[i845] Blank screen on startup on Dell Optiplex GX260

[TheMemphisE]

When loading the Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex Alpha 6 Live Cd, the "Start or Install Ubuntu" screen displays as normal. The Ubuntu loading screen then comes up and the loading bar is filled normally by an orange fill bar. In Alpha 5, the screen was black and an Ubuntu startup noise played. Pressing ctrl+alt+Backspace caused a logout and the sound to play again, but still no image. In Alpha 6 , the mouse cursor appears, but no sound is heard. I can move the mouse freely, but ctrl+alt+backspace pressed does not lead to any sounds.

13 Oct, 2008
Today I tried to install Ubuntu 8.10 on the Dell Optiplex GX260 that has been plagued with the described problems. Using the 8.10 Beta LiveCD, I select the second option from the CD menu, "Install Ubuntu". This brings up the new wallpaper with the Intstaller and Partitioner. Mouse support and keyboard work as they should. Upon completion of the installation, Ubuntu Restarts and goes in to the login window. Here is where the success ends.

Using GNOME, a black background with a mouse cursor appears. The mouse is usable. The keyboard will not respond. Using a failsafe GNOME, a brown background appears. Again, the I/O devices work the same.

In recovery mode, or from a failsafe terminal, commands can be input, but I do not know what to do at this point.

Today's test also included a trial installation of Kubuntu, but that never succeeded in getting past the KDE 4.1 loading screen. A snazzy background with a fancy box in the center appears and displays a HDD. The screen then flickers into forever. This is a separtate bug that may be related.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

What graphics card do you have?

[TheMemphisE (katsushiro-ryuken)]

VGA compatible controller        : Intel Corporation 82845G/GL[Brookdale-G]/GE Chipset Integrated Graphics Device

Machine is a Dell GX260. Pretty much barebones stock except for extra RAM and HDD.

--- On Mon, 9/22/08, Timo Aaltonen <email address hidden> wrote:
From: Timo Aaltonen <email address hidden>
Subject: [Bug 272368] Re: Dell E771mm monitor displays only the mouse cursor in Alpha 6
To: <email address hidden>
Date: Monday, September 22, 2008, 4:22 AM

What graphics card do you have?

** Changed in: xorg (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Incomplete

--
Dell E771mm monitor displays only the mouse cursor in Alpha 6
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/272368
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of the bug.

Status in “xorg” source package in Ubuntu: Incomplete

Bug description:
When loading the Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex Alpha 6 Live Cd, the "Start or
Install Ubuntu" screen displays as normal. The Ubuntu loading screen then
comes up and the loading bar is filled normally by an orange fill bar. In Alpha
5, the screen was black and an Ubuntu startup noise played. Pressing
ctrl+alt+Backspace caused a logout and the sound to play again, but still no
image. In Alpha 6 , the mouse cursor appears, but no sound is heard. I can move
the mouse freely, but ctrl+alt+backspace pressed does not lead to any sounds.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Please also attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log[.old] from after a failed boot, and the output from lspci -vvnn.

As well, please run intel_reg_dumper when seeing the blank screen.

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!