Strange x-windows

[Paul O'Malley - gnu's not unix -]

Karl Larsen wrote:
>     I have problems with x-windows. Most of the time it works fine and 
> no complaint. But when it goes bad the entire screen changes to a 
> strange pattern and my mouse and keyboard do not work. This sounds to me 
> like a problem with the x-windows files, since the screen and mouse and 
> keyboard are all made useless. The only repair is to hit the power 
> switch and start over.
> 
>     My question is, does anyone else have this same problem?
> 
> Karl
> 
Firstly,
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=617349

If this fails, go to another machine, try to ssh in.
sudo apt-get install ssh-server
would prepare the machine so it would be available remotely.

To be honest, strange things like this tend to be hardware related.

For instance, some item of hardware failing. Strongly suggest you make a 
backup of anything that is valuable to you.

Check it is not one of the peripherals by swapping them for known good 
ones, mouse keyboard etc.

Make sure the power lead is firmly inserted into the monitor.

Remove and plug back in mouse/keyboard.
(Hope you are not on a laptop or this advice more than likely becomes moot.)

If you are on an externally secured lan and can and and willing to trust 
the other occupants of the network you could run XDMCP, and then from 
another working machine try to connect to X on the problem machine.



Regards,

Paul