X server - how do I ............ (kubuntu edgy)??
 

Ok, so with kubuntu installed it's very clever (too bloody clever??).

Adept pops up to tell me that theres some updates available, great.

Get the list of updates/upgrades, then click install the updates/upgrades (missing the fact that one of these is a kernel upgrade/update).

It all seems to have gone OK.

So then reboot into the new kernel - then the problem arrives.

The problem is that my system has never liked or got on well with the generic NV driver, it makes the screen completely unreadable with anything much over 800X600 (though I can make out stuff at 1024X768).

As I didn't know to change the resolution before reboot to the new kernel I can't see what I'm doing, even to log in.

I've tried, what works on other distros i.e. Ctrl+Alt+Backspace, but the damn distro just stops the X server and then restarts it into the same unusable resolution.

If I can stop the X server then I can login in CLI and manually re-install the nvidia driver which I normally have no problems with.

To post this, I'm having to run the live CD. I've also searched to see if I can find any answers, including trying the "hotkeys for Ubuntu" site - but it seems that these only work if I'm logged in.

So how can I either kill the X server so that it doesn't restart to enable me to install the nvidia driver manually under CLI?

Or

Change the resolution so that I can read the login screen (yes I have tried the "hit and miss" idea that it should open the login page with my username already in the "box" so that I should just be able to hit enter, add my password and hit enter, which then, in theory, should allow me to do Ctrl+Alt+- to reduce the res and be able to install the nvidia driver graphically in the new kernel)?

Erm I normally use a resolution of 1600X1200 @ 85hz (which is what the system is set/stuck at, and completely unreadable).

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

regards

John

1) CTRL + ALT +F1 (or F2) to get to a console
2) sudo /etc/init.d/kdm stop
3) reinstall nvidia drivers
4) sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start

I'm assuming Kubuntu uses kdm as the login manager (I run Debian and like KDE as a desktop but GDM as my login manager), otherwise substitute gdm/xdm as needed (you should be able to find which is running by looking through the output of ps aux).

Thanks for the suggestion. It didn't want to play.

So I ended up falling back on the "newbie windows user default answer":D and just re-installed.

Now all I have to do is work out why I can't get my partners login to work! i.e. start/open

regards

John