ubuntu is running in low-graphics mode

[watsonsun]

Pse Help -- newbee
Ubuntu 9.04 was running beautifully for months. Did an update and had all sorts of errors. Thought that I could just reinstall the whole ubuntu desktop and get it going again -- wrong!! After the new installation, I got this message

ubuntu is running in low-graphics mode

EE GARTinit: unable to open /dev/agpgart (No such file or directory)
EE drm drm Open failed
EE intel(O) dri DRIScreeninit failed/ Disabling DRI
EE intel(O) Failed to allocate framebuffer. Is your VideoRam set too low?
EE intel(O) Couldnt allocate video memory

My mouse also did not work. Tried reinstalling a few times and got the same message. When I accept the low resolution mode, the screen appeared normal, but only occupied 4/5 th of the monitor. Unfortunately without a mouse, I do not know how to get the terminal working.

I tried reinstallation many times, each time deleting the partition and recreating the partition. But the same results.

Strange, when I run ubuntu 9.04 from my CD, without installation, everything is ok, ie no resolution or mouse problems.

My system is on dual boot with Win 7

Would appreciate any help, thanks

[tommcd]

To get to a virtual terminal hit: ctrl + alt + F2 and login.
See what modules are being loaded:

lsmod | less
Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the output.
I use intel video on my laptop. I have these drivers loaded (among many others):
drm agpgart intel_agp
Verify that those drivers are being loaded. If any are not listed then:
First hit the "q" key to exit from less. Then stop the X server :

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
Then load any of those drivers that were not loaded:

sudo modprobe drm agpgart intel_agp
If you can't modprobe them all at once then modprobe them one at a time.
Then restart X:

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
It should take you to the Ubuntu login screen. If it doesn't then hit: ctrl + alt + F7. See if the video is ok.
If this works we can add those modules to your /etc/modules file so they load automatically at bootup.

[watsonsun]

Hi Tommcd

thanks for the direction.
when I enterred

lsmod | less, I get the following
usb_storage
r8169
mii
fbcon
tileblit
font
bitblit
softcursor

I then typed
sudo modprobe drm agpgart intel_agp
I get
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory

Sorry for asking a foolish question. What does this statement mean:
If you can't modprobe them all at once then modprobe them one at a time.
Am I supposed to type
sudo manprobe r8169, mii, fbcon ... ?

When I typed sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start
I get back to the low-graphics mode

I tried to start the by typing startx
I get
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory
EE drm drm Open failed
EE intel(O) dri DRIScreeninit failed/ Disabling DRI
EE intel(O) Failed to allocate framebuffer. Is your VideoRam set too low?
EE intel(O) Couldnt allocate video memory

Like what I mentioned earlier, when I run ubuntu 9.04 from the same CD, without installation, everything is ok. No problem with my screen

[watsonsun]

I fail to mention that when I type
lsmod | less

the list that showed did not include
drm agpgart intell_agp

I then typed
sudo modprobe drm agpgart intell_agp

I get
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory

when I tried to do a listing on that directory, I only get
2.6.28-11-generic.
there is no directory 2.6.28-15-server

Thanks

[tommcd]

When I said to modprobe them 1 at a time, I was referring to the 3 modules I listed in bold type: drm agpgart intel_agp. So to modprobe the 1 at a time it would be:


sudo modprobe drm
sudo modprobe agpgart
sudo modprobe intel_agp

So look for those 3 modules in the output of lsmod. If any of those 3 modules are not listed then modprobe them as I listed here.
I don't know why you are getting the:

FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory

error. Did you install Ubuntu 9.04 from the server install CD or the minimal install CD or something?
Try modprobing the 3 drivers I listed after stopping the X server (sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop, then restart the X server (sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start) as per my last post.
If that doesn't work, the only other thing I can suggest is to boot to recovery mode and choose the option xfix fix the video and then reboot and see if that fixes your desktop.

[watsonsun]

Silly me. Will try your suggestion when I reach home and have access to my desktop.
sudo modprobe drm
sudo modprobe agpgart
sudo modprobe intel_agp

I installed my desktop from a CD, whose image I downloaded from the internet. I have used this CD on my notebook and it installed very smoothly. When I used this CD to run Ubuntu (from CD) without installing on the desktop, it also worked smoothly.

I have tried installing about 3 times now, each time deleting and recreating the partition, and everytime, the same results, ie low - graphics mode. Also it kept refering to this directory 2.6.28-15-server. The only sub-directory that exist is 2.6.28-11-generic

Thanks very much for your help and patience. Will get back to you with the results asap.

[watsonsun]

ok, tried

sudo modprobe drm
sudo modprobe agpgart
sudo modprobe intel_agp

got similar errors for all
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory
tried
sudo apt-get install drm - couldn't find package
sudo apt-get install agpgard - couldn't find package
sudo apt-get install intel_agp - couldn't find package

Tried as instructed below was unsuccessful
'If that doesn't work, the only other thing I can suggest is to boot to recovery mode and choose the option xfix fix the video and then reboot and see if that fixes your desktop'

Still get low-graphics mode.

Can anyone tell me why it is looking for 2.6.28-15-server. The only sub-directory that exist on my desktop is 2.6.28-11-generic. Also my CD is Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop.

I have reinstalled many times, using both the image for desktop and also for server, but the same low-graphics result.

However, if I run it direct from my CD, without installing, there is no problem

Thanks to all.

[watsonsun]

I must apologise to commcd. After all his advise and hard work, i found that the problem was created by me. I initially installed and ran on Ubuntu 9.04 server. however after a rogue update, my system crashed. I then deleted the partition and installed ubuntu 9.04 desktop. As there were many previous installations shown in my startup screen, i always assumed that the one on top was the latest. However in this instance, the top link was an old installation of my 9.04 server, which was deleted when I deleted my partition. So when I tried to start my ubuntu with this link, it was looking for the server directories and I ended up getting the error
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.28-15-server/modules.dep: No such file or directory

When I clicked on the correct link, ie 9.04 desktop, everything worked ok.

Once again thank you all and consider this thread closed

[tommcd]

No apology needed. Glad you got it fixed. I guess I was on the right track when I asked about Ubuntu server.