Ubuntu
yelp package

My screen background goes black and my text is garbled

Asked by norm

When I walk away from my computer for an hour or more, and return, my screen background is black and my text is garbled. Every program has the same problem. I can fix it only by turning my computer off and then back on. I lose all of my working data. Please help, no one has ever replied to my problem. Surely, i am not the only one with this problem. This is not a minor problem, it is devaskating.

I cannot use re-start because it does not work when this problem occurs.

My computer is the new Dell XPS-410 but Dell says they cannot help, so who can help me?

My computer is of no value unless I can fix this problem.

Please help me.

Norman

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Wrwrwr (wrwrwr) said : 		#1

Try disabling all power management and screensaver (System-->Preferences-->Screensaver).
Especially don't use putting the display to sleep.

If this works you maybe you'll find some configuration tweaks which will let you have a working power saving.

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Wrwrwr (wrwrwr) said : 		#2

Also take a look here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/Dell
and maybe also here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportMachinesLaptopsDell

Can't find your model anywhere -- maybe it's too new? :), but maybe you'll find some generic tips. This is probably an apic issue.

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norm (engineerman) said : 		#3

To: Wrwrwr

Thanks a million, you might have found the problem with your suggestion concerning the Power management. I am trying this now, but it will take some time to prove it out.

My computer is a Desk Top, not the lap-top. It is the XPS-410 with Ubuntu pre-loaded. Dell sends it out and says they are responsible only for the hardward, but not the software.

Something new has happened. My computer tried to go into this black mode, while I was operating it. The window I was using went black, so I swithced to another window which was not black (this surprised me) and then I switched back to my original screen it was back to normal. This happened two times and, each time, when it went away, it did not come back again until after more than 2 hours of work time on the computer.

One other problem that I would like to fix is that it will run only one monitor. It has a video card that will run two monitors and Dell advertises that it will run 2 monitors. But when I connect 2 monitors one monitor comes up all Black and the other monitor has diagonal red and black lines. The video card is a GE Force 7300LE.

Thanks again,

Norm

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Wrwrwr (wrwrwr) said : 		#4

Oh, sorry, so many similar problems with dell laptops, i've assumed it must be another one :)

In some cases it may be hard to set up two monitors in ubuntu. In short you would do the following:
- Enable nVidia propiertary, binary driver in System-->Restricted Drivers Manager.
- Run "gksudo nvidia-settings" in terminal and configure it.

A lot more, including troubleshooting, can be found here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=221174

In Gutsy GIbbon, next ubuntu version, scheduled for 18th October, a lot changes concerning such things, so if it doesn't work easily, don't put a lot of work into setting this up as it may be different story soon.

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask norm for more information if necessary.

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