Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-video-ati package

No boot after upgrade from 10.04LTS 64bit to 10.10 64bit

Asked by E G

I had Ubuntu 10.04 LTS 64bits on ACER ASPIRE desktop with ATI Radeon 2600PRO, only 1 HD and just ubuntu installed on it, one partition + swap, running fine and updating normally via update manager. I tried to update to 10.10 64bits using update manager, it all seemed to go well until it stopped responding at all and after several minutes had to go with a hard reboot using the power button. The computer does not boot into ubuntu since then, it starts with a screen full of colored vertical stripes and a big square for the mouse pointer that responds to mouse movement but stops there.
I did try to save my files using the live CD to transfer them to a pen drive but several of them are not accessible due to user restrictions. It is interesting than other files are accessible, have no idea why.
Is there any way to repair it or at least bypass user restrictions to save all my files ?

Thanks,

Ed

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Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#1

> using the live CD

Try 'sudo'.
gksudo nautilus
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo#Graphical%20sudo

View -> show hidden files (ctrl+H)
6.6.20.
http://library.gnome.org/users/user-guide/stable/gosnautilus-8.html.en

Future:
Make regular backups.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BackupYourSystem
Give /home a separate partition in order to keep user configuration while reinstalling.
On LiveCD choose advanced partitioning, keep /home, don't format, only create swap and / new.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DiskSpace
Read release notes before updating (usually it's a driver issue e.g. Bug #599741 ).
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MaverickMeerkat/ReleaseNotes#Graphics%20and%20Display
Prefer clean installation before upgrade.

Search the web and in case report a bug.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1292178
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs

Revision history for this message
E G (garciae) said : 		#2

Thanks Samantha,

The gksudo did not work, when Nautilus launches folders still appear with an X symbol meaning I have no permission.
I'm using your tip of a different partition for the /home and will do a full new install during big updates.

I did solved the problem with another workaround that occurred to me and I'm sharing so other users with similar problems
could use too.

How to get all your files back from a crashed Ubuntu system that does not boot ? here is how :

1. Boot you new Ubuntu Live CD
2. If it runs fine on your machine continue otherwise use a previous version, LTS versions seem to be more stable.
3. Ask to "install Ubuntu alongside another OS" when prompted. This will be temporary just to get all your stuff.
4. Move the bar to give the new install a minimum HD space just to work (usually 6 to 10GB will do)
5. Reboot the machine after install and choose the new one, first on the list.
6. Create all old users again on the new install, with same login an password as in your old crashed one.
7. Log in on each user and mount (with Nautilus for example) the older partition with all your files now easily available.
8. Copy all your stuff to an external HD or other common access partition, repeat for other users and your are done.
9. Reinstall the system using all the HD and if you like make a partition just for /home in that way you will keep
all user data and preferences when you upgrade again.

Hope this helps,

EG