Failed to start X server...

Push Ctrl Alt F1 to go in a tty terminal.
Run sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf to do a backup of xorg.conf.
Run nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf and add these entry in Section "Monitor":

HorizSync 36-52
VertRefresh 36-60
Option “MonitorLayout” “LVDS, AUTO”

Exit from nano and restart gdm o kdm with:

/etc/init.d/gdm restart (if you have Gnome)

or

/etc/init.d/kdm restart (if you have KDE)

Dear Michele,
thanks for your response. But when I leave nano, I can't save the modifications. Do not forget I'm using the LiveCD.

best,

pablo

Thanks Ralph Janke, that solved my question.

Dear Ralph and Michele,
thanks a lot for your help. I have Ubuntu running in my laptop.
Best,

I have the exact samt problem but with a diffrent type of computer, a DELL Inspiron 6400/E1505 with a ATI Radeon X1400 graphic card.

But I get the same message. I have downloaded the Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn and burnt it to a CD, and are able to boot with it.

Though, where is it I should press Ctrl Alt F1 and Run sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf

I can't press Ctrl Alt F1 in the menu that first shows up, but when it gets to the error I'm able to press it and start nano, but all I get is an empty file? What am I doing wrong?

The same thing happens when I Run nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Any cluess? Thanks!

Hi Marcus,
first you should do:
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorgold.conf to do a backup of xorg.conf

then
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

and try Michele's suggestions.

Success!

When I type: sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorgold.conf

I get:
cp: cannot stat ´/etc/x11/xorg.conf': No such file or directory

Is the command case sensetive?

Apparently it was, though an other problem occurd when typing:

/etc/init.d/gdm restart
open: Permission denied
 *Stopping GNOME Display Manager...
oper: Permission denied [ OK ]

open: Permission denied
 *Starting GNOME Display Manager...
open: Permission denied [ fail ]

what have I done wrong?

On Thu, 21. June 2007 14:59:16 Marcus wrote:
> Question #8351 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.beta.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/8351
>
> Marcus posted a new comment:
> When I type: sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorgold.conf
>
> I get:
> cp: cannot stat ´/etc/x11/xorg.conf': No such file or directory
It has to be:
 sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorgold.conf
So X11 and _not_ x11:
 sudo cp /etc/x11/xorg.conf /etc/x11/xorgold.conf

>
> Is the command case sensetive?

All Linux and UNIX commands are case sensitive.
We're not in the old DOS age here anymore. ;-)

regards,
thomas

On Thu, 21. June 2007 15:23:25 Marcus wrote:
> Question #8351 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.beta.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/8351
>
> Marcus posted a new comment:
> Apparently it was, though an other problem occurd when typing:
>
> /etc/init.d/gdm restart
> open: Permission denied
> *Stopping GNOME Display Manager...
> oper: Permission denied
> [ OK ]
>
> open: Permission denied
> *Starting GNOME Display Manager...
> open: Permission denied
> [ fail ]
>
> what have I done wrong?

It has to be:
 sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

If you have a look to gdm's permissions you will see that it is owned by root:
 ls -l /etc/init.d/gdm
 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 3136 2007-02-23 15:42 /etc/init.d/gdm

In the first column there are four fields which describe the filetype and the
permissions.
 |-|rwx|r-x|r-x
- The first field shows if it is a file (-) a directory (d) or a socket (s)
- The second field shows the owner permissions, here read (r) write (w) and
  eXecute (x)
- The third field shows the group permissions (rwx)
- The fourth field shows the permissions of all others (rwx)

In the third column it shows the owner, here root
In the fourth column it shows the group, here root

So if it is a file which has execute permission for root you have to start it
using the sudo command.

In Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn you will find more information about file
permissions in the ubuntu menu 'System' - 'Help and Support' in
chapter 'Advanced Topics' subchapter 'Using the Command Line'.
Especially as recommended in the subsubchapter 'More Information' the
tutorial at http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz is a very good source.
And not to forget that there are a lot of books targeting beginners needs,
also in your prefered language.

regards,
thomas

Where should I execute these commands? Should I first run the Install option from the menu and then when is has found the error, press Ctrl Alt F1 and write the commands?

If I do this and finish with gdm restart, the setup doesnt restart.

Which command do I use to restart the setup?

Or is it possible to make the changes in xorg.conf before I make the install? If so, how?

Thanks for all the help, sry for beeing a newbie =)

I have gotten as far as Marcus with precisely the same issues (and the same newcomer status). I've succeeded in saving a changed version of xorg.conf but get the same subsequent message as Marcus.

/etc/init.d/gdm restart
open: Permission denied
 *Stopping GNOME Display Manager...
oper: Permission denied [ OK ]
open: Permission denied
 *Starting GNOME Display Manager...
open: Permission denied [ fail ]

Would greatly appreciate advice on specific steps to take from here.
Grateful that this discussion is even here. Looking forward to a response.

You need to use sudo as in

sudo /etc/inid.d/gdm restart

followed by your password.

My problem was solved with the solution from this thread, but you need to use the ubuntu version that is downloadable from that thread, and of course have a Dell 6400 + Ati X1400

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=2420732

I forgot to mention that sudo /etc/init.d/gdm gets me the following:

 * Stopping GNOME Display Manager... [OK]
 * Starting GNOME Display Manager...[fail]
and back to the $ cursor

If I do it a second time it gives me an [OK] after both *stopping and *starting but then clears the screen, returns the text screen, clears again, and returns to the initial "Failed to Start the X server" bluescreen.

Unless I have missed something, I do not have (or do not know that I have) a password. Nowhere in the install was one requested, though in a previous part of the installation I did enter a username.

I should add for reference that I'm trying to install this on a bare-bones Dell Latitude 100L. Searching the web for ubuntu problems on this model does not reference anything like the above, however.

Same problem I got, think it has to do with the ATI drivers, test to update them, think there should be some drivers to download that helps, think you can find the link in the text from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=2420732

$ sudo /etc/init.d/?dm restart
and enter your user password, if asked for it

The "$" stands for the command-prompt for an ordinary user
The "sudo" runs the command as superuser root, who is almighty.
If you omit "sudo", you are running the command as an ordinary user, and you are not allowed to boss gdm around.

If you omit "restart", you give an order to do something, without specifying what exactly
If you type "start" instead of "restart", a leftover (eg process id in /var/run/ ) of the previous wm session might prevent the start.
"restart" instead of "start" does no harm, even if the wm has already stopped.
The "?" covers the different types of window-manager. Mostly, there is only one present in /etc/init.d and the question
mark finds it, whether it is gdm, kdm, twm, ....
It is a bit safer to be explicit, if you are sure which windowmanager you are using (or just try "ls -l /etc/init.d")
Then just replace "?" with the appropriate letter "g", "k", "t", ....

I was having the same issue on my Dell 1721 with the ATI Xpress 1270. However, I only needed to add the first two lines of the suggested:

HorizSync 36-52
VertRefresh 36-60
Option “MonitorLayout” “LVDS, AUTO”

That is, I did not need the third line, and only needed:

HorizSync 36-52
VertRefresh 36-60

Some users reported that even after running "sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart", gdm still failed to load and output:

 * Stopping GNOME Display Manager... [OK]
 * Starting GNOME Display Manager...[fail]

I had the same problem at first, but then I realized I hadn't exited all of the "Display log" and "Detailed Display Log" window options that kept popping up. Once I closed all those I reran "sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart", and I was able to proceed with the install as normal.

Hope that helps. Cheers!