Opens only in text linux mode

try: startx

I received this message
Fatal server error:
Cannot establish any listening sockets -Make sure an X server isn't already running
giving up.
xinit: No such file or directory (errno 2) : Unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3) : Server error

Was it working normally before, or is this the first time running Ubuntu on the computer?

It has been working normally for several months. It recently refused to install an update though.

ok. Try to finish the update. run "sudo apt-get -f install" from the console (text mode).

Also during bootup do you get a menu with a few different Ubutnu options? If so then choose the latest one that has "recovery mode" near the end of the line. Try "clear some space", "fix broken packages" and finally "fix x-server" from there. It's good housekeeping to do most of these things about once a month although usually skip fixing the x-server.

Hope this helps!
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Tom, I do not have options like that, simply a letter saying Ubuntu has no warranty.

And Alan " E: Invalid operation installsudo"

sudo apt-get -f install

Shane.
It told me this " E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a" to correct the problem."
After doing this I got this "dpkg: requested operation requires superuser privilege."

To gain superuser privileges, you should use “sudo”, thus: “sudo dpkg --configure -a”

I did that above. I was told I needed super user privileges.

Floris I did this and there was no change. The command line moved down one line and is open.

Hi OlaSkudlarska,

How about this:
$ sudo su
Password: [type your password here]

then running this command:
# sudo dpkg --congfigure -a

Hopefully this will help you.

-Luky-

Brilliant Luky :) That should fix it for sure. The first password is the users password rather than the SuperUser/Root password and it gives no stars giving away how long the password is. But it should definitely give the user the required SuperUser privileges.

Regards, nicely done :)
Tom :)

This gave me super user privileges and allowed me to run the the previously mentioned commands. I removed the f-spot program with this. I am now restarting.
It sent me back to terminal mode.

Try switching the machine on and wait until immediately after the the bios tables telling you about IRQ's stuff and watch for the briefly visibly (just) note saying "Press Esc to get grub-menu" or something like that. Press Esc! Hopefully that should get you to the grub-boot-loader menu and let you proceed with the "fix x-server" option to fix your graphics.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

When you first switch the machine on you should get a splash screen advertising your mbord, then a few lines about your drives (Primary, Secondary, Master etc) then you should get the bios tables with tons of stuff about Interrupts and IRQs and stuff, then it might (hopefully) explore your Cd-drives to look for a bootable cd. After that it should go to a mostly blank screen with just 1 or 2 lines at the top and bottom. the message about pressing the Escape key should appear around then - quickly press it! This should get you to the boot-up menu. There should be a few ubutu optoions and a "memtest" option. The second Ubuntu option should have "Recovery mode" at the end of the line, select this "recovery mode". This should get you to a blue screen somewhat reminiscent of msdos but with a handy 'cure all' menu. Most of these options are worth running about once per month or perhaps not even that often. Run "fix packages" and "clear some space"(mine doesn't have this option, i'm only on 8.04) then finally run the "fix x-server" which is the one option we normally avoid here because it resets the graphics to (hopefully) sensible defaults.

Good luck with this, regards from
Tom :)

I don't have a CD drive and I don't see a bios table at start up. I see a loading Dell sign and then a loading Ubuntu sigh and then the login screen. Now instead of the log in screen I see a terminal style login.

Ok, when you've logged in to a command-line try typing in

cd /boot/grub
ls
sudo cp menu.lst menu.180409

it will ask for your normal user password, not your SuperUser/Root one. Note the "ls" is a lower-case "LS" and should LiSt what's in the folder. The "cp" command should CoPy the menu.lst file to a new file called menu.180409 so that you have a back-up in case something goes wrong. Now continue with

ls
sudo nano menu.lst

this should bring up the menu.lst file in the text-edtior called nano. Note that was a lower-case "LST" after the dot after the "menu". This is the menu i've been trying to bring up for you but we need to make some changes for it to be a bit more visible. Use the keyboard arrow keys to move down to the part that looks a bit like this ...

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
# timeout 0

and change that to this

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 15

The two lines at the bottom of the screen show how to save the document. Note they use a ^ character to mean "press and hold down the Ctrl key and then press the next letter while still holding the Ctrl key down".

Hopefully now a reboot will get you the boot menu that you should be able to choose "recovery mode" from

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Oh, and i have just found this guide about Dell Mini 9's
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DellMini9

It said the nano command was not found.

I thought nano was part of the default installation? Anyway, you can install it by typing:

sudo apt-get install nano

in the terminal.

lol, me too. Perhaps "vi" is already in there?

cd /boot/grub
ls
sudo vi menu.lst

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Err, i just found it doesn't seem to have the instructions, such as how to save, written easily anywhere. Installing "nano" as suggested is probably going to be the easiest way forwards

Lol, at last i found the "Save As" instruction! It's

:saveas menu.lst

the colon at the front is crucial as that's what bring up the "vi" command-line. A fairly basic but thorough set of instructions for "vi" is at

http://www.geocities.com/yegappan/vim_faq.txt

It didn't let me install nano. I did the vi thing though.

it also says there is no 180409 directory. How should I proceed?

Please try to think about what you are doing and try to put at least some little effort into it. You're not a baby and you're not a fool either and so you shouldn't accept being spoon-fed ideas by people who probably only have their own self-interest at heart. Linux is about Freedom but freedom comes at a price. Don't be lazy. To use the command-line you really need to be able to think and read. Draw diagrams on a notepad beside your machine if it helps to make sense of it, i do. When i start a new project i keep a notepad or text-file and add in new terms and ideas and try to write a quick explanations for myself so that i know how to use it in the future.

Also we need some better feedback about "i did the vi thing though". What did you do with the vi thing? Did you just read stuff or did you do stuff and save the changes? Please, how can we help you if we are not there looking at the screen with you and we aren't mind readers?

I know it's tough but if you are not prepared to put the effort in then you need to pay someone else to do these simple tasks for you.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

cd /boot/grub
ls
sudo cp menu.lst menu.200409

it will ask for your normal user password, not your SuperUser/Root one. Note the "ls" is a lower-case "LS" and should LiSt what's in the folder. The "cp" command should CoPy the menu.lst file to a new file called menu.200409 so that you have a back-up in case something goes wrong. Now continue with

ls
sudo vi menu.lst

this should bring up the menu.lst file in the text-editor. Note that was a lower-case "LST" after the dot after the "menu". Use the keyboard arrow keys to move down to the part that looks a bit like this ...

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
# timeout 0

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

and change all that to this

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 15

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

Adding in the # to "comment out" the hiddenmenu instruction and changed the timout to something reasonable, 15 is good, then try saving the file using. The # mark at the beginning of a line stops the machine from reading it during boot up which makes it hand y for adding instructions an guides to other humans that may want to mess around with this. Most other system files also have this feature.

:saveas menu.lst

Remembering the colon : at the start of that. Hopefully now a reboot will get you the boot menu that you should be able to choose "recovery mode" from

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Ooops, lots of typos there ...

Adding in the # to "comments out" the hiddenmenu instruction. The # mark at the beginning of a line stops the machine from reading it during boot up which is great for adding helpful hints and guides to other humans that may want to mess around with this file. Most other system files also have this feature. After changing that and the timout to something reasonable, 15 is good, then try saving the file using

:saveas menu.lst

I'm trying to be as concise as I can.
Obviously, I am aware I need to think.
I'm doing only what I'm told so I don't risk further damaging my system.
I'll be the first to admit I have no idea what I'm doing.
I've never used a command line before ever.
So yes, I am not being creative.

It won't let me edit text as it says there's no string under my cursor.
I was only able to delete the first thing, after which I restarted.

Also, thank you to everyone for the time and effort they've put into helping me.
You've been a thousand times more helpful than anyone official and I'm very pleased and amazed with all the lovely help I'm getting.
You're restoring my faith in the internet.

Sorry for my outburst this morning. It was harsh and undeserved.

It seems the bootup is too fast and getting to the boot menu via the "Esc" key in order to choose "Recovery mode" is impossible. So instead i guess we need to try changing the default it tries to boot into. Getting into the menu.lst with vi again find right at the beginning the section

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

Change this default number to 1 and do the ":saveas menu.lst" again.This time it should boot straight into recovery mode, which looks like a blue msdos(ish) screen but it has a menu and sometimes a border too. Try all of the options except dont try "continue with normal boot" and also leave the "root shell" until last. When you try the "Root Shell" option try opening mening menu.lst with vi again and reset the default number to 0

Hopefully this got you into Recovery Mode?
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Hi :)

Just wondered if you have solved this problem yet or are you still having troubles? If you still need help then try re-posting the question in here when you are ready to try working through any suggestions
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+addquestion

or else post the question on a more general linux forum such as
http://www.linuxquestions.org

I hope all is going well
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)