Ubuntu

Failed to start X server

Asked by ngl

Ok, for me what happens is I am trying to install Ubuntu 7.04. When I boot it from the install disk that I burned(downloaded from your site), it starts starting up stuff, then all of the sudden a screen will pop up (blue screen type thing):

"Failed to start the X Server
It is likely that it was not set up correctly"

Here is some other stuff that I read when looking at the details of it(I'm not sure what is relevant or not since I am a complete newbie at linux!)
VESA: No matching mode
Screens found but none have a usable configuration
Fatal Server Error: No screens found

Thank you in advance and I'll be looking forward to your response :)

My graphics card is an ATI Mobility Raedon x1400

Thank you!

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Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto) said : 		#1

Anything here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DebuggingXAutoconfiguration that can help?

You can also try to regenerate your xorg.conf file using:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

But make sure that you choose ati as a graphic card (not vesa).

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Sam Cater (wraund-deactivatedaccount) said : 		#2

Cesare.. all he has is a console window at best. As his xserver failed on a LIVECD

ngl. Try booting off the non-graphical install from the CD

or check the CD for errors

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ngl (lifelifelifelifelifelife) said : 		#3

Thanks for the responses. I have tried both of these things though with no success.

This only happens with 7.04 also, as I am currently running 6.06.

And yes, all I have when I boot it after the error message pops up and stuff is a console window.

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ngl (lifelifelifelifelifelife) said : 		#4

I guess I should say this is when Booting it from the install cd, before even trying to install it.

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Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto) said : 		#5

Can you try the Alternate CD? It is based on a text driven installer and it is much more robust to this kind of errors.

I would also suggest to check your iso images before burning. From a terminal type the command:

md5sum imagename.iso

and then compare the result with the official one in the file MD5SUMS (for instance from here for the desktop CD: http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/).

Last but not least, please check your CD for defects using the relative menu item on the boot screen.

Please tell us if the alternate CD also doesn't succeed in installing.

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Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto) said : 		#6

Just to be on the safe side, when I say imagename.iso you have of course to substitute the name of the image file you have downloaded to it; for instance feisty-desktop-amd64.iso

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ngl (lifelifelifelifelifelife) said : 		#7

Thanks for the responses once again.

I tried the alternate cd and it installed correctly, and succesfully, but the same thing happened when I tried to start it up after it was installed. Same exact error as before.

And yes I have checked all of the ISO Images before burning them.

Thanks,

Dustin

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Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto) said : 		#8

Good. Now that you have installed we can try to correct your X configuration problem.
Boot in recovery mode, and at the prompt give this command:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Make sure that you choose ati as a graphic card (not vesa).

Reboot and check that it works. If it doesn't, I need you to paste here the content of these two files:

/etc/X11/xorg.conf
/var/log/Xorg.0.log

Thanks.

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Gerardo Buenrostro (blogcraft) said : 		#9

I have the same problem with 7.4 i have ATI x1400 @ 1440 x 900(native), i cant afford to instal ubuntu in my lap because im a noob in unix (SORRY T_T) and still a Windows slave.
Please Help us!

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