Discussion between alexy13 and fossfreedom

Stack Exchange

19:29

Q: X does not want to start. At all. "No screens have a usable configuration"

I recently installed a fresh copy of lubuntu 11.04 powerpc on my computer. I was following the instructions from this fourm post: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1798792 All I get is the command-line prompt. I try to start X by running "startx" with no avail. I googled for about 2 hou...

lubuntu

fossfreedom

alexy13 - try adding xforcevesa to your grub boot string - this should give you a usable graphical desktop.

alexy13

I never see the grub, how can I add it to the grub boot string?

fossfreedom

... oh yes - powerpc... its not grub its your yaboot.conf file as per the wiki wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ - n.b. look towards the bottom of the wiki-page. Alternatively (or perhaps better?) specify "vesa" instead of "ati" in your xorg.conf

alexy13 - your xorg.conf file looks very complicated - can you simplify it? - the forum link recommends "1 device section, 1 screen section, 1 monitor section "

alexy13

I just updated my first post with new errors and a new Xorg.conf file

I booted in Linux single mode and I went to "failsafeXgraphics". I saw a very simple GUI! I tried to troubleshoot the problem, it did nothing. I tried to boot ubuntu in "limited graphics mode" that didn't do anything either, it booted me back to the recovery mode screen :(

I'm really not sure how I'm going to fix it.

fossfreedom

ok - just so that I understand - via failsafe you now have graphics but low resolution?

alexy13

19:32

Any possible ideas?

fossfreedom

when you say "simple gui" - can you describe what you see on the screen?

... also - in a terminal can you report what is the output of "lspci | grep VGA"

alexy13

I'm sorry, when I posted "Any possible ideas?" I didn't see that you posted something. I sound very rude, even though I didn't intend to. The failsafe graphics are in high resolution, fitting perfectly to my monitor. The output of lspci | grep VGA is:

0000:00:10.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 PF/PRO AGP 4x TMDS

The simple gui looked like a dialog box that said "Ubuntu is running in low graphics mode. To configure your drivers and monitor you will have to follow these steps" (or something similar) with an okay and cancel button

I clicked on the ok button and it showed me five options

I then clicked on the top option, "Start ubuntu in low graphics mode"

It then showed a black screen temporairly and booted me back to "Recovery Menu"

fossfreedom

hmm - just thinking - give me a few minutes just to re-read that ubuntu thread...

can you do a quick test - change "vesa" for "fbdev" - same problem?

alexy13

19:49

I'll try it one second.

The screen turned back

Hmmmm

Black*

Oh. My. Gosh. It worked!!

Wait

My screen has a whole bunch of weird colors.

fossfreedom

ok - remove or comment out the "DRI" section at the bottom of the file - any difference?

alexy13

I'll check one second.

No change :(

fossfreedom

lets step back slightly - when you first installed there was no xorg.conf file. Did you have a black screen with no xorg.conf file?

alexy13

fossfreedom

yes to the black screen - or no - you saw something else?

alexy13

20:04

No, I saw something else

When I first installed

fossfreedom

can you describe?

alexy13

A black screen with text

It said "Ubuntu login"

And I typed in my username

And password

fossfreedom

... ok - at that point, section 3.6 of the thread said try the yaboot.conf options "nosplash" and "video=ofonly" - what happened when you tried that?

alexy13

nosplash didn't change anything, video=ofonly... I didn't try that.

I have to go, see you later.

fossfreedom

ok - when you had "ATI Technologies Inc Rage 128 PF/PRO AGP 4x TMDS" instead of "vesa" - did you also boot with "nomodeset" - you'll need this boot option because that old card is not KMS compatible.

alexy13

20:38

I didn't

I'll have to change it tomorrow; am I editing the yaboot.conf for nomodeset?

fossfreedom

yes - in a similar manner as nosplash and video=ofonly

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