Can not start ubuntu. Screen goes directly to louise-laptop login: louise. Hav been working on this foe 4 days.

If you login there then run:

startx

do you get a desktop??

No. one of the last printouts says ""Fatal server error: no screens found".
Is there a way to connect my laptop to her laptop so I could copy and past all of this text? There is a large amount. I do not type well.

No need, I can see whats going on.

What is the output of:

lspci | grep -i vga

Thanks

What key is the one between the "i" and the "g" ?

it's a pipe, usually found on the key left of Z orto the left of 1

It says "i: command not found"

It says "-i: command not found"

ok run:

lspci

spoken: ell-ess-pee-see-eye

read the list, one line will identify the video chip, what is it (Betting it's some intel rubbish)

Mostly ATI stuff and a few Advnced Micro Devices. Is it the VGA compatible controller?
RS690M X1200 series?

ok thats cool, when you ran startx did you see fglrx in the output?

I think know now what I did. I went to the Ubuntu program lists "sound - video" and uninstalled a video program. This must be the driver for the desktop. Tell me I didn't do this!!!

Most likely yes, if you upgraded and you are using the proprietary driver then it more than likely won't survive the upgrade. If you remove the proprietary driver you will use the open driver and give a deskop

No "fglrx

(EE) Radeon(0): [drm] failed to set drm interface version
(EE) Radeon(0): Kernel modesetting setup failed
(EE) Screens found, but none have a useable configuration.

Would the proprietary driver be located in the "Add / Remove programs" Ubuntu programs Center?

ok then run:

sudo apt-get --purge remove xserver-xorg-video-radeon

Then reboot

 When I rebooted I was back to the text window. I re entered your request and it showed the "xserver" was removed.

When I reboot I do see the Ubuntu logo flash on the screen.

When I reboot I do see the Toshiba logo on the screen and the Ubuntu logo will flash on the screen before I go to the text screen.

What are my options to get the computer working again?

I only installed the requested "up dates", I did not do an "upgrade".

actionparsnip said 10 hours ago:

"Most likely yes, if you upgraded and you are using the proprietary driver then it more than likely won't survive the upgrade. If you remove the proprietary driver you will use the open driver and give a deskop

Ubuntu 10.04 is installed on the laptop.
When Ubuntu 10.10 comes out, will I be able to update to it using the text screen? Would Ubuntu 10.10 then fix my problem during the update?

Thank You VERY VERY MUCH! I would like to shake your hand Sam. My wife has been very much down on me without her laptop. Thank you and all of the support team!
Roger Lance

Thanks Sam, that solved my question.

Phew, if just any solution would be found so easily.
Just for future reference.
#1
Whenever you remove an application via e.g. Synaptic, before you apply it will in case list other apps or dependencies which are to be removed also, this gives also a good hint in order to roll back. You can for example copy the list and paste it in a textfile or e.g. in notes from tomboy, gnote.
Anyway, Synaptic has a history where one can review what has been done the last month up to 100 days (which is the default).
In addition there are logfiles to review (system log viewer or /var/log) e.g. dpkg.log.

#2
Removing an app via terminal per apt-get gives also an output what is about to be removed additionally.

So when there is no X or booting available one could review the textfile also via LiveCD or bash history and roll back.

While ubuntu-desktop is a meta file, which doesn't content apps itself, but it contents a list what has to be installed per default, it gets removed automatically when certain (essential) apps are about to be removed.
Although it doesn't break the system when it's removed, but if it comes to issues the system doesn't 'remember' what is missing, hence when ubuntu-desktop is back in the system it recalls it. (just trying to put it in simple terms)
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MetaPackages

Regarding package removal, the story from, lets say 'Harvey'.
Bug #653293