Kubuntu - Console mode shows black screen, X works fine

shiv_379 · 08-06-2006, 05:10 PM

Well the subject line gives you a pretty good idea of the problem I'm having. From the login on Kubuntu if I choose to drop to console mode I get nothing but a blank screen. This stays there for a few seconds then it drops back to the X login screen.

Does anyone have any idea what could be the cause of this issue, or how I might be able to troubleshoot it?
On a possibly related note, I can't alt+F1 into a console either...nothing happens!

Any help much appreciated!
~Shiv

sabit · 08-06-2006, 06:04 PM

Have you tried ALT+CTRL+F1 combination? Do you see a blinking cursor or the whole screen is black?

Assuming you have graphical console enabled (which is the default), you might want to try to boot with text mode console. To do that try passing vga=normal in lilo. (kubuntu vga=normal).

shiv_379 · 08-06-2006, 06:14 PM

Sorry, where I said alt+f1 before I meant ctrl+alt+f1. Get nothing, not even any indicator that I've hit a recognised key combination. If I choose Console Login from the login screen I get a plain black screen, no cursor or anything.
Scuse the n00b response here, but what's lilo? is it a boot manager like grub? I know I'm using grub on this system...

EDIT: There are a number of "getty" processes running, and I understand these are the consoles, no? So they're there, I just cant get to them :O(
~Shiv

sabit · 08-06-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiv_379

Scuse the n00b response here, but what's lilo? is it a boot manager like grub? I know I'm using grub on this system...

EDIT: There are a number of "getty" processes running, and I understand these are the consoles, no? So they're there, I just cant get to them :O(
~Shiv

Oh... yeah, just use grub to enable textmode console.

type 'e' after selecting Kubuntu entry in grub

append vga=normal after the kernel command. Type 'b' to boot. You can make this permanent in /etc/grub.conf (or /boot/grub/grub.conf)

shiv_379 · 08-07-2006, 06:15 AM

Do you mean from the grub boot screen or from Konsole in Kubuntu?

Sorry if I'm being stupid here!
~Shiv

sabit · 08-07-2006, 02:49 PM

Grub boot screen

shiv_379 · 08-07-2006, 04:11 PM

Ok, I'll give that a go. However I don't seem to have a grub.conf file there, or anywhere according to the output of locate! I do have a file called menu.lst there if that's any use? That seems to store the details of what shows on the grub menu, along with some other elements...

Edit: That seems to have worked (when I figured out what I was supposed to be doing). So I guess this indicates there's a problem with the "nvidia" drivers in console mode maybe?
I also still can't ctrl+alt+F1 into a console from the desktop

~Shiv