[ubuntu-uk] Unity - fails to load automatically -- "low-graphics mode crashes"

[Philip Stubbs]

On 9 May 2012 13:09, Matthew Sturdy <matt.sturdy at gmail.com> wrote:
> - I start up, and select Ubuntu from the dual boot menu.
> - Then the screen goes black, with a non-blinking cursor in the top-right of
> the screen.
> - Then I see the "low-graphics" mode dialog.  This dialog doesn't respond to
> anything.
> - I use ALT+CTRL+F3 to drop to tty3. (tty1 and tty2 don't respond)
> - I use 'sudo service gdm restart' to bounce the GDM.
> - then I see the login pages, and everything is normal from then on.  As far
> as I can tell, I am using Unity 3D when I log in.
>
>
> I have a separate discrete graphics card, which doesn't sit well with Linux,
> but the built-in processor is not underpowered.  However, I suspect that
> this is confusing gdm when it starts, and so it is showing me this screen.

What graphics card do you have? Do you have the correct driver
installed? Can I suggest you run 'lspci' and make sure that your
graphics card is seen by Linux. You could also look into
/var/log/Xorg.0.log and see what X is doing on startup.

One thing I like to try is to stop gdm/lightdm whatever, and then run
startx. If it fails it often gives a helpful message.


-- 
Philip Stubbs