The nouveau driver and Ubuntus kernel is not playing nice on your computer.
You need to install the proprietary Nvidia driver or Vesa driver to keep from getting a scrambled screen.

I ran into the same issue on my Ubuntu Minimal Iso install. Changing Lightdm, Changing Desktop Environments. This won't fix it.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2234937

Oh, I'm really sorry about that! I once corrupted my installation, and installing xfce was how I fixed it. At this point, if you have any data, plug your hard drive into another computer and move it off. Then, install Linux Mint.

Best of luck!

I downloaded (6 hours+) LinuxMint (Cinnamon edition) and have the ISO loaded to a bootable DVD. When I boot with the DVD in place I get the option to run Linux Mint. When it loads, there is an option on the screen to install LinuxMint, but I am unable to choose it. Eventually (about 1 minute) the system loses sync and I get the rising diagonal pattern similar to previous posts. The pattern is different in that less information seems to be in the pattern. My motherboard is an MSI K9N6PGM2-V2 model 7309. It uses the NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE chipset. I found the original drivers for the board, but have been unable to find any updates. I have them loaded on a USB stick. So, my progress? has been minimal. I appreciate the help I have received thus far, but have no idea on how to continue.

Try taking out the graphics card and install Linux Mint using the integrated graphics of your CPU.

Does your graphics card work with Windows?

c0d3d said: "Try taking out the graphics card and install Linux Mint using the integrated graphics of your CPU. Does your graphics card work with Windows?
These questions were answered in posts on 10-17-2014 and 10-22-2014. There is no separate video card and the motherboard has a VGA port where the monitor is connected. The resolution reported by Windows XP is 1350 X 768 and has no problems with sync using the NVIDIA chipset.
Linux Mint was installed with the motherboard providing the video from the same NVIDIA chipset and does not sync properly.
It seems the Linux is using different drivers which are unable to sync.
dfiggy

What CPU do you have?

Instead of I believe

should clear up matters slightly.

Along with a

One command used is

rokytnji , You asked about the processor in my system. It is an AMD Athlon 7850 Dual Core running at 2.87GHz with 2.75GB Ram. I will try your suggestions. Please let me know if my processor information affects the suggestions you made.
Thank you,
Dfiggy

AMD CPUs tend to not have integrated GPUs, and it doesn't seem like this one does. Do you have another graphics card? If so, try installing Linux Mint with that instead of your current one.

After all my trials with this computer, I've reached the point where I do not think it can be saved. I downloaded Ubuntu 14.04.1 and the system seemed to be operating. When started, the system reported the temperature sensor was disabled and in a short time the monitor was not in sync. Possibly this has been the root of the problem, although I had not seen this error reported before. I set the temperature monitor to a goal of 40C and I did not get the disabled message, but lost sync after a few minutes. I will clean and dispose of the hard disks in this computer and start fresh with building a new desktop computer. I appreciate all of the help I have received and thank all of you. It will be several months (perhaps Feb2015) before I have a system in operation, so "so long" until then.
dfiggy

I have not been successful after trying, so please close this thread. I will have my computer refurbished next year.
dfiggy

You can close this thread by marking the thread as solved (there's a link at the top of the page).