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I'm new to Linux, trying to revive an ancient Samsung N130 netbook (Intel Atom N270, single 1.6 GHz core, 2 GB RAM, Intel graphics) using Lubuntu.

When I try to boot from HDD after successful installation, it shows some garbled graphics (what should be a line of text and blinking cursor), then shuts off the monitor. I'm assuming it's a graphics driver problem since the computer keeps running with the HDD access LED flashing every now and then.

  • It boots just fine as a live system from a USB drive with the native display resolution. Why? Shouldn't it use the exact same drivers?
  • It also boots fine if I put "nomodeset" in the boot options in grub, but then doesn't give me the option to use the native display resolution, only allows 800 x 600 graphics, which I don't like.
  • Reinstalling didn't change anything.
  • I tried creating /etc/X11/xorg.conf since it was missing, but I think that's normal? No idea what it does, just following advice.
  • xserver-xorg-video-intel is installed per default apparently

Please help me, tell me what I can try to make it work. As I said I don't have much experience with linux, I know how to open a terminal and type whatever someone tells me to put there, but I'd like to understand what I'm doing, too.

Thanks a lot for reading and replying!

Simon
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  • I had this problem with 16.04 but it was because Lubuntu left out the Intel graphics driver at initial release. You are on the right track, you need to boot with nomodeset and then fix the graphics driver. After booting with nomodeset, go to Additional Drivers and see what is available for video. I, too, don't understand why it works fine in the live session; that was my experience as well. – Organic Marble Nov 01 '17 at 12:26
  • Thanks, I thought the i915 drivers were embedded in the kernel? The "additional drivers" window only shows an option for an "unknown device" and allows me to either select to not use proprietary code or to use intel microcode, I set it to the proprietary code but that didn't resolve the graphics issue. Idk what I can do to fix the graphics driver while booted with nomodeset, and coming from Windows with a device manager I feel kinda lost with how and where to fix the driver here. – Simon Nov 01 '17 at 22:00
  • I wish I had more info for you. On my netbook it was because the xserver-xorg-video-intel was left out of the original Lubuntu release, but you already checked that. – Organic Marble Nov 02 '17 at 00:05
  • Here are some answers to a similar question. I did install mesa-utils but I don't think that is what fixed my problem. However, it is safe to try that. https://askubuntu.com/questions/166224/how-do-i-install-the-intel-graphics-driver-in-my-system – Organic Marble Nov 02 '17 at 00:11
  • Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately mesa-utils didn't do anything so I uninstalled it again. I made a video of the booting sequence, after the garbled graphics and showing part of the desktop on the right it shuts off the monitor, then I hit Ctrl + Alt + F1 to get into the console, which is also completely garbled (but works), then I hit Alt + F7 to get back to the Desktop which then only shows on the right again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8oraE-tWiE – Simon Nov 02 '17 at 02:09
  • Are you having the problem where 80% of the screen is black? There is a workaround at the bug report https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1724639 – Organic Marble Nov 06 '17 at 01:31
  • I have a similar issue, but the 17.10 live CD doesn't work. I can make a 17.04 CD work and install fine. But after system updates, the problem comes back. How do I make changes to GRUB or install packages into an OS I can't see? Also, my CPU and graphics card are AMD, not intel. How does that change things? Also, I don't see any garbled graphics, just no graphics, the monitor turns off right after I select Ubuntu from the GRUB menu. – user137 Nov 24 '17 at 00:12

1 Answers1

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I have had the same problem with both Ubuntu Budgie and Ubuntu MATE on a Samsung N130 this week and have got mine working by first adapting the instructions found here.

First you need to edit (temporarily) the grub file by adding i915.modeset=0 to the the line with "quiet splash" in it, then press ctrl + X to boot.

This will boot you into a low graphics instance. After logging in it is necessary to turn off the boot animations. The easiest way is using xdiagnose. If Lubuntu does not have xdiagnose installed by default open the terminal and install using:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install xdiagnose

Once you've got it in launch xdiagnose and check the box marked "disable bootloader graphics". Then reboot. This should solve the problem.

pomsky
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John McCaul
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