Issues on running Ubuntu

A P4 will have more than enough grunt to run the OS. 1Gb RAM is plenty for Ubuntu for basic web browsing and such.

Can you give the output of:

sudo lshw -C display; lsb_release -a; uname -a

Thanks

I also suggest you hold shift at bootup then select "Memtest" from Grub, make sure the memory is healthy.

  I could not get a command prompt at all, then I went to reboot and I did something at start up about updating, I do not remember esactly what it said, after 5 minutes when that got done. I got my command prompt. lost the GUi that I had or at least it changed but I ran my script , I have no lsb modules it looks like. I am doing this as a dual boot with windows xp. windows works fine it asks for my passwoord, I entered that and I get some system info

VGA compatible controller

vendor: intel

physical id: 2

version: 02

 some otheer stuff that looks generic

the important part might be that no lsb modules are available

Description: Ubuntu 11.04

release: 11.04

codename: natty

Linux ubuntu 3.6.38-8-generic #42-ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:50 utc

2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Are you able to get a stable, functional desktop by switching to the Ubuntu Classic interface (select "Ubuntu Classic" or "Ubuntu Classic (no effects)" as your session type in the login screen--this setting is accessible in the bar at the bottom of the login screen after you have specified your username, while you are being prompted for your password).

I did not see classic (no add effects) as an option, but It didn't give me much time. I will try again in a few hours but I have to go now. After the updates yesterday, now I have my GUI back all the buttons are there but I have the control center frozen on my screen, running the mouse over the icons on the top I get a flicker of what should be there but nothing stays to click on, "welcome to empathy" is in the background behind the control center. I can't even get out of this without hitting the power button, thisl looks pretty cool but I am sure having problems. thanks for the help. I will be back later.

Now that your GUI works a little better, you can probably get back to the login screen by clicking on the power icon (technically called the indicator-session applet) at the upper-right corner of the screen and select Log Off...

If you still don't have much time on the login screen, then you can go to the Login Screen control panel in System Settings and change the session type (you can also change the amount of time it gives you before automatically logging on, or disable automatic login altogether).

After you do this, please let us know if you are able to get a functional classic desktop. If so, please run the command actionparsnip posted ("sudo lshw -C display; lsb_release -a; uname -a"), then select all the text in the Terminal (Edit > Select All), copy it to the clipboard (Edit > Copy), and post it here.

Please also run memtest86+ from the GRUB2 boot menu, as actionparsnip suggested, to test your RAM. If you don't see this option when you're booting, hold down the Shift key while booting--the option should appear in the list.

I am not able to figure out that memory test, any ideas on running that from windows xp? My windows are stable. I got a little farther with Ubuntu today, I was doing a system check, it went through a bunch of test but has now frozen up on me after leaving it alone for ten minutes while I took a shower. I cant get a whole screen up , just splotches after entering my password.

"I am not able to figure out that memory test, any ideas on running that from windows xp?"

You don't run it inside any operating system. To be able to test all the RAM, it must run as its own (minimalist) operating system. You can run memtest86+ from its own dedicated boot medium (see http://memtest.org/) if you can't run the copy of it that is installed with Ubuntu. But you should be able to run the memtest86+ that comes with Ubuntu. See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FaultyHardware. The boot menu should look something like http://s4.postimage.org/z7wtxb6z/grub2_menu_showing_memtest.png. You move down to it (the one that doesn't say "serial console") with the down arrow key and select it by pressing enter. If you still have problems getting this to run, please describe in detail what happens when you try.

"I got a little farther with Ubuntu today"

How did you get further with it than before? Did you do anything special or different? Did you change to a classic session as we had suggested, or have you still not tried to do that, or have you tried to do it and not been able to? Right now, is your Ubuntu system such that you can run the command "sudo lshw -C display; lsb_release -a; uname -a" and post all the text from the Terminal here for examination?

I do not have a memtest that came with Ubuntu. My startup options are linux generic 2.6-8 and linux generic 2.6-8 (recoevery mode) and two versions of windows xp. I did change two classic, Firefox worked but I tried to hit applications to find out about the system and everything started flashing in and out, that was the end of that, Memtest is not user friendly (to many optioms) the output of the command you asked about , I cannot copy and paste so this is what I have VGA compatible controller

vendor: intel

physical id: 2

version: 02

 some other stuff that looks generic

the important part might be that no lsb modules are available

Description: Ubuntu 11.04

release: 11.04

codename: natty

Linux ubuntu 3.6.38-8-generic #42-ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:50 utc

2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Install memtest then you should have the boot option in grub

issue seems to be solved, memory was fine. there were some things that my video card would not support according to the local computer tech, seems to be working good now, Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.