I'm have much computer experience but am new to Ubuntu.

I typed in sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop and it tells me it's already installed. Good. So it should work. I type sudo/etc/init.d/gdm start and the screen goes blank for 8 seconds three times in a row and then back to the command line. I have also tried gdm start without the path before and it says GDM already running. Aborting!

I have 8.10 and it's a valid disk (no errors).

Can someone help please?

Try...

You are logged in, I trust, that is you have a prompt with your user name?

Then try the command "init 5" which should take you to the GUI if the X window manager is running. Otherwise, try "startx" for which you may have to have root privileges .

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll try it and will brb

If it's already running try
Also, the GUI is normally on tty7. You can switch to that with CTRL+ALT+F7. This would normally be if you were in the desktop environment and switched ttys with CTRL+ALT+F[1-6].

You should not be root when running startx. (Unless you want to run X as root, which you shouldn't do.) Also, startx parses the file ~/.xinitrc, so you would need to have that setup to run your desktop environment. I don't know if Ubuntu has that setup by default, but the basic method would just be to have in it

Stand corrected...

I meant "sudo", but if I have correctly read the information posted, it seems that X is indeed running.

Ok I tried a few things with no effect.

When I typed sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart it stopped Gnome Display Manager and restarted it, in which case the screen would go black for 8 seconds 3 times in a row again.

I typed exec gnome-session and nothing happened. No error message or anything. I simply was brought back to the prompt.

I also hit CRL+ALT+F7 and all the text went away except for the letter e at the top of the screen on the left.

Not sure what's going on.

Oh yeah init 5 did nothing and brought me back to the prompt

Couple of other questions...

If you installed the normal Ubuntu version (the default download) you should be plopped into the GUI right off the bat. Only the Ubuntu Server edition does not do that by default.

If that failed right off the bat, then it is likely something to do with your video card/graphics driver. (which would also explain why GDM is failing.)

From the command line, do
Post the output; it should give you your graphics card. Ubuntu has a safe graphics mode option you should try booting into as well. Should be an option for that right as you begin to boot somewhere.

Also, Ubuntu 8.10 is going to reach end of life in April, just a couple of months. You might consider trying to install 9.10. That may also solve whatever troubles you're having.

01:00.0 VGA Compatible Controller: ATI Technology Inc Mobility Radeon HD 2400. It has run on my system about six months ago when I told it to install Ubuntu without any changes to my computer so I do know that it is capable of displaying the desktop.

Ok this may be a dumbass move on my part but everytime I restart the computer I have the disc in the tray and hit install Ubuntu. I know I should reboot and select my Ubuntu partition but there is no boot loader screen. It will just load Windows 7 automatically. So when I hit install Ubuntu it then it takes me to the command line after a minute or so of a mostly blank screen with the exception of some error that flashes really quick about starting x manager failed or something like that.

Would it really make a difference if I were to restart without the disc in and set the boot order to my Ubuntu partition? Or could I even be able to do that considering I see no boot loader ever?

Ok, so tell me if I have this right.

1) You installed Ubuntu 8.10 onto your harddisk. Windows 7 was already installed on the harddisk? Or you installed Windows 7 afterwards? If the latter, Windows will overwrite the linux bootloader and you will not be able to boot to Ubuntu until you reinstall GRUB or other linux bootloader.

2) Currently, you are just booting to a live CD. The live CD is giving an error regarding the display, and dropping you to the console.

Given that, the issue is almost certainly to do with the Radeon card. I would try safe graphics mode as I mentioned above, and again, the latest Ubuntu might resolve the problem, since the open source driver for your card has changed quite a bit since 8.10 was released. And, if you install 9.10, you can setup the dual boot again, so you have an option to choose between Ubuntu and Windows.

Thanks for the tip. You're right about how I should be updating to the newest version. And I did not realise that Micro$oft would wipe out my boot loader. I'll download the new version and give it a shot. Thanks for your time to everyone and the fast replies.

On this website I get replies so much faster than anywhere else.

Alex

Do it again...

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm

I recommend 9.04 as it has better support then 8.10 but it is not as unstable like 9.10.

I have also heard of some unsavory thing about 9.10. I recommend 9.04 as well as it seems much more stable.