Ubuntu 11.10 refuses to display correctly after software update

[Ric Moore]

On 05/15/2012 10:42 PM, John Schroer wrote:
> I have a Pentium 4 system with 1 gb RAM,, EVGA GEFroce FX-5200 video,
> 400 gb SATA Drive, Samsung 21.6" Syncmaster flat screen.
> It has been running 11.10 Ubuntui with no problem, until I did a
> software update.  Now all I get is a white screen with strange ascii
> characters on it.   I have tried goiong to previous versions of Ubuntu
> on the GRUB, but to no avail.
> Thanks for any help you can provide.

Can you switch into text mode? ctrl-alt-f1? Can you login there 
successfully? ctrl-alt-f7 will put you back into graphics mode.

If you can use text mode, and it appears you have a working system, 
other than the graphics, then you have a good chance to repair it.
If you can get to the web on another machine this page should get you 
rolling:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto/Nvidia

Basically, you will use jockey-text while in text mode.
jockey-text --help     <---so you can see the options
jockey-text -l         <---list what the machine sees installed
jockey-text -e xorg:nvidia_current  <---to install the driver.

then: sudo nvidia-xconfig    ...to write a new xorg.conf file. Reboot.

I hope that works. The FX-5200 is long in the tooth, but it is a very 
reliable card. I used one for ages. Ric



My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
http://linuxcounter.net/user/44256.html