[SOLVED] 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split (nvidia drivers)

[landonblaine]

Hey everyone. I am/have always been a proficient windows guy (XP, Vista, 7) but I'm a complete newbie to all things Ubuntu/Kubuntu. I've run into a problem on my first few attempts at switching over.

I've tried running the Ubuntu and Kubuntu wubi installs and also Kubuntu from a burned .iso install, and I keep having the same problem. The install loads, but the screen is split and distorted. After logging in, the "desktop" folder is slightly visible and I can position the mouse at the top of the screen to get a few distorted menus to pop up. I have attached a photo of the problem.

If someone has a moment, could you toss ideas out as to what the problem may be? I would like to move forward using Kubuntu, but obviously this poses an obstacle.

Thanks in advance for any help.

(I've looked through the forums to see if this has been addressed, and I don't see my specific problem. Could it be graphic card related?)

Landon

[Snowhog]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Welcome to KFN.

Do you have an external display attached to your laptop? If you do, detach it and then boot and run (try - do not install) the LiveCD. Do you experience the same problem?

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Thanks for the reply.

It's an HP Laptop and if I go to Device manager in Windows, the display adapter shows as "NVIDIA GeForce 7150M / nForce 630M" on the same line. I don't have an external display attached, so it should be just for the laptop display. I guess it could be two video cards.... I'm not sure.

[Snowhog]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Good enough - just the laptop screen.

Reboot the LiveCD. At the initial menu, look at the bottom for the function key options. One (F4 or F6) is for booting using safe graphics (VESA) mode. Try that and see if you get a regular desktop. It will likely be 'smaller' than your native screen resolution, but that's okay. It just means that you will need to install the appropriate video driver afterwards.

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I have rebooted to the LiveCD. The kubuntu screen shows now with the options for "Try Kubuntu without installing", "check disc for defects", etc.

The numbers at the bottom are F1 - F6. F4 has "Modes" including normal, use driver update disc, and OEM install. F6 has "other options" including acpi=off, noapic, nolapic, edd=on, nodraid, nomodeset, and Free software only.

I don't see a safe graphics or VESA mode. Am I overlooking it?

[Snowhog]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I'd try the F4 "use driver update disc" first.

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I tried that and got the same result. I just rebooted, and am now at the install menu again.

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Anybody have other suggestions?

Thanks

[The Liquidator]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Certainly looks like a graphics issue. There are proprietary drivers available for your card which should make it work much better. If you were able to get to a normal desktop you could then easily run the wizard to install them.

From your picture it looks to me like KDE may be trying to run desktop effects but that they have gone haywire. Try turning them off with Alt+Shift+F12. Does that do anything?

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I tried that, but it didn't make a difference. I can get to a menu at the top of the screen. Is there any way to run a wizard from that menu (menu includes run command, add widgets, add panel, remove desktop activity, etc).

Thanks for your help

[The Liquidator]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Sounds to me like that is the right-click (context) menu.

I assume you are still on the live CD i.e any changes you make will be for that session only? If so at least you won't permanently mess anything up!

If you select add panel that should give you a panel at the bottom of the screen. If you then right click on the panel and select panel options and then panel settings (might be other way round- I'm at a Win box at the mo) and then add widget you will see the launcher widget (It will be a button with a k on it). This is the equivalent of the windows start button, which will give you access to the various apps.

The key ones for you are: system settings and another one whose proper name I forget, but typing hardware in the search box (at the top of the panel revealed by the kmenu button) should reveal the proprietary hardware wizard which should show your graphics card.

Also within system settings you are able to turn off desktop effects (under the desktop heading) and you can make changes to the display.

Just a thought - If you still have the ISO available you might find it a worthwhile exercise creating a bootable USB stick instead of using the live cd. A good reason for this is you can make it "persistant" i.e changes you make to the config/new packages installed will be retained on the stick whereas they will of course be forgotten on exit using a Live CD. That may make this a less frustrating exercise.

[The Liquidator]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

Just a thought......

It's worth bearing in mind that you can also install the live CD as a windows application. I've never used it myself - until recently I dual-booted whereas I now only have windows in a vrtual machine. As I understand it, what it then does make an entry in the mbr that kubuntu is available and can be booted as if it was a dual boot. The kubuntu installation remains at all times on the windows c: drive and can be uninstalled at any time.

That will give you the advantages of having a permanent installation that will enable you to properly install your graphics card drivers and benefit from the large number of updates that have taken place since the CD was published. One cannot rule out the possibility that someone has already fixed the issue and updating the system will resolve it.

That's an option worth considering, as whilst it's easy to create a persistant USB drive in 'buntu I'm not sure how easy that task will be using windows. Google wubi to find out more. No need to download it, it will already be on the CD.

HTH

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I was able to plug an external display into my laptop and get it to work on that screen. I downloaded the drivers for my nvidia adapters and then installed Kubuntu side by side with my Windows 7 OS.

Once installed, I rebooted, chose ubuntu at the OS selection screen, and it got stuck at a DOS style screen that said "welcome to Ubuntu" and had "username@computername" and a blinking cursor.

Is that normal? It was stuck there for a few minutes before I rebooted.

I tried restarting and going into Windows 7, and that wouldn't load either. Have I messed something up?

[The Liquidator]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

How did you do the installation, was it on a dual boot basis or from within windows?

[landonblaine]

Re: 1st Time Kubuntu Install - Screen distorted/split

I used the live CD, downloaded the required nvidia drivers, then double clicked on Install Kubuntu 10.04. I went through the process, created a new partition (side by side install), installed the OS, rebooted, now it's stuck - both Kubuntu and Windows do not load.