MX Linux Forum

I am running mx 14 on an old sony vaio (2001ish). The computer will boot but when I get to the point where X starts I get nothing.... it was working yesterday. I have it set to boot as vga=791 or 792 and acpi=off

--edit--

To save people from having to read the thread:

... Basically I learned that there was an upgrade to the open source drivers and that this broke my nvidia driver which necessitated that I boot into run level 3 and run nvidia_install again. To boot into run level 3 add '3' into the boot options. To get to boot options press 'e' at the boot screen. The boot option are on the line that starts 'linux'

Will it boot in init 3 boot and using startx?

bmike1 wrote:I am running mx 14 on an old sony vaio (2001ish). The computer will boot but when I get to the point where X starts I get nothing.... it was working yesterday. I have it set to boot as vga=791 or 792 and acpi=off

Have you had any recent updates or new package installs that might be causing the problem?

Have you checked the /var/log/Xorg.0.log? (you might need to do that while in a LiveCD/LiveDVD/LiveUSB session)

I'm trying to scp the log file to a working computer and when I try to push it from the computer in question from a tty <cntrl-alt-f1> I get a 'connection timed out' and when I try to pull it to the working computer it won't accept my password.

I just looked at the log file and towards the end it says that it found screens but that there wasn't a usable configuration.

I had some Wheezy xserver/xorg updates recently. That will throw things off if a proprietary video driver had been installed.

well.... I did run the nvidia_install script. what should I do to fix this?

It would help to see the /var/log/Xorg.0.log, and maybe also the log that the nvidia-install script creates (/var/log/mx-nvidia-install_<datecode>.log).

I'm not familiar with scp. Is it possible to run a live session (CD,DVD,USB,etc.), mount the partition that the MX14 install is on, and post the log files (or a link to wherever you might have uploaded them to)?

You could also try running the nvidia-install script again in initlevel 3. (then be sure to do a shutdown & reboot before trying it again)

I just booted into mx14 live and it just occured to me.... could I transfer the xserver/xorg files from the live sesion to the installed version?

You could also try running the nvidia-install script again in initlevel 3. (then be sure to do a shutdown & reboot before trying it again)

Sorry I didn't see this suggestion. I tried this but I have a question how do I get to initlevel 3? I tried it hitting <cntrl-alt-F1> but running nvidia_install didn't do anything.

bmike1 wrote:You could also try running the nvidia-install script again in initlevel 3. (then be sure to do a shutdown & reboot before trying it again)

Sorry I didn't see this suggestion. I'll try this but I have a question before I do it..... how do I get to initlevel 3? Is that just <cntrl-alt-Fx>?

What I would probably do is add a "3" to the kernel options line in the grub screen menu, it'll boot to initlevel3 and present you with a login prompt. After logging in as root you can run nvidia-install.

<Ctrl>+<Alt>+<F1> after it fails to start X might also work. Do you get a login prompt when you do that? If you do, login as root, run `service lightdm stop` -- to kill lightdm, then run the `nvidia-install` command. When it's done shutdown, power back up after 30-60 seconds and try booting up again.

It's not unusual to have to run sgfxi twice (if that was what you tried first).

I keep an nvidia driver on hand just in case. Easy enough to boot a LiveDisk and Copy it to /home. Boot to init 3 and install it.

I'm assuming bmike1 ran my nvidia-install script (/usr/local/bin/nvidia-install -- aka Nvidia_Install in the Whiskermenu). Back when I was creating/developing the script (and actively testing it), running the install a single time was sufficient. If the nouveau driver was being used at the time you ran the install you did need to shutdown briefly before restarting (h2 recommends doing the same with sgfxi).

Joany used Nvidia_Install to install the nvidia driver on her MX14 install, I think she then had some problems when she tried switching to another install method (sgfxi and/or the installer directly downloaded from Nvidia ), so I think it might be best for bmike1 to stick with the nvidia-install script if at all possible.

running nvidia_install from run level 3 did it! I restarted the computer and it went throug the boot screen, then all the text ran by and x started and I sat there for a couple of miutes until I realized that this is what was broken.
Thank you so much for your help. Now I need to write this into my 'computer instructions' file so I will always have it.