Freezes at Stopping System V runlevel compatibility [ok]

[Nick_C]

I have installed Server (minimal install) with Virtualization role. On top of this I have tried to install Ubuntu desktop:


sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop


Unfortunately after a reboot the machine freezes at:

Stopping System V runlevel compatibility [ok]

I can get to tty1 with ctrl-alt-F1 but where to go from here.

Thanks,

[searchfgold6789]

Ding ding ding!!! Graphics. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1859820

[Nick_C]

Thanks, that looks like a reasonable possibility.

Actually I have now over-written that server install with a command line installation from the alternate CD. Unfortunately this also seems to suffer from a graphics related problem, just a bit different.

Command line only installation of 11.10 from the Alternate CD text mode install all went well but on reboot the screen is unreadable. I can however ctrl-alt-F1 into tty1 and the screen becomes readable.

I have tried


sudo apt-get install nvidia-current

but this errors with: Unable to locate package nvidia-current

I then tried


sudo apt-get install --reinstall nvidia-173
(but don't know how to tell if this is the version I have)

but same error: Unable to locate package nvidia-173

How can I find what graphics driver I have installed.

[Nick_C]

Ah just discovered that I had to insert the Alternate CD for this to work.

sudo apt-get install nvidia-current
now worked and installed ok

Unfortunately this does not quite solve the problem. Although a graphical mode starts it now freezes with a red flashing underscore cursor at the top left of the screen.

[searchfgold6789]

Well, are you positive that you have a nVidia brand graphics card? you can find out your GPU with the command
lshw -c graphics and then get the appropriate drivers...
Also, check out these two threads: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11556799 and http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11638267

[Nick_C]

Well, are you positive that you have a nVidia brand graphics card? you can find out your GPU with the command
lshw -c graphics and then get the appropriate drivers...
Also, check out these two threads: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11556799 and http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11638267
Definately sure it is an nVidia Quadro NVS 295.

Command lshw -c graphics does not return any result.

[searchfgold6789]

Sorry, in that command I should have replaced "graphics" with "display", but no matter, as you are sure about the graphics card.
Your graphics driver version is actually 185, not 173, so try installing those instead with APT:
sudo apt-get install nvidia-185Or if that doesn't work, get them from nVidia: (as long as you agree to the license agreement (http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload-March2009/licence.php?lang=us) they have):
wget http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/185.18.36/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-185.18.36-pkg1.run
chmod a+x ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-185.18.36-pkg1.run
sudo sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86-185.18.36-pkg1.run

[Nick_C]

Had a bit of a problem with

ERROR: this .run file is intended for the Linux-x86 platform, but you appear to be running on Linux-x86_64. Aborting installation

Spent a while trying to ad various repositories to get this driver but couldn't find it anywhere, is there a repository I could add to allow this to installed directly?

Eventually I tried guessing and found I could get it by just modifing the file to

http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/185.18.36/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-185.18.36-pkg1.run

Arggg..
Nearly worked but running it causes

ERROR Unable to find the system utility 'Id' please make sure you have the package 'binutils' installed

Fixed that by

sudo apt-get install binutils

Now get error

No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you like the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel from the NVIDIA ftp site?
to which I answer yes, but then get faced with

No precompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site; this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for your kernel
Answer OK, but then errors with

ERROR: Unable to find the development tool 'cc' in your path; please make sure that you have the package 'gcc' installed

So now install gcc

sudo apt-get install gcc

And try again... now errors with

ERROR: Unable to find the development tool 'make' in your path; please make sure that you have the package 'make' installed

So now install make

sudo apt-get install make

And try again... this time get

ERROR Unable to determine the version of the kernel sources located in '/lib/modules/3.0.0-12-server/build'

This is starting to get very complicated, where do I go from here?

[searchfgold6789]

I would have tried the APT command first:
sudo apt-get purge nvidia-173
sudo apt-get install nvidia-185

But anyway, in answer to your question, the answer is to install the `kernel-source` package:
sudo apt-get install kernel-source

[Nick_C]

I would have tried the APT command first:
sudo apt-get purge nvidia-173
sudo apt-get install nvidia-185

But anyway, in answer to your question, the answer is to install the `kernel-source` package:
sudo apt-get install kernel-source

Thanks for that. Ok I will try again.

All getting a bit complicated keeping track of what I have done so far therefore starting again on a fresh install of
Install Server - normal install, with Virtual Machine Host role selected.

Desktop then installed by

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recomends ubuntu-desktop

Now to moving on to your suggestion

sudo apt-get purge nvidia-173
returns: Package nvidia-173 is not installed, so not removed

sudo apt-get install nvidia-185
returns: Unable to locate package nvidia-185


Do I need to set some repository for this to be found?

[Nick_C]

I desided to install a minimal desktop with

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends ubuntu-desktop

Still freezes but does let me run desktop from ctrl-alt-F1 -> startx. However desktop is quite flaky and locks up frequently.

Not great so decided to remove desktop

sudo apt-get remove ubuntu-desktop
However this doesn't seem to have worked properly, startx still starts up the desktop! What have I done wrong, what do I need to do to actually remove the ubuntu-desktop and all of its files?

[searchfgold6789]

You're crashing because you don't have graphics drivers.
If you have GUI capabilities after installing ubuntu-desktop, install 'jockey-gtk'. That will help you get your drivers set up via GUI, if you are still crashing.
Alternately, install the drivers from the website or with apt-get as I described before.


In answer to your question, tha following command should do the trick:
sudo apt-get purge ubuntu-desktop && sudo apt-get --purge autoremove

[Nick_C]

Just installed jockey-gtk. Also done an apt-get update & apt-get upgrade.

Choose the nVidia driver from the Restricted Drivers GUI.

Unfortunately still same problem, freezes at boot and need to issue startx manually to get the GUI running.

[searchfgold6789]

This website will show you how to run a script at bootup:
http://embraceubuntu.com/2005/09/07/adding-a-startup-script-to-be-run-at-bootup/
Create a file with the command 'startx' in it to use with those instructions.
Good luck,
- Richie

[Nick_C]

Thanks Richie, decided perhaps best thing is to go with your suggestion of recompiling the kernel with the correct graphics drivers...

Well I was but had a problem with apt-get install kernel-sources

Package kernel-sources has no installation candidate

Then read about kernel-package so installed that but still kernel-sources has the same problem and nVidia driver won't install because of this missing kernel source.

Is there some app repository I need to add to make this source available?

Actually just cleaned up a bit and reinstalled jockey-gtx and now discover that the following driver is available which I have now installed:

NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library

Noticed an error message in the tty1 terminal after issuing startx:

(EE) Failed to load module "nv" (module does not exist, 0)
Ran sudo nvidia-xconfig

Validation Error: Data incomplete in file /etc/X11/xorg.conf, Device section "Default Device" must have a Driver line

that error now fixed but still not booting up automatically.

Trying manual nVidia driver install again but

ERROR Unable to determine the version of the kernel sources located in '/lib/modules/3.0.0-15-server/build'

and cannot install kernel source because:


Package kernel-source is not available, but is referred to by another package.
Package 'kernel-source' has no installation candidate

[searchfgold6789]

Here's what you'll need to do:

First, install the linux-source package (I guess I got the package name wrong):

sudo apt-get install linux-source
Then, try redoing the installation of the nVidia drivers.


OR

Install the drivers using jockey-gtk.


THEN

Create a new text file with the following contents called 'x.sh' in your home directory:

#!/bin/sh
startx
Then, make the file executable, move the file to your /etc/init.d folder, and update the startup scripts:
chmod a+x ~/x.sh
sudo mv ~/x.sh /etc/init.d
update-rc.d x.sh defaults