12.04.2 low graphics mode no-go

[DoctorDidj]

I've used and loved Ubuntu on my existing desktop machine, so I'm trying to install Precise 12.04.2 on my new desktop machine -- brand new, never been touched, blank disk. I installed from USB stick, and the installation seemed to go fine, up to the point where I'm supposed to remove the USB stick and reboot.

Then I get this screen (please excuse the poor photograph):

240208

"""
The system is running in low-graphics mode

Your screen, graphics card, and input device settings could not be detected correctly. You will need to configure these yourself.
"""

Problem is, it doesn't respond to any mouse actions or keyboard actions at all. I can't get past this screen. This is with the hardware in identical configuration as during the install -- I didn't touch a thing. But it is through a KVM switch, and I wondered if that was causing the problem, so I tried it without the KVM switch. No difference -- same result, even with the keyboard, video, and mouse plugged directly into the box.

I don't know what to try next. Suggestions?

[grahammechanical]

So, to be clear. Did you reboot? Do you get a Grub boot menu? If not press Shift at boot time. At the Grub boot menu select Recovery Mode and at the next screen select Resume. This may get you to a working desktop where you can change video drivers through the Additional Drivers utility. If you install ubuntu an selected to install third part software, then you got a proprietary video driver installed by default. And it may be that driver that is causing this problem. I do test installs of Ubuntu and I never install third part software during the install and I get the open source Nouveau driver by default and I get to a desktop on reboot. You may need to experiment with video drivers. Proprietary video drivers have not been as safe as they once were.

Regards.

[DoctorDidj]

Thanks for your quick reply.

Yes, I rebooted, and no, I see no Grub menu, with or without holding Shift during boot.

I did try to install third-party video drivers during installation, and I'm willing to believe that could cause video problems, but I don't understand why the keyboard and mouse would be affected too. It's the same keyboard and mouse that were working fine during the install process.

[DoctorDidj]

What I'm trying now is a reinstall without installing third party software. We'll see if that helps.

[DoctorDidj]

Well, the reinstall fixed the video problem -- now a reboot gives me a login screen (low res, but useable).
However, there is still no response to keyboard or mouse. Why would that be?

[Bashing-om]

DoctorDidj; Hi ! Trials, Troubles and tribulations -> no step for a stepper !

As it is unknown at this time what state Xserver is in, this is only an attempt for an easier method.

From the command line interface input the terminal code:

software-center will start the Software Center -- with a screen full of warnings that you may ignore.
In USC enable the 3rd party software sources.
next in terminal:

jockey-gtk to launch the Additional Drivers utility.
Install the recommended driver.

In response to your question: mouse, keyboard and display are all controlled by Xorg. If we can get an appropriate driver installed, good chance the mouse and keyboard will work then too.

I too am try'n to help

[DoctorDidj]

Thanks for the helpful suggestions ...
but how do I type this stuff in without a working keyboard?

[MAFoElffen]

Does it run a LiveCD? Is this a Laptop or Desktop?

I'm guessing BIOS-ACPI interrupts, needing boot parameters to get around to get the input controllers working again...

[DoctorDidj]

Thanks for the suggestions and thoughts. I've been working on this problem with no success. However, I have noticed something I didn't notice before -- the BIOS reports a checksum error during bootup. Here's a photograph of the BIOS screen:
http://www.otolith.com/pix/20130320_111449.jpg

When I press F1, the BIOS does respond immediately:

http://www.otolith.com/pix/20130320_111459.jpg

So the BIOS is seeing the keyboard, at least. However, I still can't get Linux to see the keyboard or mouse. I see no Grub menu and holding Shift during boot does not get me any such.

Next thing to try is booting live (from USB stick) and see if I can access the Xorg stuff that way.

[DoctorDidj]

Update: I can boot live from USB stick and all looks fine -- the keyboard and mouse respond normally. From here I can mount the drive with the install on it. I see /etc/X11/ and it has a bunch of stuff in it, but I'm not sure what to do next. There's a directory /etc/X11/xkb/ but it's empty. There's no xorg.conf but there's a lot of other stuff. Where should I be looking to fix up the input device drivers?