White screen after login

If you got a white screen (or just brown background color) and no gui after you login into Ubuntu, you propably have Compiz enabled while using video driver no capable to process Compiz.

Here is workaround. You need to go into console using Ctrl+Alt+F1, then login and type DISPLAY=:0 metacity --replace (double dash here, who knows how to fix it in wordpress?). Then go back into gnome using Ctrl+Alt+F7 and you should get your gui back. Then you can install other drivers or disable Compiz in System->Preferences->Appearance on Visual Effects tab.

WARN: If you have external monitor connected and you see gui there, this is propably not your soultion. I’m going to check external monitor connection on my laptop soon.

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Written by egaistek

September 21, 2008 at 23:51

Posted in Vaio

Tagged with compiz, drivers, white screen

8 Responses

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When you say “install other drivers” — is there some driver you recommend?

Ryan Mahoney

September 23, 2008 at 07:45

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So I have the white screen (but external monitor works…) and I tried this, I see the message “Window manager error: Unable to open X display” after typing “sudo metacity –replace”. Any ideas?

Ryan Mahoney

September 23, 2008 at 07:48

Reply
I see I dont have metacity installed could you please tell me how to install it?

I have the same problem described that having a blank screen please help.

Mak

September 23, 2008 at 09:15

Reply
Hello Ryan Mahoney, about drivers you better read this posts:
Video: Ati Mobility Radeon HD 3470
Back to Hardy

egaistek

September 23, 2008 at 15:12

Reply
Mak, metacity is default window manager in gnome, it is installed and used by default in Ubuntu.

Sorry guys I have forgot about DISPLAY=:0 in the command you should type. And you do not need to use sudo. (post updated)

So the full command should be DISPLAY=:0 metacity --replace

egaistek

September 23, 2008 at 15:16

Reply
So are you saying there is no way to get compiz to work on the FW Series?

Nicolasdlt

September 27, 2008 at 02:05

Reply
Nicolasdlt, no, I’m not saying that. But Compiz will not work with default ati driver. If you manually update kernel and forgot to update video driver and Compiz was enables before this update you can get a white screen.

You better read this post: Back to Hardy

egaistek

September 27, 2008 at 02:16

Reply
i tried typing “DISPLAY=:0 metaciy –replace”
and all that it did was say:
“Window manager error: unable to open x display :0
what next?

Robert Grow

June 30, 2009 at 22:36

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