Disappearing Ubuntu
 

I installed Ubuntu 5.10 on my computer getting back to inux since my computer is not the one everyone in the house is using now. After installing it to the extra hard drive and rebooting it would show the listing of the modules and all, but when it came time to actually run X I got the sound but no screen. So I did some digging and found out how to update from the command line. After updating to 6.1, I get the same thing. It goes to boot up, shows the cogs makes a noise while the screen is blank. I can go in and work from the command line just fine, but as soion as anything graphical comes up it just goes blank. MY rig is a P4@3.0gHz, 256Mb GeForce 6200, gig of RAM, ny linux drive is 60 gigs. Any help is appreciated.

It sounds like your xorg.conf file isn't using the appropriate settings. Please post the xorg.conf file (in the /etc/X11 directory) and indicate the exact video card and monitor you are using

I'm using a Westinghouse LM19WCQ LCD momitor on a DVI-D cable. Not sure how to get into xorg.conf . If you could e-mail me or leave messages here I'll check inbetween shifts this weekend and let you know the result. Thank you in advance for any help on this, last itme I used Linux was 5 years ago and didn't realize how much I forgot.

The easiest way to get the xorg.conf file might be to just copy it a floppy or USB pendrive, then access it from another PC.

Went into /etc and its not showing a file called x11 or xorg.conf

If you can get to a text mode terminal on the computer, try 'xorgconfig' or 'sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg'. This should walk you through generating a new xorg.conf file, which will hopefully work.

Not 'x11' but 'X11'. X11 is a subdirectory within /etc. Running the command
should show the file. Case sensitivity matters.

Sorry to take so long to get back to ya, but here is what I have done now.

I went in and reconfigured xorg using the "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" command from the CLI. Now when I type startx at that point what it does is gives me some broad lines and flashes.

Now, if I go for a normal start up into Ubuntu, it goes thru the whole build process, screen blinks and then just goes to a blinding white screen with no reactions.

Also I finally found xorg.conf and can pull it up using vim, but I have no clue how to save it to my flash drive so I can post it back here for you guys to see. I'm sorry I lack the intelligence to be better at this than I am but I will fight to learn more as fast as I can.

Also I need help figuring out where the flash drive is and how to save to it. Any help given is GREATLY appreciated. I know I must seem stupid, but I want Linux back.

You do not seem stupid--nor do you lack intelligence.

When I put in my thumbdrive it automatically mounts as /dev/sdc1. ( I have two SATA drives which are sda and sdb, so sdc is next in line)

Put in the drive, and then go to /media and see if something shows up automatically. If not, then mount the drive like so:
mkdir <name>
mount /dev/sdX1 <name> "X" depends on what else your system has installed---ie if you have all IDE drives, then the usb may show up as sda1

You could try using some different drivers and see if that works. If you open up xorg.conf in a text editor, and find the section called "Device", this is your graphics card. Try switching the driver to "vga" or "vesa". If that works, let us know.