i can only start in safe mode

[BloodiedFangs]

ok, i picked up 7.04 x86 64-bit kubuntu a coupla weeks ago now, figured i'd finally give another OS to windows a shot. it taken a little while, but i'm sorta getting the hang of a few things now. plodding away, doing the reading, trying to figure it all out

however, now i think i've gone and bollocksed it all up. i put on the nvidia GLX drivers (specifically nvidia-glx-new). i followed through the instructions carefully. however, when i went to do the whole "restart kubuntu without restarting the computer", it all went wrong. now, when it loads up the GUI, brings up the loading screen, loads up, flashes some text at me for about half a second, so i can't even see what its trying to say, brings up the loading screen again, but reset this time. then that goes away, and i have nothing. just a screen that i can type into. not commands or anything, i can just type text in with.

however, safe mode still works, so i can at least change things in the console. unfortunately, i have no idea what i should be doing. so is anybody able to help?

[javierrivera]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

Try to boot into safe mode and type:

$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

It's a text based wizard to configure your video settings (and something more). Just play with the different video driver options. If you don't understand a question, just give the default answer. Choose the easy monitor configuration option when asked.

In the video drivers, try vesa, nv, nvidia... Vesa will likely work, but very slowly.

Javier.

[BloodiedFangs]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

ok, i tried that, and it just told me that i didn't have it installed

i also tried pressing alt-f1 when it came up with that blank screen, and it actually took me into the console. it also told me that it was trying to resume from a boot image that i couldn't find, and thus tried to boot normally

any suggestions?

[askrieger]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

Three questions:
(1) Did you install the package "linux-restricted-modules" when you installed "nvidia-glx-new"?
(2) Can you define the IT in the statement"I didn't have it installed"?
(3) Please give us the EXACT WORDING of the message about the boot image that couldn't be found.

[BloodiedFangs]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

1] not as far as i know. should i have?

2] when i try the suggested command line, i get something that says "package 'xserver_xorg' is not installed and no info could be found". so "it" would be xserver_xorg

3] the exact wording is:

[ 26.624531] ..MP-BIOS bug: 8254 timer not connected to IO-APIC
Loading, please wait...
kinit: name_to_dev_t(t/dev/disk/by-uuid/7ab7812a-b474-4a92-85d4-1890afcibbed) =s
kinit: trying to resume from /dev/disk/by-uuid/7ab7812a-b474-4a9285d4-1890afc1b
bed
kinit: no resume image, doing normal boot...

[dibl]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

now i think i've gone and bollocksed it all up.

Yep, I think maybe you have too! :P

"package 'xserver_xorg' is not installed and no info could be found"

That's pretty scary -- since this is a new installation and presumably there's no accumulation of valuable data, this one would be enough to make me think "re-installation time".

You didn't say you have an Nvidia graphics card, but I'll assume you do since you thought you needed an Nvidia driver. Here is a process that I think will get you to a successful clean installation with good graphics:

1. If you don't have it, download and burn the ISO image of the 7.04 "Alternate Install" CD, and use that one for your next attempt. It allows a bit more control over the placement of stuff, and gives detailed error messages if there's a problem.

2. When the basic installation is complete, and you are able to boot and get a GUI login, and your basic desktop (which apparently worked OK the first time), then if you are dissatisfied with your graphics performance and want the Nvidia proprietary driver, download and install Envy following the instructions here: http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html and use that to do the driver installation.

3. If there are still problems, then post your situation by starting a new thread, and list your hardware and the nature of the problem, and help will soon materialize.

[askrieger]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

The error message that you get 26.62... seconds in may be a significant factor in your problem. What it says is that the installer is searching for an Advanced Peripheral Interrupt Controller (apic) and not finding one. This causes major problems on some AMD64 systems, in particular, Dell E521 systems (although there may be other 64 bit systems with the same problem.). The solution:
(0)Use the alternate installation CD, not the Desktop CD.
(1) As soon as the system starts to boot press F6.
(2)When you see a ":" prompt enter the word "noapic" and press Enter.
(3) Enjoy Kubuntu!

[BloodiedFangs]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

damn. i hoped i wasn't gonna ahve to go for a clean install...ah, well

and yeah, nvidia card . 6600GT, so i kinda figured i'd be right using newer drivers. i assume the legacy drivers are for things like AGP

oh, and its not a dell. so we can safely rule that out. but i'll give the alternate install a try and see how it all goes

thanks for your help

[dibl]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

Nvidia 6600 GT is supported by the newest driver, -9755, according to Nvidia's web site. So the procedure I gave you should work. The alternative procedure (in Linux it seems there are at least 2 ways to do everything ...) would be, after you have your basic installation and a GUI, run Adept Manager, find the

linux-restricted-modules-{your kernel here}

package, and mark it for installation, and then the

nvidia-glx-new

package, and (assuming it is not installed) mark ONLY that nvidia-xxx package for installation, and NOT any other nvidia-xxx package. Once installed, you will have to restart the xserver which is done with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace. When you do that, you should see a beautiful Nvidia black and green splash screen -- that's how you know the new driver is installed.

Once you're sure it is installed, we can help you tweak it up to run Beryl if that's what you want.

8)

[javierrivera]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

(in Linux it seems there are at least 2 ways to do everything ...)

No. We feel it's too limited. We are not happy until we find at least 3 different ways of doing anything .

Javier.

[dibl]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

We are not happy until we find at least 3 different ways of doing anything .
Javier.

Too true -- Javier, how many ways are there to edit a text file in Linux?

[javierrivera]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

Too true -- Javier, how many ways are there to edit a text file in Linux?

Do we include indirect methods like editing the /dev/hd* node by hand?

.

Javier.

[dibl]

Re: i can only start in safe mode

Do we include indirect methods like editing the /dev/hd* node by hand?

I think that makes it 857, but maybe it's 858 .....