x-server won't start - black screen (after purging *nvidia* files on HD4000 system)

Question

For about three months now I've been trying to fix a problem with my x-server.

The problem occured after lightdm starts as usual. After entering the password to my account the loading-screen showed up, but returned me to lightdm. Now I've ended up with a black screen, trying to solve the problem.

Things I tried so far:

• created a test account previously: this worked, i can login without any problems

• chown all .Xauthority files to my user

• chown all files in /home/.encryptfs/myaccount/.* to my user

• purged nvidia driver files after i read about similiar problems, caused by nvidia driver updates: this resulted in the black screen (so screen is on but doesnt show anything when started with standard grub options). I don't understand how purging a useless driver on a intel HD 4000 graphics machine can result in a black screen. This confuses me most.

• reconfiguring xserver-xorg

• set kdm instead of lightdm

• start xserver from console using startx -v: first resulted in the errors attached below, now delivers X: /tmp/.X11-unix has suspicious mode (not 1777) or is not a directory, aborting. xinit: giving up xinit: connection to server lost

• sudo apt-get install --reinstall xserver-xorg xorg plymouth-x11

• reinstalled the kernel: I can't explain myself how this could possibly NOT fix the black screen problem, the newer kernels as mine (...0.23) all have the HD4000 drivers on board, it must have the correct drivers now! So in my opinion this can't be a graphics issue, but the blackscreen appeared the next time after purging the nvidia drivers.
• add the x-swat repository and install HD4000-driver from there: again nothing
• boot from live-media: drops back to busybox initramfs interface
• boot without quiet option
• boot without splash: enables me to get at least reliable access to console login & interface
• boot with nomodeset quiet splash: works sometimes an brings me to console login & interface, sometimes not

As mentioned a new account created as a test worked, so I thought there might be a problem with the authorities. But checking an changing the owners' rights of files known to cause such problems. Unfortunately this didn't solve the problem. After some webresearch I found out that nvidia driver updates recently caused similiar problems, so i removed and purged the driver files. I expected that there would be a image on the display though, like in VGA-mode in Windows OS. This is not the case, so now I'm facing a blackscreen problem in addition, that somehow cant be fixed by reinstalling the drivers, or never was caused by purging the nvidia-drivers.

What I did before the xinit Problem in the first place appeared: - I added this script to the autostart:

#!/bin/bash
#!/bin/sh
# wait for the dock state to change
sleep 2.0
DOCKED=$(cat /sys/devices/platform/dock.0/docked)
case "$DOCKED" in
    "0")
       #undocked event - lets remove all connected outputs apart from LVDS
       for output in $(/usr/bin/xrandr -d :0.0 --verbose|grep " connected"|grep -v LVDS|awk '{print $1}')
         do
         /usr/bin/xrandr -d :0.0 --output $output --off
       done
    xrandr --output LVDS1 --rotation normal
        xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen stylus" MapToOutput LVDS1
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen eraser" MapToOutput LVDS1
    # rotates the tablet input to the according position (half=180°, (c)cw=(counter)clockwise, none=normal)
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen stylus" rotate none
    # if multiouch present set: xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 E6 Finger touch" rotate half
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen eraser" rotate none
    ;;
    "1")
    ## rotates internal Laptop Display LVDS1 to inverted
    xrandr --output HDMI2 --auto --above LVDS1
    xrandr --output LVDS1 --rotation inverted
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen stylus" MapToOutput LVDS1
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen eraser" MapToOutput LVDS1
    # rotates the tablet input to the according position (half=180°, (c)cw=(counter)clockwise, none=normal)
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen stylus" rotate half
    # if multiouch present set: xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 E6 Finger touch" rotate half
    xsetwacom set "Wacom ISDv4 90 Pen eraser" rotate half
    ;;
esac
exit 0

• some standard updates from Canonical were installed

I use:

• Kubuntu 12.10

• Lenovo x230t

• intel core i7 3520M with integrated HD 4000 graphics

Additional information about the initial errors, before purging nvidia:

output of startx -v

Console lines after attempt to login via lightdm

output of ls -la 1

output of ls -la 2

output of ls -la 3

output of ls -la 4

output of ls -la 5

Answer 1

Try booting to live session in order to access your data files and backup everything you need/wish to keep.

When this happens can you access tty (Ctrl+Alt+(F1...F6))?

At boot time load Grub menu by pressing and holding Shift immediately after POST screen drops. Check that "text" is not replacing "quiet splash" (or whatever boot options are selected) on kernel option being booted.

Why was it necessary to remove nvidia drivers? Do you have intel CPU and GPU onboard?

By which ever means (tty, recovery command prompt, command prompt) what does lspci -v give regarding your graphics being used?

Would removing the script that was added to autostart stop the xinit problem?

@phaeton616 states:

The problem occured after lightdm starts as usual

then why highlights "set kdm instead of lightdm"?

When chowning; did you consider any of the points of concern raised here?

Possibly the answer to all these questions indicate it is time for reinstall?

Have you tried booting to an Ubuntu DVD? Reinstall the OS of your choosing.

Answer 2

1.) I'm a bit confused: when does the problem appear? only if you try to log on to your account or earlier in the boot-process?

2.) ad script: is this a 1:1 copy? if yess: it seems like there is an open bracket in the 7th line