Freezes on boot/Display problem

[Guest]

I am pretty new to Kubuntu/Linux, but am experienced with MS-DOS and Windows. I have a dual boot computer that shares Kubuntu with XP Home SP3.

Several days ago, I updated the Kubuntu install to 8.10, and then updated to 9.04. On the reboot after the update, after the blue Kubuntu loading screen, the screen displays garbage (red characters at top. purple middle, multi colored bars at bottom). The screen then changes once to a slightly different pattern (less red and purple on top, multicolored bars from middle on down), and then sits. Each time I try to reboot it behaves the same.

I can successfully boot up in 9.04 using a CD, so it seems like it is a wrong setting and not a hardware problem with 9.04. My Windows XP also runs fine.

Any suggestions on how I can solve this?

Hardware: AMD Athlon XP 3000+, Soltek SL-75FRN2, 1 Gb RAM, Radeon 9600 Pro 128 Mb, 17" Dell P780 CRT

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Hey,

It sounds like a problem I have been dealing with, but haven't found any solution!

Just wanted to hear if it looks like my problem: http://www.myupload.dk/handleupload/...a9401240938664

Edit: The order of the images is 1, 3 and 2

I have a feeling that it have something to do with the ATI driver, I have had simular problem which was because I activated my ATI driver. My computer have an ATI Radeon 9600 graphic card, but it is just a hunch.

[lotech]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Same here, ATI seems problematic not much of support on Linux

[groenem]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

My screen looks exactly the same. I don't understand it: Why was my graphics card working under 8.04, but not on 9.04?

I love Kubuntu, but I hate it when something that was working, suddenly do not work anymore after a distribution upgrade? Can anyone please answer this question? This makes me very reluctant to do any distribution upgrade in the future.

Linux experts keep on saying that one good thing of Linux is that it works on older PC's - not my experience!

A resolution is needed very urgently!!! I cannot work on my laptop now.

[Guest]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Hovmand, my screen looks the same as your pictures.

If it is a problem between ATI & Kubuntu 9.04, why does my system boot up successfully from the CD with 9.04? What would be different between the CD and the installation on the hard drive?

[ultrageeky]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

I updated from 8.10 to 9.04 (both 64 bit). I too use ATI. I had no graphics related issues (I have an unrelated problem now though caused by a defective hdd).

In 8.10 I used EnvyNG to install my ATI driver, did you use any 3rd party programs to install your ATI driver? I as because the 3rd party software might be the problem or solution. You could drop to a terminal (command prompt) and install EnvyNG (see the scripts home page, here for details.

You should be able to use the VESA display driver until your ATI driver's installed.

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

I am actually not sure if I had installed the driver before, and I have absolutely no idea why you can run it from the CD.. Perhaps it is just a problem with a driver or some kind of configuration.

I will definitely try to install EnvyNG, thanks for the answer, I hope it will solve the problem

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

I have tried to install EnvyNG it will not work. It gives me an error message:

"EnvyNG has detected that the headers for your kernel are missing and cannot be installed"

Anyone got an idea how too solve this?

Sometimes I also gets the message: 'Failed to open connection to "system" message bus: Failed to connect to socket /var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket: No such file or directory', this message is also displayed outside EnvyNG

[dibl]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

There are at least three potential problems here -- you'll have to sort them.

1. If the only problem were that you lacked the kernel headers package, then in the Konsole you could

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

and it's resolved.

2. However, knowing that EnvyNG should be pulling it in automatically from the repo, one begins to suspect there's a problem either with EnvyNG or with your /etc/apt/sources.list file (i.e. your source repositories).

3. Then when checking out the current state of EnvyNG, I was saddened to see the last line on this page:

http://albertomilone.com/envyfaq.html#A


Soooooooooooo .... I'm not sure where to point you. It looks like you have a choice of using the "Hardware Drivers" aka jockey-kde feature of Kubuntu 9.04, or else manually downloading and installing the appropriate version of the proprietary driver. You will need the linux-headers and the build-essential packages for that, anyway.

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

1. If the only problem were that you lacked the kernel headers package, then in the Konsole you could

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

and it's resolved.

I have now tried to do what you suggested, but it can not find the package with my linux header.

When I type "uname -r" [ENTER] i get: 2.6.27-11-generic

[dibl]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

I have now tried to do what you suggested, but it can not find the package with my linux header.

When I type "uname -r" [ENTER] i get: 2.6.27-11-generic

OK, so you are running the 2.6.27-11 kernel, but you don't have the repo in the source list anymore. Better post your /etc/apt/sources.list file -- I think there's a problem there. Or .... if there's not a problem with your sources, then you should be able to open your package manager and select the 2.6.28-11 kernel, install it, and at the same time mark the associated linux-headers package for installation.

[DrKosy]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

I had exactly the same problem. After upgrading from 8,04 to 9,04 the screen only showed fancy strips and so on. Since I had a similar problem after the upgrade from 6.06 to 8.04 I looked up what I did in the past. It worked, but other problems occured. But first I tell you what I did and than what the problem:
I removed some packages with apt-get remove:
sudo apt-get remove --purge fglrx*
sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-ati
sudo apt-get remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-radeon
Than I reinstalled the graphice driver:
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-ati
After a reboot I got the usual log-in screen and I were able to start KDE4. The only remainig problem is a flickering screen which makes it very unconvinient to work with my system. Every minute the screen gots black for several seconds and this happens all the time. I mean, this is better than those fancy strips but I can't work with that

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Attached my sources file.. I am new to Linux so I do not know if there is anything missing in it, but if something is missing I hope you know what it is

If you would advise me to upgrade the kernel I hope you can give me a link with a guide on how to upgrade the kernel from the terminal.

[dibl]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Huh. There's nothing wrong with your sources, as far as I can see. A quick check of my own 9.04 system indicates that neither the 2.6.27 kernel, nor any of its related header packages, are to be found -- it's only 2.6.28 now. Hmmmm.

I'm thinking you might be well advised to use your package manager (KPackageKit or Synaptic) and mark the 2.6.28-11 kernel, and the linux-headers-2.6.28-11 packages for installation, then reboot into the new kernel, and try again with your video driver installation.

[hovmand]

Re: Freezes on boot/Display problem

Thanks for your help, tried the method DrKosy described, and it worked, but I do not experience the same flashing screen. Once again, thanks