Ubuntu dumping you at a command prompt is a typical symptom of a graphic problem. Could be that the kernel module for your graphics card is not working properly, or it could be the Xorg module for your graphics card isn't working properly. At the console,
should show us your system's graphics card, and
should show us which kernel module your graphics card is using.
April, 2009 was so long ago, but I believe editing the kernel line as the system is booting and adding
might just get you booted up in graphics mode, although the resolution may not be as high as you'd like.