ASUS Eee PC 900 boots to blank

Helga · 06-03-2018, 07:31 AM

First let me say that I am very inexperienced in programming computers and are very proud to have been able to install Ubuntu on my Eee PC 900 some time ago. So please bear in mind when answering that I am not very knowledgeable with technical computer terms

So, having sad this, my problem now is that my PC boots to a blank/black screen. I read another post in this forum about the same problem but on a Dell computer and the solution given there (change Legacy into UEFI in the BIOS) does not work for me as I cannot find either Legacy or UEFI in my BIOS setting when I enter that when I boot my PC. Any suggestions anyone?

michaelk · 06-03-2018, 09:18 AM

Welcome to LinuxQuestions.

The Eee PC is very old in computer years and predates UEFI so your problem is something else. I would also guess the Ubuntu version running on the PC is equally as old.

What exactly happens when the computer boots? You probably see the grub boot screen with several options. It automatically boots, you might see text messages scroll and then a blank screen with maybe the mouse cursor displayed?

There could be several reasons why the computer fails to boot to the desktop. The drive might be failing or some files have been corrupted.

If the computer is responding you might be able to kill the desktop by pressing the Ctrl-ALT-f1 keys. If it works it should get you a terminal and command line prompt. The boot loader menu should have a boot to recovery mode option which should start without a desktop running. If one of those works when then the add some additional steps to see where the problem might lie.

Helga · 06-03-2018, 11:10 AM

Hi Michael,

Thanks for you response to my question!

When the computer boots I do see the grub boot screen (version 2.02 beta2-9 ubuntu 1.14)
It gives me 6 options and normally the first one chosen (Description: Linux Lite 2.6 GNU/Linux). The other choices are "advanced options for Description Linux Lite etc.", two memory tests, Debian GNU/Linux (4.0) (on/dev/sda1) and Advanced options for Debian GNU/Linux etc.
When I just let it run, the first option is executed and then I get a grey screen with a picture of a feather in the middle and a "progress bar" underneath. That fills up to halfway and then the screen turns black with my mouse pointer visible.

I tried the Ctrl-Alt-F1 key and that works, I now see the command prompt saying Helga-Eee login:
Unfortunately I do not know what to type there. I thought it was my password, but that comes next.

michaelk · 06-03-2018, 11:27 AM

linux lite is based on Ubuntu and debian for what its worth.

Quote:

I do not know what to type there

That would be your username.

Helga · 06-03-2018, 11:47 AM

This will come across as very silly but I do not know my username. I tried several options but none of them work.
When I used to start the PC it only asked for my password.

Helga · 06-03-2018, 12:02 PM

Correction, I know my username! It worked with my password but now I have no idea what to do next

michaelk · 06-03-2018, 02:20 PM

The system is as least booting and we can access files using the command line. Its just a matter of determining why the x server isn't.

It could be due to an update. Do you remember when / what / how it happened?

You can try adding nomodeset to the default boot option default line like below to see if that helps / fixes the problem.

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Code:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

sudo update-grub

To restart
sudo shutdown -r now

Helga · 06-03-2018, 02:47 PM

Nope, sorry, does not work. It shows me another grub boot screen (in black and white now) but the rest remains the same.
I don't use my Eee very often but as I wanted to take it on holiday with me I updated it about 4 (?) weeks ago to see if it still worked properly. And at that time it did.
But thinking back, I don't think I rebooted after the update, so it may be that the update is now causing this problem?

hydrurga · 06-03-2018, 02:55 PM

It sounds to me as if the update *may* have installed a new kernel that disagrees with your system. The next time you reboot the system, please choose "Advanced options for Linux Lite" and tell us what is listed there.

Helga · 06-03-2018, 03:00 PM

I do not get that option any more, now it says Advanced options for Ubuntu. Shall I change the grub back to what it was before so I then choose the Advance options for Linux Lite?

hydrurga · 06-03-2018, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helga

I do not get that option any more, now it says Advanced options for Ubuntu. Shall I change the grub back to what it was before so I then choose the Advance options for Linux Lite?

Not yet (although I'm unsure why you had two sets of Advanced Options in the first place and why there is only one now).

Try the Advanced Options for Ubuntu and see what options it gives.

Helga · 06-03-2018, 03:07 PM

The options I now have are

Ubuntu, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic
Ubuntu, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic (recovery mode)

hydrurga · 06-03-2018, 03:12 PM

Wow, that is an old kernel. More importantly though, there are no other kernels listed so there is no choice of using a previous kernel.

If you don't mind, can you revert your Grub file to the former one, reboot, and then see if the Linux Lite advanced options reappear?

Helga · 06-03-2018, 03:20 PM

No problem, and they do. The choices I get when I choose that option are

Description: Linux Lite 2.6 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic
Description: Linux Lite 2.6 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic (recovery mode)

Just to be complete, in the grub I also get to choose advanced options for Debian GNU/Linux (4.0) (on /dev/sda1)

hydrurga · 06-03-2018, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helga

No problem, and they do. The choices I get when I choose that option are

Description: Linux Lite 2.6 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic
Description: Linux Lite 2.6 GNU/Linux, with Linux 3.13.0-24-generic (recovery mode)

Just to be complete, in the grub I also get to choose advanced options for Debian GNU/Linux (4.0) (on /dev/sda1)

Choices, choices.

Ok, although we know what the likely result will be, can you now try the Debian GNU/Linux advanced options?