Feisty not starting x-server

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 12:35 PM

hi i'm a complete newb at linux, i've just started experimenting with it last week. My problem is that i'm trying to setup feisty (ubuntu 7.04) on my (relatively) new Dell laptop. Whenever it starts up and boots, a message comes up with something like "xserver failure, most likely your server is configured wrong... would you like to see an output..." then "x-server disabled, please restart after GDM is changed..." (something like that)
i've seen that some other ppl have had this problem, and in their cases, it has been a problem with their video driver / video card, or because they didnt use the text installer.
my video card is an ATI RADEON mobility 1400 (i think) and i doubt that it is the problem. i've tried multiple times to install feisty with all different types of installers and it still gets the same error.
Please someone help me! I don't want to have to reinstall windows xp!

My specs r:
Dell inspiron 9400 (from ~august 2006)
Intel Core duo @ 2GHZ
1 GB mem
ATI RADEON mobility 1400
120 GB HD

Please help!

phantom_cyph · 06-14-2007, 12:41 PM

Uh...can you tell us what you see? Does it log you into a terminal?

If so, try "sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg"

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 12:44 PM

i've heard that that command might work, but i'm right now in the middle of a reinstall, because now all it does is just black the screen and not display anything. I'll give that a try when i can, thnx

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 12:47 PM

to answer ur question, though, yes... i think it logs into a terminal, but i'm not sure... i'm a newb at this, after all lol

phantom_cyph · 06-14-2007, 12:48 PM

OK. If it does load you into a terminal and still doesnt work, try and install a window manager or KDE.

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 12:55 PM

would u suggest trying kubuntu then? for the KDE?

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 01:26 PM

so now, after several reinstalls, it won't even display the ubuntu text and logo upon booting, and it just stays a black screen indefinitely.... what's up with this?

MarCarlos · 06-14-2007, 01:58 PM

Finally it works, i went through "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" and set the x windows driver to vesa, but now it says "error while preparing new Xorg X server config file... not attempting to update existing config..." so to me it seems like my settings were all ok before, but the xserver still wont start... what should i try?

phantom_cyph · 06-14-2007, 01:59 PM

The only thing I can think of is possible problems with your graphics card. But, I have an ATI Radeon Xpress 200 and mine works OK. I wonder if its just a laptop-type problem. If it is, I can't help you much there...

Emerson · 06-14-2007, 02:08 PM

You could try to edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf by hand.

Code:

Section "Device"
...
Driver      "vesa"
...
EndSection