monitor turned off

Ubuntu puts all the "graphics" (resolution, drivers, refresh rate, etc) info alltogether on the "xorg.conf" file under the /etc/X11 directory.

In Ubuntu Linux the xorg.conf file makes a backup of it’s current state before it accepts getting edited or rewritten. This does not apply when you edit xorg.conf yourself though (editing with Vi or Gedit or Nano or anything else).

Try to go on a command line (gnome-terminal, for example) and -get- into the /etc/X11 directory:

cd /etc/X11

once there, try to locate two files

one is xorg.conf
and the other is xorg.conf.????????????? (where each ? is a number).

That's the backup file.

first....

remove your previus xorg.conf file with the following command:

sudo rm xorg.conf

the "sudo" part is to let you do things as the System Administrator (if u do not put "sudo", you will not be able to perform any kind of tasks over system files)

and then....restore the backup, renaming it.

sudo mv xorg.conf.????????????? xorg.conf
(an easy way to put all the numbers is to start writting "xorg.conf." and then press the tab key to autocomplete the rest of the filename)

then restart your computer.

this might work (if the system made a backup of the xorg file)

if anything else fails...

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

for this (and for the previuos "solution", you will need to run the system on "level 3"

not under the live cd.

for this, boot your computer normally (without the live cd) and select the "recovery mode".

Thank you Nicolas for your replying to my question. One problem is that I didn't see "xorg.conf.?????????????" in 313.9 GB Media/etc/X11. I see only one "xorg.conf." I went ahead and had it removed using "sudo rm xorg.conf" as per your instruction. Then after the reboot, the problem recurred! I'll try your 2nd instruction. Wish me good luck! I need to hit sack now. Good night. Jim

the problem recurred cos you do not have a xorg.conf anymore.

Try to do the second option:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

this should reinstall the xserver. after that, it's your call to try to reinstall the drivers.

also: you may check the Ubuntu Forums for more help :)

http://ubuntuforums.org/

Hello Nicolas. Thank you again. I am still naive in this aspect because
Terminal was new to me. When I went into X11 to find out that xorg.conf was
still there. When I typed in 'sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg', the
following statements came on in the Package configuration window: Use Kernel
framebuffer device interface? Yes No. (I do not quite understand this, but I
chose yes - me wrong?) Then ... 'xserver-xorg postinst warning: overwriting
possibly-customised configuration file; backup in
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.20080903194701'. This puzzled me cuz I could not find it in
my X11. Is it in my liveCD system or installed Ubuntu? wow I am dummy here.
 If nothing else I could do, I will go into http://ubuntuforums.org/ or if I
should get myself overwhelmed, I would resort to re-installing Ubuntu 8.04 all
over again.
 Your help is very much appreciated. Thank you. Jim

Quoting NicolasGiorgetti <email address hidden>:

> Your question #43983 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/43983
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> NicolasGiorgetti proposed the following answer:
> the problem recurred cos you do not have a xorg.conf anymore.
>
> Try to do the second option:
>
> sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
>
> this should reinstall the xserver. after that, it's your call to try to
> reinstall the drivers.
>
>
> also: you may check the Ubuntu Forums for more help :)
>
> http://ubuntuforums.org/
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/43983/+confirm?answer_id=3
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/43983
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

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The 'xserver-xorg postinst warning: overwriting
possibly-customised configuration file; backup in
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.20080903194701'. says that it will create a backup file at that point.

but remember one thing:

if you work on the live cd, then the path "/etc/X11/xorg.conf" is located "inside" the Live Cd. What did i just said?: that when you work on a live cd distro, that distro creates a "virtual mount point " on your RAM, so you can try the operative system without breaking anything (i.e: if you broke something like xorg.conf of the live cd, when you shut down the system, everything vasnishes from the ram). So, if you were located at /etc/X11, then you were working on the live cd part of the system.

To do the dpkg reconfigure thingy, you must start your system in rescue mode (not on a live cd, cos every change that you do on it, it will go away after you reboot. You CAN change system files of your HARD DRIVE wiht a live cd, and that will be saved (because that change is saved in your local drive, not on your RAM).

How can you go to the recue mode?

First, take out the Live Cd. then restart your computer
then, on the GRUB menu (the menu that let's you change between operative systems), choose the option

"Ubuntu <version>, kernel <kernel> (recovery mode)"

where <version> is your Ubuntu version (8.04, if u installed the last one so far)
where <kernel> is your kernel version (don't rememer the numbers, but is a bunch of numbers, like 2.6.18xxxx)

Sometimes is right under the default option you choose to enter your system normally.

after that, you will be asked to put the root password. is you installed the system, then you are the root, but if someone else is the root, you will need to ask him to put his password under it.

After that, try to do the dpkg command.

hope it helps :)

Thanks NicolasGiorgetti, that solved my question.

Got it!!! Wow what a big lesson that I had learned! When I went into Recovery Menu, I was not able to get 'dpkg Repair Broken Pakages' and 'root Drop to root sheet prompt' up working. (I yet need to learn 'root'.) Then I tried 'xfix Try to Fix X server.' Bingo I am now back on!!! Much many thanks for your patience and help! JIm

PS I noticed that scroll is much slower. Any tip that could change the speed of scrolling - back to previous normal speed?

Thanks NicolasGiorgetti, that solved my question.