cant login

ok then run:

startx

If you don't get a desktop, run:

less /var/log/Xorg.0.log

and use cursor to scroll down, you will see where the issue is.

What was the last thing you changed?

thanks for the reply. i have managed to get into desktop but now cant change back to the format it was on before. i changed the login screen setting fromGNOME to something else but dont know how to get it back

you can run:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm

Which may help, I also recommend you undo what you did.

do i run that instead of startx

will it be possible to reset all my settings so i go back to my old software and get rid of ubuntu 10.04

Doesn't matter when its ran, it should set gdm to defaults. What settings do you mean??

well i cant seem to change my login screen settings back so when i come to login nothing has changed and command thingy comes up again

also the settings i want to change are to have ubuntu 8.04 back instead of 10.04

To get Hardy you will need a clean reinstall, its a little bit more involved than changing some settings.

You could try:

sudo apt-get --reinstall install gdm

See if that helps.

Btw, Hardy is only supported until April 2011 when Natty comes out. After then all support will cease.

nope just says command not found

ok well 10.04 doesnt fit my screen so i cant see the bottom and one side of the screen is there anyway of changing the size

Can you copy the exact command and output it gives

thanks for your help but im struggling here and cant be bothered with it anymore

Good attitude.