Help, Locked Out of My Computer

Question

Well, I screwed up my installation of Ubuntu again, got the thousandth time, and I was hoping someone could help me out.

Basically, I altered the xorg configuration file, which seems to be clashing with the synaptic file.

Anyway, I'm stuck on the boot screen, where it says Ubuntu, and I really just need to remove that file.

So I'm wondering if it would be possible to access terminal while booting up.

Is there anyway to access terminal from this boot screen? I've tried ctrl+alt+f1, but to no avail.

Answer 1

Well, I screwed up my installation of Ubuntu again

Happens to the best of us.

Basically, I altered the xorg configuration file

Still not a problem even if you make a mistake.

What you do need to do is to always make a backup before you mess around. That way you can always replace the modified file with the one you altered. Anything related to grub, boot, xorg: better to have 1 extra backup that wastes a few kB discspace than not have one.

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Now for a method:

If the system does not boot but you can reach grub it is possible to boot to rescue mode. It is a bit complicated and there is 1 very easy method:

Boot up with the live dvd you used to install, select try ubuntu, open a terminal and remove the file you want removed. (if you need more direction alter your question please to include what it is you need to know).

Answer 2

If everything is locking up (and recovery mode doesn't work), I'd just:

1. Boot back into your install CD/USB (assuming it's the Live version, not the Alternate or Server)

2. Mount the hard disk and move the xorg.conf out the way:

   sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
   sudo mv /mnt/etc/X11/xorg.conf{,-OLD}
   

3. Reboot.

Almost all systems shouldn't need an xorg.conf file to boot graphically so this should get to back to a desktop of some sort which you can then tweak.

If you can get in via recovery mode, that's obviously going to be quicker... And if you can't, it's probably more than a dodgy xorg.conf file to blame.