trouble using kernel after update (ubuntu 9.10)

[libdms]

I finally had the time to install an OS on my new Dell Optiplex 960. Since I needed to access all 6GB of RAM, I chose a 64 bit version of Ubuntu. 9.10 was the newest at the time so I installed that.

I spent a lot of time setting up randr to use dual monitors.

I also put virtual box on with about 3 virtual machines (running Windows XP, Windows 7 etc) and these were linked to machines on our domain so that they could connect to network drives and the correct exchange INBOX.

Then one morning I found that booting the machine just shows the grey ubuntu logo for a while and then the screen is blank.

I have got to the stage of installing (alongside on the same partition) ubuntu 9.10 from the original installation DVD that I burnt, but this does not have my set up for dual monitors or my virtual box. I could probably live without the Adobe-flash and audio packages, but I would really like to be able to get back to the setup which I had spent so much time on getting the way I wanted it.

Until I put the second install, I did not have GRUB (visible to me) but now I can see a list of about 4 kernels with a "Recovery" entry for each too. Only the straight from the second install actually works, the other 3 are all broken - this includes for the "recovery" entry too.

I am aware that I have not given enough information, but am not sure what information would be most helpful. Please treat me as an absolute newbie and tell me exactly what you need to know.

Thanks,
Derek

[ptkobe]

I understand that
You installed ubuntu 9.10
set dual monitor with xrandr.
Now, "then the screen is blank". Both screens?
Then you reinstall ubuntu. My english is bad, "alongside on the same partition" means what?

You do have access to the system now (and screen), right? You want to go back to the previous conf/system, is that it?

I think now you have a new install of ubuntu and you have to set your screen again. Could it be?

Furthermore, I think xrandr is a command util. You'll have to set xorg.conf if the default settings aren't enough, or run the xrandr commands after every boot. Right?

And is your monitor(s) directly connected to your desktop? I mean, no KVM?

Sorry not to be more helpful
Luis

I finally had the time to install an OS on my new Dell Optiplex 960. Since I needed to access all 6GB of RAM, I chose a 64 bit version of Ubuntu. 9.10 was the newest at the time so I installed that.

I spent a lot of time setting up randr to use dual monitors.

I also put virtual box on with about 3 virtual machines (running Windows XP, Windows 7 etc) and these were linked to machines on our domain so that they could connect to network drives and the correct exchange INBOX.

Then one morning I found that booting the machine just shows the grey ubuntu logo for a while and then the screen is blank.

I have got to the stage of installing (alongside on the same partition) ubuntu 9.10 from the original installation DVD that I burnt, but this does not have my set up for dual monitors or my virtual box. I could probably live without the Adobe-flash and audio packages, but I would really like to be able to get back to the setup which I had spent so much time on getting the way I wanted it.

Until I put the second install, I did not have GRUB (visible to me) but now I can see a list of about 4 kernels with a "Recovery" entry for each too. Only the straight from the second install actually works, the other 3 are all broken - this includes for the "recovery" entry too.

I am aware that I have not given enough information, but am not sure what information would be most helpful. Please treat me as an absolute newbie and tell me exactly what you need to know.

Thanks,
Derek

[previso]

The trick is to do one thing per session, then reboot, then add, and so on. Many a times something works fine until the new kernel settings take effect on reboot. And the confusion of what when wrong, specially if many things were done on one session. Hard to isolate your problem, as all your changes are lumped together in the description. Best guess is above, vidcard configuration.

[libdms]

The trick is to do one thing per session, then reboot, then add, and so on. Many a times something works fine until the new kernel settings take effect on reboot. And the confusion of what when wrong, specially if many things were done on one session. Hard to isolate your problem, as all your changes are lumped together in the description. Best guess is above, vidcard configuration.

This is what caused my confusion. I had / have not changed my vidcard configuration (or xrandr) since I found one that worked. I think that the update manager may have done this for me ( THANK YOU ;-(

Because I cannot get a display for the kernel (whose config I want to fix), how can I fix it? Is there a way to go in via the command line, or can I boot up with my working kernel and alter the config for my broken kernel?

[libdms]

> Now, "then the screen is blank". Both screens?

Yes, both of my screens are blank. When I try and boot to my "needs to be recovered" kernel, here is the detail of what happens.

1) press the power button on my desktop
2) see GNU GRUB 1.97~beta4
3) select Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic (on /dev/sda7)
4) see two lines of text about kernel image, then flashing cursor
5) white ubuntu logo appears in the centre of both monitors (for 2 secs)
6) both monitors go blank, and nothing responds to keys or mouse

If I change step 3) to
3) select Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-17-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda7)

then
4) see lots of lines of text, a couple of pages full
5) see a recovery menu (dosfsck, clean, dpkg, grub, netroot, root)

unfortunately I cannot interact with this menu. The mouse does nothing and the keyboard does nothing. This means that I cannot drop to a shell or update grub or basically do anything.

> Then you reinstall ubuntu. "alongside on the same partition" means what?

When I installed Ubuntu again, I put it on the same HDD partition that my "needs to be recovered" version was installed to. I hope that makes sense.

> You do have access to the system now (and screen), right? You want to go
> back to the previous conf/system, is that it?

Yes I want to go back to the previous conf/system.

> I think now you have a new install of ubuntu and you have to set your
> screen again. Could it be?

I could probably set my screen again, but I also need to have my virtual machines back again. If at all possible I would like to find out if I can edit the configuration of a linux image/kernel while I am on the desktop using a different kernel. The last thing I want to do is break the installation that works at the moment.

> Furthermore, I think xrandr is a command util. You'll have to set xorg.conf if
> the default settings aren't enough, or run the xrandr commands after
> every boot. Right?

Yes, I think that this is right. xrandr commands have to run after every boot (and xorg.conf needs to be set up correctly too).

> And is your monitor(s) directly connected to your desktop? I mean, no KVM?

My monitors are both connected directly to the desktop. There is no KVM involved.

> Sorry not to be more helpful
> Luis

Thanks Luis, I need all the help I can get.

Derek

[previso]

How change display resolution settings using xrandr|Ubuntu Geek
this may help if you can access a command line (#)
Backup and Restore of VDI, VMDK files and snapshots (View topic) • virtualbox.org
You can copy your vbox virtual machines if you have access to the file system.
A live CD is a must tool for recoveries. Knoppix is my favorite. Also, a lesson learned from the M$ world, disable auto updates.
What I would do? Boot to live-CD. Copy the virtual machines (although 3 VM's is a lot ~60GB). Reinstall. Put VMs back. Disable autoupdates.

[libdms]

I will have a try at your suggestions.

I did a quick search to see how to disable auto-updates. Quite easy using the System->Administration->SoftwareSources and the Updates tab

Also, is there a method for accessing a command line when the "Recovery" menu does not work. I am sure that I could do something if I could get command line access to the kernel that I need to recover. Is this to do with the Live CD that you mentioned?

Derek

[ptkobe]

Derek, when we try to solve a problem reinstalling over the old system on linux, there's a good chance we keep the problem and some new ones.

i think that if you reinstall ubuntu over a previous installation, you should erase the old system, do a fresh install. Of course, you may tell during install to use but not to format, some non system partitions.

That's why you should use several partitions for a linux installation:
At least a partition for / and another for /home, and in your case another one for the virtual machines files.
That way you will be able to install a new system without loosing what is on /home and the VM's.

Much of this you probably already know, so...

I think that you had reinstall ubuntu without erasing your previous system. So, you should still have your VM files in your disk.

If you don't have access to your system, I'll do what previso said.

A Live-CD will allow you to access your data and backup what you need (or correct what is not working, if you find it)

I think one of the options on the ubuntu install CD you have (if it is desktop version), is to run as a live CD. If so, you may use it.

I don't know much about virtual box, but if you can get your vm files out, it shouldn't be very hard to get them up again after a new system is installed.

Luis

@previso: Thanks for the xrandr link.