No screens found with usable configuration (Live-CD), boot-repair CLI

Question

I have an MSi GE70 Laptop (Graphics: nvidia GeForce GT650M). At first I couldn't boot nor install. After adding 'nomodeset' in Grub I was able to start the installation. `Try Ubuntu`` just gave me a blank screen.

I installed a dualboot with Ubuntu 13.10 and Windows 8.1, UEFI, secure boot off (UEFI with CSM).

After the installation was a success, the computer boots straight into Windows. I knew this could happen and need to run boot-repair from the live-CD. Unfortunately I can't find a way to do this from CLI, since I get a blank screen in X I cannot use it's GUI.

I tried installing nvidia-current when booted with the live-CD, restarting lightdm (/etc/init.d/lightdm stop/start). No luck.

Trying to diagnose the problem this are the things I found: /var/log/lightdm/x-0.log ends like this:

(EE) Fatal server error:
(EE) no screens found
(EE)
(EE) Please consult the The X.org Foundation support at http://wiki.x.org for help
(EE) Please also chech the log file at /var/log/Xorg.0.log for additional information.
(EE)
(EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

Looking at /var/log/xorg.0.log I noticed:

[  1867.351] (II) VESA(0): initializing int10
[  1867.351] (EE) VESA(0): V_BIOS address 0x0 out of range
[  1867.351] (II) UnloadModule: "vesa"
[  1867.351] (II) UnloadSubModule: "int10"
[  1867.351] (II) Unloading "int10"
[  1867.351] (II) UnloadSubModule: "vbe"
[  1867.351] (II) Unloading "vbe"
[  1867.351] (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
[  1867.351] (EE) Fatal server error
[  1867.351] (EE) no screens found
[  1867.351] (EE) Please consult the The X.org Foundation support at http://wiki.x.org for help.
[  1867.351] (EE) Please also chech the log file at /var/log/Xorg.0.log for additional information.
[  1867.351] (EE)
[  1867.351] (EE) Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.

So I am trying to run Boot-repair, but I'm stuck because I can't get the GUI working with the live-CD. I've added nomodeset, tried xforcevesa.

Can anybody help me with either Boot-repair from CLI or graphics in live-CD? For me it's weird that the installation is able to show a nice GUI where the live-CD doesn't find a screen.

If I am able to boot into installed Ubuntu, I probably will run into the same graphics problems, but maybe it's easier to fix them on an installed version?

Solution

I have faced a similar problem. I only recently updated my packages, so it could be related. I fixed it with a full purge and reinstall of the nvidia drivers:

sudo apt-get -y purge --auto-remove nvidia.*
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install nvidia-current-updates nvidia-settings-updates

Worth a try. Probably remove any /etc/X11/xorg.conf if you have one of those.

HTH

Comments

[Alfabravo]

Why grub if the failure is in the graphic driver?