I can't start my GUI for gnome. I am running a virtual machine(vmware) to run ubuntu 8.04. I am able to log in to the command line, but it is still very inconvenient. I tried startx, startx gnome, and several other things I found on the internet, but nothing I try works. I am logged on. It asks for my user login and then my password. It never starts the GUI.

When I type startx (gnome) it shows a rectangle of colored vertical lines in the upper left side of my screen. Then a square of tannish dots fill a big square over where my command promp was. It has an x in the middle and I can move the x with my mouse. It's a screen alignment tool, maybe?

I have no idea whats wrong.
Please HELP!

23:43:45 UTC 2008 i686
Build Date: 13 June 2008 01:08:21AM

Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org to make sure that you have the latest version.
Module Loader present
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting, (++) from command line, (!!) notics (II) informational, (WW) warning (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Nov 5 04:52:03 2008
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.cong"
(II) Module "ramdac" already built-in
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdLightOnOff: line 70 of pc
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessDown: line 71 of pc
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessUp: line 72 of pc
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdLightOnOff: line 70 of pc
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessDown: line 71 of pc
expecting keysym, got XF86KbdBrightnessUp: line 72 of pc
[config/hal] couldn't initialise context: (null) ((null))

waiting for X server to shut down FreeFontPath: FPE "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
refcount is 2, should be 1; fixing

name@name-desktop:/usr/share/fonts/X11& _

gdm

you need to reconfigure xserver-xorg apparently

What is this -->"/etc/X11/xorg.cong"

"/etc/X11/xorg.conf"?

#sudo dpkg-reconfigure --help

Another command to try and set up your Xorg file: "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg".

As amani asked above, please post your current xorg.conf before running the above command.

What you're seeing is the "default" Xinit screen, presented when no valid xinitrc was found by startx.

Since you're running Ubuntu, check that the scripts in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/ are correct and that the symbolic links in /etc/alternatives/x-session-manager are valid.

Did you create your virtual system by installing Ubuntu, or are you trying to use a system that was already on one of your partitions? If it's the latter, perhaps the device names in your virtual system differ from the ones used on the stand-alone installation. If so, you might be able to set them properly in your virtual manager.

I am running windows vista home edition. I used VMware to start up and run ubuntu.
I shut down ubuntu then closed vmware all in the same order I did it several times before.
When I started up ubunu again it took me straight to the command line without gnome.
so basically I can view my files and have access to everything, but I don't have any gui at all.


this is my xorg.conf file that you wanted to see



# xorg.cong (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuation tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "VMware Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "VMware Mouse"
Driver "vmmouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "VMware SVGA"
Driver "vmware"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "VMware SVGA"
Monitor "vmware"
# Don't specify DefaultColorDepth unless you know what you're
# doing. It will override the driver's preferences which can
# cause the X server not to run if the host doesn't support the
# depth.
Subsection "Display"
" VGA mode: better left untouched
Depth 4
Modes "640x480"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
ViewPort 0 0
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "VMware Keyboard" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "VMware Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "vmware"
VendorName "VMware, Inc"
HorizSync 1-10000
VertRefresh 1-10000
EndSection