kubuntu loading screen and all the log stuff it finishes the screen flickers and then i get the Kubuntu loading screen again with a progress meter under it and nothing else (which dosn't move at all even after 15 minutes) but i can Alt+F1 to login!!

if i try to launch direct (eg sudo kate) it says cannot connect to x server - so X ain't on?

if i try
- "sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg"
i get
- "xserver-xorg is broken or not fully installed"



i'll just reinstall, it'd be quicker for sure and there's nothing i need to keep, is there any point in my doing an update again when i do - or would that most likely do the same?

[JavaByte]

Re: Update killed my linux

UPDATE

ok - i did another clean install - then installed the updates (50 of them available) and everything was groovey - have been using it now for 4 and a 1/2 hours - i've installed mplayer package and the xine extras package for mp3 support and all is good

so as i was running a clean install before also, all that it could be is the two things i've done differently which were:
- this time i updated the packages immediately before doing anything else at all.
- I did not change the gfx driver to radeon (from ati) this time

these are the only things i did differently from the first time, as the first install i tried to install packages before doing an update (which failed) - it was the xine extras i tried to install btw, also i change the driver and hardware from ati/ati to radeon/radeon

BTW i'm using the 386 version

my computer =
M/B: Abit NF7
C/S: Nforce 2 chipset
CPU: AMD 1700+
RAM: 768 DDR (512 in Dual channel mode)
GFX: Radeon x700 gfx with 128 DDR
SND: onboard realtek 650
ADD: 2 x 80 HDD (linux on second drive), DVD+RAM, Ethernet to router internet connection

[jakamoko]

Re: Update killed my linux

ok, note that i do not get to the logon screen i get the Kubuntu loading screen and all the log stuff it finishes the screen flickers and then i get the Kubuntu loading screen again with a progress meter under it and nothing else

if i try to launch direct (eg sudo kate) it says cannot connect to x server - so X ain't on?

Yeah that's what i thought you meant and what i had - for me at least as my xorg.conf asks X to load the nvidia driver if that fails X also fails

if i try
- "sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg"
i get
- "xserver-xorg is broken or not fully installed"

I also think That's odd. Still no update for the nvidia drivers accoring to adept but its occurred to me that I may well have installed them with automatix (i forget) so maybe need to reinstall with automatix as the current driver i have may still look newer than those in the main kubuntu repositories even though it needs and update. Will play with that and see what happens

UPDATE - Yeah, there was an update via automatix, so that's fixed for me (probably not that relevant to you). Probably I could hvae avoided this by setting up all the repositories i needed through adept/apt rather than using automatix. I've added deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security restricted to my main apt sources now so hopefully any future updates should also update the nvidia kernel module