How to get started with no GUI

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Hi,

I have gone through all the steps, but when I get to the startx stage, I get the following message:

Fatal server error:
Server is already active for display 0
If this server is no longer running, remove /tmp/.xo-lock and start again.

Then it thinks for a few moments, and spits out

Xlib: connection to "0:0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocal specified

giving up.
xinit: unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error.
xauth: error in locking authority file /home/lyndon/.xauthority

Any thoughts? I should add that I have already installed Feisty using the alternate CD, and that it is on a dual-boot machine with Vista.

Will appreciate advice. I have already tried sorting out the Nvidia card through Envy, but have come a cropper with that also.

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Mmmmmm -- that may be more than a video driver issue ....

However, go ahead and (in console mode) delete the /tmp/.xo-lock file. So your console command would look like this:

sudo rm /tmp/.xo-lock

then try

startx

again, and let's see what it says.

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Hi thanks,

Tried the command, and got

rm: cannot remove '/tmp/.xo-lock': no such file or directory.

I am in root now rather than my user name. Would that be a problem?

Thanks.

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Strangest thing. I rebooted the machine, and got the GUI, despite all those error messages. The resolution is lower, but I will see if I can get the NVIDIA drivers sorted now!

Will update.

No sound thus far.

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Alright, have started going through the steps to get the NVidia card, using directions here:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3086232.0

I am able to browse with Konqueror and download the Envy script to my desktop, but when I use the package manager to install it, I get the following messages, which starts with:

envy depends on xserver-xorg-dev; however;
Package xserver-xorgodev is not installed.

and includes roughly the same messages relating to the following: pkg-confg; module assistant; fakeroot; dh-make; debhelper; libstdc++5; dpkg-dev; dpatch;

and ends with

dpkg: error processing envy (--install): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

Errors were encountered while processing.

Seems like something deeper is wrong, but I am clueless at this stage. Will appreciate pointers!

Thanks.

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Yes, that is strange -- the latest Envy version seems to do a good job of finding and installing its own dependencies -- I haven't observed it to fail like this any time lately. That kind of message is from the Envy version 6 or 8 months ago.

Well, in that older version, if you would make notes of the packages that it wanted, and install them all first, then Envy would install and run correctly, so why don't you try that? Those look like the right group of packages that it wants.

When you were browsing with Konqueror and downloaded Envy and attempted to install it, were you doing that as root or as a user? You can download the .deb file as a user, but to install it you have to "become" the Super User, i.e. give your password when prompted.

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Hi,

I was in the super user mode. The Kubuntu package manager prompted me for my password, which I entered.

When I booted the machine this morning, I found the icon in the bottom right (Adept?) that says I have 138 packages to install or upgrade, including Xserver. I attempted to run these upgrades, but the Adept keeps prompting me for: Please insert disc labeled 'Kubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ -Release amd64 (20070417) in the drive /cdrom/.

I only have the Alternate install CD, which doesn't work for this (maybe this exists elsewhere on the web as a downloadable iso?), so I hunted for this, and found the following dialog in the Ubuntu forum:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=164965

I tried to do the suggestion, which is to comment out the CD bit int the sources.list file, but I actually having nothing under the etc/apt/sources.list/d folder.

Is this starting to look like a seriously flawed install, or are these small matters fixable? I am wondering which of the two options I should pursue:

1) Reboot with Gparted, reformat my Linux partitions, and start afresh, this time with the LiveCD and the instructions you provided above.

2) Carrying on trying to fix these small things as they crop up.

I am only worried that if I pursue the latter course, I will get to a stage where I discover that something is fundamentally wrong with the install after I have installed all the programs I need to use for work, which I must get back to within a day or two.

Again, very thankful for your advice.

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

I attempted to run these upgrades, but the Adept keeps prompting me for: Please insert disc labeled 'Kubuntu 7.04 _Feisty Fawn_ -Release amd64 (20070417) in the drive /cdrom/.

This is fixable -- open KMenu>System>Adept Manager (give your password), then choose "Adept" in the menu, and "Manage Repositories" and on the one that indicates the CD, highlight it and click the "Remove" button.

I tried to do the suggestion, which is to comment out the CD bit int the sources.list file, but I actually having nothing under the etc/apt/sources.list/d folder.

OK, now you're scaring me! /etc/apt/sources.list is a file, but what you wrote looks like a directory with a file named "d" in it. I've never seen or heard of such a thing ... :P

Do you have a file "sources.list" ? -- you must have. If not, then you're about to reinstall the system.

Is this starting to look like a seriously flawed install, or are these small matters fixable? I am wondering which of the two options I should pursue:

1) Reboot with Gparted, reformat my Linux partitions, and start afresh, this time with the LiveCD and the instructions you provided above.

2) Carrying on trying to fix these small things as they crop up.

I am only worried that if I pursue the latter course, I will get to a stage where I discover that something is fundamentally wrong with the install after I have installed all the programs I need to use for work, which I must get back to within a day or two.

Usually we are very reluctant to recommend that standard MS Windows "solution" -- to reinstall the OS. But, since it appears that (a) you've got some kind of strange mess going on there, and (b) you haven't had time to create any new data, and (c) you're new to Linux and could benefit from the practice, then I guess may a reinstallation would not be a bad way to go.

If you do, then first thing after you install the OS and reboot, open your Adept Manager and remove the CD from the sources, so you don't have to go through whatever happened to snarf up your sources list again.



EDIT: From reading some of your posts, it sounds like you might have enjoyed more time working "as root" than is healthy for your system. The recommendation is NOT to "become root", using

sudo su

for example, unless you are really experienced and know for sure that you won't cause unintended changes of file and directory permissions. Use the "sudo" (for shell commands) or "kdesudo" (for GUI apps) prefixes when required to do such things as edit a system file or install packages and updates.

[Fintan]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

OK, now you're scaring me! /etc/apt/sources.list is a file, but what you wrote looks like a directory with a file named "d" in it. I've never seen or heard of such a thing ...

Yeah dible.
sourceslist.d is a directory and you won't find anything worth editing in there. At least not in this case.

And I agree no need to import bad habits from redmond

@ide: do Alt+F2 and paste this into the screen:

kdesu kate /etc/apt/sources.list

apply and give you password.

The top of your sources list should look like this:

# deb cdrom:[Kubuntu 7.10 _Gutsy Gibbon_ - Alpha i386 (20070822.1)]/ gutsy main restricted

# deb cdrom:[Kubuntu 7.10 _Gutsy Gibbon_ - Alpha i386 (20070822.1)]/ gutsy main restricted
# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main restricted
deb-src http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ gutsy main restricted

Notice the # in front of the cdrom......... line!

I hope that helps

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Yeah dible.
sourceslist.d is a directory

Thanks Fintan -- I learned something today!

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Thanks to you both for the advice. Sorry for the scare. That was partially due to a typo, and also due to the fact that I looked for the file through konqueror, which I guess is not doable. I was looking under the folder sources.list.d, which shows nothing.

Anyway, steep learning curve ahead of me.

So, I did as you suggested DIBL, and went into the package manager, and removed the CDs--the only place that it actually showed them was under the third party software tab. After doing that, Adept seemed to download a bunch of packages, and now shows Xserver-xorg as installed. I requested to install xserver-xorg-dev also, and that worked no worries.

I then followed Fintan's instructions, and ran the Kate code for sources.list. I got the following:

# 

# See [url]http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes[/url] for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.

deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty main restricted
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty-updates main restricted
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security
## team.
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty universe
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu 
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to 
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in 
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty multiverse
deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'
## repository.
## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
# deb [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src [url]http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/[/url] feisty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security main restricted
deb-src [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security main restricted
deb [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security universe
deb-src [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security universe
deb [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security multiverse
deb-src [url]http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu[/url] feisty-security multiverse

So, it looks as if it is there, and lesson learned for me.

I will now retry the Envy thing, and see if it works.

However, DIBL, based on what I have been able to do just now, do you think a reinstall is still worthwhile? It won't be too much of a hassle for me at this stage.

Thanks!

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

I will now retry the Envy thing, and see if it works.

Here's the procedure: http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3086232.0

However, DIBL, based on what I have been able to do just now, do you think a reinstall is still worthwhile? It won't be too much of a hassle for me at this stage.

NO -- thankfully I think your system is fine. Try Envy again just as shown in that link, and let us know how it goes.

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Alright, I ran ENVY again--still had to install a whole bunch of packages to get it to work, but I did install them all, and it ran. I went through ENVY's GUI to do it. I first clicked it, it showed it was doing something, but then the bouncing icon disappeared. Thought perhaps something was failing, but I gues it was fetching drivers. I then ran it again, and it gave the GUI, and asked I wanted to install the NVIDIA driver, which I did.

Anyway, after all the code ran, things seemed fine. I rebooted. At this stage, I am still getting a message at the beginning of boot-up that says:

".....failed to allocate memory resources....."

It's too fast for me to get everything it says down, but I have been seeing this message from attempt one to install Kubuntu.

Well, it went past this, as it has been doing lately, and then showed me the Nvidia screen, after which it went into the login, and all that.

The screen is still not looking like it should, however, so I have gone into the System settings for Monitor and Display, and it shows me that the maximum screen resolution it can give me is 1024X768. My screen is 1200X800, however, so what to do?

Should I go back into the configuration for xserver-xorg to fix it?

Just saw your most recent post while I was typing this. Glad to hear I don't have to reinstall!

Thanks!

[lde]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Alright, there is a partial solution. I found the following in the how to thread for installing Feisty on HP dv9000 machines: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=dv6500

Basically, run the nvidia-settings, and install there.

I did that, and it works, while I am logged in. However, when I reboot, the changes for the 1200X800 settings I installed in the Nvidia settings don't stick. It is back to the lower res.

I also noticed that I have somehow picked up a new kernel: 2.6.20.16-generic, which I am not keen on having, since I see from Envy that I will have to go through a whole bunch of steps to get fix the video driver again. Can I kill this kernel easily?

Anyway, any thoughts on the screen resolution issue?

Oh yes, I should add that the "...failed to allocate resources..." message is still there.

Thanks!

Edit: I figured out how to remove the kernel--just went into the adept manager and requested a removal. Worked a charm.

[dibl]

Re: How to get started with no GUI

Yep, I recognize that stuff.

OK, since you're seeing the Nvidia splash screen before you log in, that tells me the Nvidia driver is installed correctly. That's actually the hard part, so you can thank Envy and Alberto Milone for getting you past that.

As far as the "PCI error: Failed to allocate stuff" error, you can safely disregard it. It is a residual of a dispute between Intel and the Linux kernel devs, but it doesn't affect performance in any known way.

OK, on the screen resolution. First, it would best if you will just pretend there is no such utility as "System Settings>Monitor & Display". That thing causes more problems than it solves, so just leave it closed.

Second, let's set up glx and compositing. Open your Konsole and enter this

sudo nvidia-xconfig --add-argb-glx-visuals --composite

That will write a new /etc/X11/xorg.conf file for you. Now restart your X server with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace and log back in.

Next, let's set your default resolution. Open your Konsole again and enter:

sudo nvidia-settings

Click the "X Server Configuration" tab, click the "detect display" button, then set your resolution to the one you want for default. I recommend you leave the refresh setting on "Auto". Click the "Save To X Configuration File" button in the lower right, "x" "Merge", and click "save". Now restart your X server again, and log back in. Upon logging in, you should observe your screen at your desired default resolution. How does it look?

EDIT: Now that you've gone to the trouble of installing Envy, you need not fear kernel upgrades any more. When you boot into a plain text (CLI) prompt, just log in normally and then enter

sudo envy -t

and it will bring up the installer in text mode, and you just hit #1 (or whatever it is to install the driver) and it will re-install it for you. Very easy and pain-free. 8)