Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

[parmenpj]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

I have this exact same problem on an old HP laptop: New installation of Kubuntu 9.10. Can login, get the splash screen icons, then goes to a blank/black desktop (with Ctrl+n hot key functionality). I rebooted, hit ESC as soon as Grub text appears (to get the Grub menu). Selected "recovery mode" and "repair broken packages". There are a bunch. I'm repairing them now in this console environment, and will report back if that fixed anything.

[sithlord48]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

trevor4706, how much ram is in that computer? , i had tried install karmic (kubuntu) on an old hp laptop, and got very similar results, the machine had 156 mb of ram (a 128+32-4mb for video card) replacing the 32 mb stick with another 128 got me to the desktop, but it took a while of having a black screen w/ only a mouse before it loaded.. fully to the point i could install , that machine is happly running karmic now..

edit: both gnome and xfce run fine on the machine.

[parmenpj]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

Recently installed 1GB of RAM (Pavillion ze4500). The laptop ran 8.10 just fine. Did the afore-mentioned package repairs (over 100!), but the blank/black desktop problem remains. I suspect there were some install/config problems, with so many package problems. Will go through some config files using the live disk next.

[parmenpj]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

I see your post was for trevor4706, but just piping in on the ram...

[trevor4706]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

I have 768 MB of memory -- one 512M stick and one 256M stick. I've done the repair broken packages thing, as did parmenpj, with the same result. My laptop also runs Ubuntu 9.10 and Xubuntu 9.10 with no problems.

Nice to know I'm not alone with the problem, but still frustrating there is no fix.

[sithlord48]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

thats the thing mine was fixed by adding more ram , have you run a memtest from the cd just to check your ram ?

[parmenpj]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

On mine, I also tried doctordruidphd's suggestion to see if all the kde workspace, plasma, and python libs/packages were installed. Some were missing, and I was hopeful I was on the path to a fix. To no avail, but who knows if I covered them all... Very curious why the install disk would omit them. The disc was MD5'ed w/ no errors. I just downgraded to 9.04, and everything works. I think I'll give up on the upgrade for that laptop (for now). I hope trevor4706 gets a resolution on his.

[trevor4706]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen) [Update]

Saw a deal for memory on eBay before Christmas. Thinking of sithlord48's suggestion regarding insufficient RAM, I ordered a new module for the laptop to upgrade the RAM to 1 Gig. Memory arrived today and I just installed it. Memory upgrade recognized, so I tried booting into the Kubuntu desktop. I'm afraid the addition of more RAM did not change the situation. Same black screen.

Still stumped.

[sithlord48]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

does the system function corrrectly from the kubuntu live cd ?

[trevor4706]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

does the system function corrrectly from the kubuntu live cd ?

No, it doesn't. End result is the same -- a black screen, on which Alt-F2 will bring up a functional Run dialog. No panels, no desktop.

[sithlord48]

Re: Karmic Boots into a (somewhat) functional blank screen)

it really sounds to me that just plasma-desktop has crashed ( it draws the desktop and other goods)

does running "plasma-desktop" get it running . if not do you get a crash report ?