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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

I use a HP Tx2 laptop. I run Maverick Meerkat. I was surfing the web with my Globacom 3G modem here in Owerri, Nigeria (which is actually a HUAWEI Mobile Broadband E173 modem) and got carried away and pulled it out of the USB port without shutting the system down first. (I'm supposed to be allowed to do rugged stuff like that with Linux! Smile

)
Now, my computer doesn't seem to be able to start the X Windowing System.
When I choose Ubuntu from grub, I get the initial purple Ubuntu flash screen with the five dots. After that the computer just hangs.
So, I proceed to reboot and choose "Ubuntu...recovery mode" from grub, and this takes me to the Recovery Menu. Nothing really helps me here, except the 'resume' option which dumps me at a bash prompt.

Trying 'startx' tells me that:
...Parse error on line 20 of section In in file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf
"In" is not a valid section name.
(EE) Problem parsing the config file
(EE) Error parsing the config file

Fatal server error:
no screens found
...
ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log
giving up.
xinit: No such file or directore (errno2): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno3): Server error.

Please how do I solve this problem? I have my original Ubuntu installation disc, that is LXFDVD139.

Thank you.

towy71 · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:11 am Post subject:

At the boot prompt choose Recovery mode and you should then be able to choose "failsafeX" then run Reconfigure graphics
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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

Choosing the fourth option, failsafeX (Run in failsafe graphics mode), outputs this on screen a couple of seconds before returing me to the blue and red and grey "Recovery Menu", Sir.
...
(EE) Problem parsing the config file
(EE) Error parsing tthe config file

Fatal server error
no screens found
...
ddxSigGiveUp: Closing log

nelz · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 3:27 pm Post subject:

You have a corrupt file at /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-evdev.conf - dpkg --search shows this belongs to the xserver-xorg-core package, reinstalling that package should correct the error.

However, I don't see how disconnecting a modem could corrupt this file, I suspect this is a coincidence.
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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

Thanks so very much, Nelz!
I think I agree with you about it not being the modem. Forgive the mistake, please. I'm trying hard to learn like Mike Saunders has been saying. But Linux can be VERY hard sometimes.
But how exactly is it that I can go about reinstalling this package via bash? I have no GUI?
And one more thing, Sir.
In trying to solve this broken X Server problem, I tried to overwrite xorg.conf.
I thought that was where the problem was from.
First, I tried backing up the xorg.conf so I could replace it later if anything went wrong. But I discovered that it wasn't there! That startled me. But I carried on. I then copied /etc/X11/xorg.conf.failsafe to /etc/X11/xorg.conf -- creating a new file.

But now, I get YET ANOTHER ERROR in addition to the earlier xinit error lines!
Now, the computer tells me:
xauth: error in locking authority files /home/stanley-bob-carl-ozoemena/.Xauthority
Sad

Please don't lose patience with this newbie.

nelz · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:24 pm Post subject:

Ubuntu doesn't use an xorg.conf by default, so delete the one you created. Install the package with

Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

Alright, Sir. :0) Thanks a lot. I'm on it. Lemme go get that recalcitrant Linux box...
(BTW do I need an Internet Connection to do this reinstall?)

nelz · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:46 pm Post subject:

Unless the package is still in your cache directory, which is unlikely, then yes.
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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

I just did as you instructed, Sir. It seemed successful, so I proceeded to reboot.
Now, the initial Ubuntu splash screen lasts a little longer; then it freezes again. Crying or Very sad

nelz · Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:11 am Post subject:

The first thing to do is remove the splash option at boot so you can see what is happening. the chances are that the computer has not actually frozen but is sitting there displaying a helpful error message that the splash screen is "protecting" you from.
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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

How do I do that, Sir?
Smile

Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

I'm trying to remove the splash option during boot; so I can see what's really going on with my computer. I've googled about how to remove this splash screen, Sir. I've learnt that I should edit this file /etc/default/grub. So, to do this, I proceed to boot my machine via LiveCD, and then navigate to the mentioned directory and locate the file and use gedit to edit file as root. I have changed the line:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
to
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="text"

However, on running sudo update-grub, my darling computer tells me:
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: cannot find a device for / (is /dev mounted?).

I have returned to googling to find out how to pass this next hurdle. Yet I find nothing germane to my problem. So I return to the LXF forums for assistance...

(I'm even afraid to shut the recalcitrant system down! Can I?)

Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

I'm googling and seeing stuff like
i915.modeset=1

(Hmm... I wonder whether I should try that...)

PCNetSpec · Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:26 am Post subject:

See here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Editing_the_GRUB_2_Menu_During_Boot

remove the quiet splash and hit Ctrl+X to boot.

Be aware any changes made here are for ONE boot ONLY, and will have to be reapplied on the next boot unless you add them to /etc/default/grub and update-grub to make them permanent.

You could also test your modeset idea here, by replacing quiet splash with i915.modeset=1 .. though from what I'm reading, the HP Tx2 is supposed to have an ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics adapter, so that is unlikely to work as it's a workaround for older Intel graphics chips.

But as long as you don't make the changes permanent, a reboot will clear the changes.

If the issue is graphics driver related using the xforcevesa (instead of your i915.modeset=1) kernel boot parameter *may* allow you to boot, then you can attempt to fix the issue.
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Stanoz · Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:24 pm Posts: 25

The update-grub command doesn't execute -- it still outputs the same error message as before.
My bootloader's still in it's old "splashy" state; the vital error message(s) are still hidden from me.

I've followed the link that you posted up. That was the same official Ubuntu Help page that furnished me with info on how to edit /etc/default/grub earlier on, Sir.
I have successfully edited and saved the file, but the sudo update-grub command still doesn't work; and hitting Ctrl+X doesn't seem to do anything. Or maybe I'm just doing it wrong.
At what point exactly should I hit Ctrl+X? Inside Gedit? Or the X-Terminal? Or when I'm at Gnome's peaceful desktop?

2. Trying i915.modeset=1, I reckon, won't help at this point because update-grub isn't executing. (I'm afraid to even try -- should it, all of a sudden, actually agree to update and confuse me!)

3. Even with all these problems, Linux is GREAT fun. Like Wow!

Smile