[ubuntu-uk] I'm stuck

[alan c]

norman wrote:
> Last week, after trying very hard, I managed to install a working
> version of Windows XP and then install a working version of Edubuntu.
> Success, I exclaimed and there things stayed over the week end, computer
> switched on but not in use, until this morning. In order to check
> another problem I needed to switch off and reboot the machine and this
> is what happened:-
> 
> Selected Shut Down and waited, just before finally shutting down I got a
> message telling me that 'video mode not supported', which lasted a
> second or so, and then the computer switched off. After waiting about 30
> seconds I pressed the start button and, after a short wait with a blank
> screen, a menu appeared from which I selected Edubuntu. (Please note,
> there was no screen showing mother board details such as Intel.)  I then
> got the message saying 'video mode not supported', which lasted for a
> second or so and then the screen asking for name appeared. I completed
> with name and password and when everything was fully loaded I again shut
> down the computer. 
> 
> As before, following the message 'video mode not supported', the
> computer switched off; 30 seconds wait, switch on, menu appeared,
> selected Windows XP and, after a short wait with a blank screen the
> dreaded blue screen appeared. (Please note, there was no error message
> about the video not being supported.)
> 
> So, there you have it. I have spent the weekend under the delusion that
> I had successfully installed a dual boot system, on one hard drive, of
> Edubuntu and Windows XP. This raises the following questions:-
> 
> Why no start up screen

I am not clear which scree this is? Is it the Ubuntu logo with a 
progress bar?

> Why the video error message

sounds a bit like graphics card is sending out stuff at that stage 
which the monitor (Flat screen lcd?) cannot digest

> Why the dreaded blue screen

Sorry, do not know, I have come to expect windows to be unpredictable 
and bsod being a useless diagnostic tool!

> Are these in some way connected

Is it possible that the clean install of windows requires a suitable 
driver for the graphics card (or monitor?).

> There may be more but I can't think of any at the moment. Friends, I
> have very little hair left and, if this goes on much longer, I will be
> completely bald, which is not a good thing with the winter upon us.
> Please, please help me get things sorted.

in the file
/boot/grub/menu.lst  you will see something like the following line 
(in your topmost or default list option)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-16-generic 
root=UUID=92fa534e-c39c-4a40-b507-db336f8876e0 ro quiet splash
If the 'quiet' is removed you will be shown more text during the boot 
process.

I think that the various boot up 'splash' displays may be a high 
resolution by default now and this may be too high for your graphics 
card settings or capabiltiy (?). It should not affect how ubuntu runs 
though, just what you see on the display during boot. I have a dell 
inspiron 1100 which had this ever since 6.06 I think. What do live CD 
s do?
-- 
alan cocks
Kubuntu user#10391