Ubuntu
xorg package

install fails on 2nd reboot (post distro install) screen blank

Asked by David

I'm running a Dell Optiplex 320 P4 3.00MHz
2 GB Ram
ATI Radeo 6450 PCIExpress video adapter (added in)
(to note: this is an add in card - BIOS does not allow "disable" option for integrated video - just a choice to use

a) onboard video,
or
b) AUTO select, meaning use ADD-IN video card IF PRESENT...)

I can boot into the Dell partition and run all sorts of exhaustive Hardware tests, which all PASS

It runs XP quite well, in fact

I have installed via WUBI, and it goes thru the install prep, reboots, goes thru the Ubuntu install, and reboots again...when it comes up, the screen is blank

On the second shot, I tried to bring the resolution down to 1280x1024 (after a WUBI uninstall) and then a 3rd with a drop to 1024x768

still a blank screen

any thoughts?

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David (dfkwild) said : 		#1

Ok, so more progress I tried to run my WUBI install by
1) updating to latest BIOS (mid 2009 date)
2) disabling the add-in ATI 6450 video card, and using the onboard ATI video card

it appears to work for about 5-10 minutes at a time, and then the entire system freezes

using the onboard is not desirable, as all of my investigation into the applications I want to run on this box do not like the onboard video card (and it's shared use of RAM)...perhaps this symptom is related?

BUUT it appears it is related to the video card... are there video driver fixes avail for the ATI Radeon 6450 PCIexpress card?

anybody? buehler? buehler?...

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

Is the RAM ealthy? There is a memtester on the liveCD. The fact you run Windows is NOT a memory test.

If you intend to use the extra device then DISABLE the onboard device. You may need the boot option:

nomodeset

To get to the desktop where you can install the proprietary video driver and you should be ok.

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David (dfkwild) said : 		#3

Hi Andrew thanks for responding

RAM is healthy...the test I ran was a very exhaustive Dell RAM test, not even DOS...it was a specific limited kernel test-it ran a bunch of specific tests for about 50 minutes...

Also, there is no specific ability to DISABLE, only 2 options:
1) Onboard-ON (use onboard video) or
2) AUTO-select Addin Video card (if Present, use PCI or PCIe add in video card)

ANYWAY, so I got the machine to boot 11.10 with the onboard card, and just for giggles, tried it again with the add-in card, and I have NO IDEA WHY, but it works now

I have been configuring and testing apps and burning ISO images that I can read, so all appears to work - any idea why it now works?

I now read that I need to step down to 10.4LTS, to run a specific machine controller package, so now that I have WUBI 11.1 I get to uninstall and hopefully have an easier time with the rollback

thnaks again

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David (dfkwild) said : 		#4

Problem "went away" so I'm not sure it was solved, but I will mark it so