Graphics Resolution- Upgrade /Blank Screen after reboot

[zajc]

@MAFoElffen: Thank you for the answer. Honestly I was not aware of such hybrid-graphics cards. I tried to follow your instructions. Unfortunately HP Pavilion g7 BIOS does not have an option to switch switch-able video graphics. I was thinking to upgrade BIOS to see if they give support to switch cards but I couldn't find any "whatsnew" information. Anyway I would need Windows 7 to do the upgrade.

I was thinking to start with Ubuntu 10.10 Live CD and then using acpi_call module to switch on/off discrete graphics card (http://linux-hybrid-graphics.blogspo...tch-onoff.html). I think when I forcibly switch off notebook one of the card stays off or on.

Anyway I will wait for another instructions. At least I know what the problem is.

[MAFoElffen]

i found that on the nvidia site, for my pc, it says i need driver 96.43.19.

i think this driver is not recognized by 11.04 for some reason in the 'try me' mode or the install me mode. after installing it, 11.04 doesnt see it and the screen is useless.

any suggestions now for something to try?

in the terminal mode, i tried the sudo apt-getupdate and it did download a bunch of stuff but it all seems 11.04 related now, natty narwall and wants me to put the natty cd in.
nothing happens when i put it in. i will reboot and just see what happens.

When you "try without installing" from the LiveCD, you would not be running off any "additional drivers," as they would not be installed yet. For PV's with NVidia cards, follow post 3 (liveCD boot options) and use a "nomodeset" boot option. This is a kernel boot option that will allow {B's with Nvidia cards to work until you can get Ubunut installed and then the correct video drivers installed.

well that was a waste of 10 minutes. still get the unreadable graphics when i put the cd in. also at work today i made a new cd just in case there was some problem with it.

all i get when i say unreadable graphics on the Try Ubuntu, is what is my desktop, but it is very useless. I can see where i have a few things on my desktop, i can somewhat see the top tool bar just cos I know it is there, but he size and format of what i am seeing makes it look like the screen is on a very bad lsd trip, and i cannot do anything with it, clicking on something seems to work as a very unviewable screen will show up, and i cannot read what it says.

P'm assuming this is still without using a "nomodeset" option?

So I guess we'll take this in small steps--
You're booting off the LiveCD?
If you use a "nomodeset" as a boot option, how does it display?

[MAFoElffen]

Hi MAFoElffen:
I have upgraded my system to a new kernel after that new kernel I cant login to any thing I tried the new kernel it gives me a purple screen and sometimes a termenal screen stops at battery check, I have tried the old kernel and its the same, tried to login to recovery mood I have the same thing a purple screen.

I have tried the live CD to re-install my nvidia driver as you mention but with no luck,

is there anything you can help me with ?

Let me ask a few questions before I answer anything. Need to have an idea of what is going on.

1. What PC is it, with what vidoe card and what monitor?
2. You upgraded from what version to what version?
3. Is the OS version 32bit or 64bit?
3. What does it do or not do?
4, What did you try?
5. What video driver are you using?
6, What did you deongrade your kernel to?
7. What did you upgrade your kernel too?
8. Can you boot into a linux text console?

After answering those questions, we'll go on... I have an idea on what it is, just by where it's erring out and the workaround, but I need to know the above answers to answer you.

[MAFoElffen]

@MAFoElffen: Thank you for the answer. Honestly I was not aware of such hybrid-graphics cards. I tried to follow your instructions. Unfortunately HP Pavilion g7 BIOS does not have an option to switch switch-able video graphics. I was thinking to upgrade BIOS to see if they give support to switch cards but I couldn't find any "whatsnew" information. Anyway I would need Windows 7 to do the upgrade.

I was thinking to start with Ubuntu 10.10 Live CD and then using acpi_call module to switch on/off discrete graphics card (http://linux-hybrid-graphics.blogspo...tch-onoff.html). I think when I forcibly switch off notebook one of the card stays off or on.

Anyway I will wait for another instructions. At least I know what the problem is.

Renaming the xorg.cong to anything else (as you said you already have_ and using a "nomodeset" kernel boot switch on startup should let you boot again If not, boot up on a 11.04 LiveCD and follow the instructions on the second half of post 3 (right before the point of installing the driver lidtrf in that example) to mount your disk and system...

Once you "can" get to any kind of a terminal or text console, doing

lspci -vv | grep VGA

will return results that should confirm what it's spec's say about your laptop... It's probably going to say Intel... ATI.

Here is the instructions for doing swiching through the kernel through ACPI calls... written as it relates to Ubuntu:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HybridGraphics

You have to be able to boot into a text console... but that would get you close enough to install a current catalyst driver... which would get then get you closer to having somewhat acceptable graphics again.

Edit- You're going to have to switch off the ATI card via that APCI call previous to installing the driver.

[johnthei]

I do NOT get the Try ubutnu without installing screen with any options no matter what i try. I remember seeing this on OHTHER installs. not this one.

trying post # 3 instructions gets me no where. i still end up with the screen with unreadable graphics. pressing ESC does nothing. F6, F7 nothing. nothing changes i do not get the screen with the options to get to nomodeset.I do NOT get this At that screen, instead of picking a language, press the <esc> key and it should get you to this screen:



At this screen, it is a Grub Menu. Look at the lower right of the menu, where it says "F6 Other" Pressing <F6> will bring us this screen (below):
At that screen, instead of picking a language, press the <esc> key and it should get you to this screen:


I do not get the grub menu at all. no change in anything. all i can do at this point is try it and i get the unreadable screen, or start an install.

[MAFoElffen]

I do NOT get the Try ubutnu without installing screen with any options no matter what i try. I remember seeing this on OHTHER installs. not this one.

trying post # 3 instructions gets me no where. i still end up with the screen with unreadable graphics. pressing ESC does nothing. F6, F7 nothing. nothing changes i do not get the screen with the options to get to nomodeset.I do NOT get this At that screen, instead of picking a language, press the <esc> key and it should get you to this screen:



At this screen, it is a Grub Menu. Look at the lower right of the menu, where it says "F6 Other" Pressing <F6> will bring us this screen (below):
At that screen, instead of picking a language, press the <esc> key and it should get you to this screen:


I do not get the grub menu at all. no change in anything. all i can do at this point is try it and i get the unreadable screen, or start an install.

I just updated post #3. See if that makes any difference. The LiveCD does not really have a true grub menu > It does look like the pictures in post 3.

[johnthei]

no. i get the basic purple screen, get the welcome screen where it gives option to try or install. pressing, holding, pressing 100 times ESC does nothing. it did go to a black screen once for about 1 second and returned to the basic welcome install screen.

pressing any key does nothing. i can change languages that is it. I do NOT get the black try ubuntu without installing grub type menu at all.
I have seen this menu on other installs so i remember it. i do not get it. no way to get it. i tried lots of other keys, i do not get past the first install welcome screen.
I can try it where i get the unuseable graphics
or i can start an installation.

that is it.
if i have this problem i figure a few others do who also are clueless but are not on this forum.


logging off for the night. gotta get sleep getting up early to go fishing. fishing does not involve any computers.

thanks

[MAFoElffen]

no. i get the basic purple screen, get the welcome screen where it gives option to try or install. pressing, holding, pressing 100 times ESC does nothing. it did go to a black screen once for about 1 second and returned to the basic welcome install screen.

pressing any key does nothing. i can change languages that is it. I do NOT get the black try ubuntu without installing grub type menu at all.
I have seen this menu on other installs so i remember it. i do not get it. no way to get it. i tried lots of other keys, i do not get past the first install welcome screen.
I can try it where i get the unuseable graphics
or i can start an installation.

that is it.
if i have this problem i figure a few others do who also are clueless but are not on this forum.


logging off for the night. gotta get sleep getting up early to go fishing. fishing does not involve any computers.

thanks

Okay. Good night. I'll try a few things while your asleep and see if I can come up with something.

[zajc]

I was not able to get into text console. I did the following steps:
- I installed Xubuntu 10.10 64-bit and did all the (257) upgrades
- I installed ATI Catalyst 11.6... I can see GPU switcher...

Everything was working fine. Happy user, again.

Then I did upgrade to Xubuntu 11.04. Blank screen again. In grub2 menu I choose Previous Linux Version, 2.6.35-28 generic recovery mode. At least I can get into text console of failsafeX session. Hurray.

I did grub2 downgrade to 1.98 to see if this helps. Nothing, blank screen agin. At least in kernel 2.6.35-38 generic recovery mode I can get into text console. I renamed xorg.conf into xorg.conf.old. Blank screen.

lspci -v | grep VGA
VGA compatible controller: Ati technologies Inc M880G [Mobility Radeon HD 4200]
VGA compatible controller: Ati technologies Inc NI Seymour [AMD Radeon HD 6470]

grep -i switcheroo /boot/config-2.6.*
/boot/config-2.6.35-28-generic:CONFIG-VGA_SWITCHEROO=y
/boot/config-2.6.38-8-generic:CONFIG-VGA_SWITCHEROO=y

I also exeprimented with kernel 2.6.39-0.

With kernel 2.6.35-28 and 2.6.39-0 I can get into failsafeX or normal boot with vesa driver in xorg.conf. But fan is spinning like crazy.

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver		"vesa"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
EndSection

With 2.6.38-8 it is mission impossible. When booting from 2.6.38-8 Xorg.0.log is not even created to see which driver is trying to use.

I attached xorg logs when booting from 2.6.39-0 and xorg.conf is renamed to xorg.conf.old. I never get GUI, at least xorg.log is created. I picked up logs with failsafeX session.

Acpi_call suggested inhttps://help.ubuntu.com/community/HybridGraphics didn't work.

I will probably install Xubuntu 10.10, then upgrade xfce from 4.6 to 4.8 and I will wait for 11.10. I really need notebook

[Wanas]

Let me ask a few questions before I answer anything. Need to have an idea of what is going on.

1. What PC is it, with what vidoe card and what monitor?
2. You upgraded from what version to what version?
3. Is the OS version 32bit or 64bit?
3. What does it do or not do?
4, What did you try?
5. What video driver are you using?
6, What did you deongrade your kernel to?
7. What did you upgrade your kernel too?
8. Can you boot into a linux text console?

After answering those questions, we'll go on... I have an idea on what it is, just by where it's erring out and the workaround, but I need to know the above answers to answer you.

thanks for trying to help me but it was late so I reinstalled my ubuntu (I gave up searching for a solution and I cant live without linux one day )