My computer is stuck in bash shell after upgrading to Ubuntu 11.10.

Hi av1611biblepreacher,

what video card do you have?

--
hmontoliu <at> ubuntu.com
http://hmontoliu.blogspot.com

Integrated ATi Radeon HD3300 GPU

Please try to start lightdm:
sudo service lightdm restart

If it works select Unity-2d session from the small tool icon beside the inbox.

If it doesn't try:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm

and select lightdm.

> HD3300 GPU

Unity-3d may not work.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DemystifyingUnityGraphicsHardwareRequirements

Lightdm was already slected when I tried the second one and it went back to:

chuck@biblepreacher:~$ .

The first one didn't work. I will take a look at the link you posted.

Would it be better to downgrade to 11.04 or 10.10 then get the necessary updates for the video card and it if's not compatible with the upgrades still then maybe buy another video card if needed?

10.10 was the last time in the upgrade process from 10.04 that I saw my desktop. I fixed the lightdm failure while installing 11.04 through the recovery screen and it asked if I wanted to install the 11.10 upgrade from while still in bash shell after fixing the lightdm. That's if my memory serves me right and I have the sequences of events right.

>last login: Mon Dec 19 21:03:02 CST 2011 on tty1
> Welcome to Ububntu 11.10

The first post indicates you're already on 11.10.
This should tell Ubuntu version:
lsb_release -a

Try to update the system.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get -f install

I did what you said and restarted but it still comes back to:

chuck@biblepreacher:~$

If I want to go back to a previous version, can I do that from bash shell or do I need to do it from a cd?

Another option to try from cli is:
startx

it may give some error messages and reveal what's wrong.

Verify if ubuntu-desktop is installed and afterwards update again as #6.
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

Also verify if unity-greeter is installed.
It's desktop file also should be there:
ls /usr/share/xgreeters/

If there is a separate /home (to keep user configurations) you can install from LiveCD, keep /home as is and just install rootfs. Maybe test 11.10 LiveCD option first 'try Ubuntu without installation'.
Burn the .iso slowly and verify it's integrity, explained there.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation

Running startx the screen shows as follows:

FATAL: Module fglrx not found.
(EE) fglrx(0): atiddxDriScreenInit failed, GPS not been initialized.
(EE) fglrx()): Failed to map FB memory.

Fatal server error:
AddScreen/ ScrenInit failed for driver 0

Please consult the X.Org Foundation support at http://wiki.x.org for help.
Please also check the logfile at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information

(EE) fglrx(0): firegl_SetSuspendResumeState FAILED -9.
  ddxSigGivUp: Closing log
xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error

When running:

ls/usr/share/xgreeters/, the result comes back as:
No such file or directory.

The only home I have is the Ubuntu one that is in question. I am using my daughters computer for this Q& A session. I wish I would have used the

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop: shows that it is already the newest version installed.

Ok, at the moment xserver hates fglrx. Actually it's expected that at least it falls back to mesa.
Please follow exactly these steps there to purge fglrx, reinstall xserver-xorg-core and reboot.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/FglrxInteferesWithRadeonDriver#Problem:_Need_to_purge_-fglrx

When finally getting to a desktop, you can always try again to activate fglrx, according to wiki hd 3300 is supported.
http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Hardware

You've missed the space between ls and slash. Rather copy and paste to avoid typos.
ls /usr/share/xgreeters/

Well, I typed in the first command and it did it's thing but it said it didn't uninstall, 'something xorg' because it didn't have enough to uninstall? I guess. I went on and didn't write it down. I tried the second line but it came back error so I went to the third one and it worked but now the computer starts, goes through it's different windows and then blank, nothing. I guess I messed something up. :(.

Is it possible to switch to tty with ctrl+alt+f1?
Please try to reinstall xorg:
sudo apt-get install --reinstall xserver-xorg-core

in case also try:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

 I installed xserver from the root through the recovery. It's the only way I could figure to do it but it's still the same. The reconfigure command did nothing. I did get it to go into tty and then I tried to do the other commands. Same thing happened when using the reconfigure command, nothing. After getting into tty, i restart and it still goes blank.

Did you reinstall xserver-xorg-video-ati?

I did uninstall restart the computer and reinstall video-ati then restarted it again it and it booted to the tty screen on it's own. I restarted again but this time it went back to being blank. I repeated the process and the same thing repeated.

E: Unable to locate package libgll-mesa-glx and libgll-mesa-dri comes up respectively after trying to reinstall them.

Also, startx now shows the xorg server is 2:1.10.4, also says:

failed to load module "fglrx" (module does not exist, 0)
(EE) no drivers available.
Fatal server error :
no screens found

The fglrx messages are expected since it isn't installed.
The message 'no screens found' is a result of missing drivers since they're probing monitor detection.
As long there're typos in given commands it's rather uncertain to determine whether they've been installed.

> E: Unable to locate package libgll-mesa-glx and libgll-mesa-dri

Please note from troubleshooting wiki, there is a number in each package name.
libgl1-mesa-glx
libgl1-mesa-dri

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/FglrxInteferesWithRadeonDriver#Problem:_Need_to_purge_-fglrx

Please also post the output of:
lspci -nnk | grep -i VGA -A2

okay, the mesa glx and the mesa dri loaded this time although it did give some kind of a warning.

the lspci command didn't work and I typed it a couple of different ways not to mention I don't have the straight up and down bar in between the nnk and grep on my keyboard. That may be why it didn't work?

Anyway, I've been w/o my computer probably a month now and I want to know if I loaded 10.04 from the cd if it would erase my data on the hard drive? I can just wait to upgrade to 12.04 which is supposed to be more stable. I loaded the cd the other day to see if I could copy the data onto a cd like Actionparsnip told me to but couldn't find the file browser to navigate to my files.

also, is there a way to make the text bigger or normal again? the text turned real small after I initially uninstalled some of the drivers.

> although it did give some kind of a warning

Please be more specific, thanks.

>text turned real small

Resolution is gone and not recognized.
Try again:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Did you reinstall xserver-xorg-video-ati and xserver-xorg-video-radeon?

If #12 is correctly understood, then there is no separate /home partition and reinstalling any distro will erase your data. If possible, beside running LiveCD plugin an external hard drive, usb-stick or use cloud space to move important data.
To experience less trouble in the future a separate /home partition is recommended, as it can be left untouched by a new installation.

The vertical slash is a pipe which greps data from main process.
Maybe have a look at international keyboard layout and try the right alt-key or shift with vertical slash.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/File:KB_United_States-NoAltGr.svg

> couldn't find the file browser

The file browser is the folder icon on launcher left hand side.
It can also be started via terminal:
nautilus

or press alt+f2 and enter: nautilus

lspci -nnk | grep -i VGA -A2:

1:05.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI technologies inc. radeon HD3300 graphics [1002:9614]
subsystem: foxconn international, inc device [105b:0e14]
kernel driver in use: radeon

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg: nothing happens.

type is still small and having to still hold shft+control+F1 to get to TTY1

no error message as of now.

still can't get to desktop.

i did install: xserver-xorg-video-ati and xserver-xorg-video-radeon?
still going to blank screen.

Please enter in tty:
startx

or:
sudo restart lightdm

should tell what's wrong or missing.

Not sure if the issue has something to do with Bug #825777

I installed 22 updates from tty1 login screen and restarted it the purple Ububntu screen showed up like it was going to load then it goes blank.

I did startx but it doesn't look like it's showing anything wrong or errors.

sudo restart lightdm says;

 restart: Unknown instance:

I was wondering if the Unbuntu 11.10 dvd upgrade version could correct whatever it is?

If the upgrade can be done via tty precise is up-to-date already, the dvd doesn't race the update level.

Lightdm might have stopped, try:
sudo service lightdm restart

http://upstart.ubuntu.com/cookbook/
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpstartHowto

Remember to investigate log files e.g.
less /var/log/Xorg.0.log
less /var/log/dmesg

Use page-up -down keys, quit with [Q].

When login screen comes up, one of the items says:

* Pulseadio configured for per-user sessions saned disabled; edit /etc/default/saned

The asterisk is in yellow. It does not say [ok]to the right of this sentence. Does this mean anything?

Output from terminal should look like this:
cat /etc/default/saned
# Defaults for the saned initscript, from sane-utils

# Set to yes to start saned
RUN=no

# Set to the user saned should run as
RUN_AS_USER=saned

When 'run' is set to 'yes' the boot can take forever, just leave it like this.

Erratum comment #29
<If the upgrade can be done via tty precise is up-to-date already>
I meant Oneiric, getting confused while answering from different releases. Sorry.

less /var/log/dmesg:

ACPI Warning: Optional field Pm2 ControlBlock has zero address or length: 0x000000000/ox1 (20110413/tbfadt-560)

ACPI: LAPIC (acpi-id[0x83] disabled)

less /var/log/Xorg.0.log: same thing as before,

can't find fglrx

fatal server error:
no screens found.

> can't find fglrx

Remember #19 you've removed fglrx.
Maybe reinstallation and reboot helps - without warranty.
fglrx-updates
fglrx-amdcccle-updates

Please paste complete dmesg and Xorg.0.log there and post the link here.
http://paste.ubuntu.com/

Please also verify monitor connectors.

Anyway, since running in loops, by this time you could've done a backup and reinstall.
Websearch reveals rather older issues with hd 3300.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1578047
Bug #367053

http://paste.ubuntu.com/810249/