boots to command line, startx fail, nvidia xconf & recovery boot problems

**MrSpike16** · December 19th, 2012

If you now have a network connection then you can try:

Code:

rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf
apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

First command only needed if you created a xorg.conf file.

When there is a kernel or Nvidia driver update, a new NVIDIA kernel module must be
built using the linux-headers and this didn't happen. Cause is usually the linux-headers
didn't get installed. Once linux-headers is installed, it will build the module automatically.

When its completed reboot. This should work but if it doesn't I will give you the commands to reinstall Nvidia driver.

P.S. "trying network mode fails like the other recovery mode problems i.e. t just stops after 'sdb1'" This maybe caused by by a error in the fstab file. In my case my swap had the wrong UUID and couldn't mount.

**dez93_2000** · December 19th, 2012

i got some good advice from someone here:
https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/t...please-help-/1

but by that point i'd already gotten it to boot - though i'm sure it's now more stable. my problem now is that the efforts to fix the problem resulted in the mouse and keyboard now not working. i researched and fixed the mouse by editing xorg.conf but the keyboard doesn't want to change - there are a lot of people out there who seem to have the same problem, and lots of them don't seem to have fixed it.
Some of them have said their solution was to upgrade to 12.10. i've been reluctant to do so as I use classic interface i.e. not unity, but i've been tempted to take the plunge. i can't though: i can't boot into ubuntu and type anything, and you can't upgrade from the root recovery command line.
BOOO.

i'll try those two suggestions now

**MrSpike16** · December 19th, 2012

With the Nvidia driver you don't need a xorg.conf, but if one is created it will be used which can lead to problems.

Here is the instructions for re-installing Nvidia driver which might be a better solution here after re-reading the problem:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge nvidia*
sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current nvidia-settings

I added sudo because it sounds like you got back to the desktop. This will install the default Nvidia driver version and not the latest. One of my computers had a problem with this version though!!.

If all else fails reinstall Nouveau (the open source driver for Nvidia cards) for now till Nvidia mess is fixed:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge nvidia*
sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo apt-get purge xserver-xorg-video-nouveau
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

I have three computers that took the new kernel and Nvidia driver but the Nvidia Settings is broken on one and won't launch.

**dez93_2000** · December 19th, 2012

guys unfortunately i'm going to have to bank these answers as it's 5:05am and i've got an early flight tomorrow. A whole day wasted and complete problem not solved - thanks all for your help though. For ref: the nvidia forums guy was super helpful, defo worth asking there if you're in the same boat. The fixes I found had already sorted it, at the cost of screwing up my mouse (since fixed) and keyboard (not).

merry xmas problem solvers!