another non-booting pc (solved)

[p^h]

Along with a couple other folks here, I also have a pc not booting after an update.  It's an older home-built (Athlon XP 1700, 1.5 gb ram. TNT2 agp).  It's been running PCLOS lxde 2010 for over a year, and I recently updated to 2011 with everything working great for the past few weeks.  I did an update thru Synaptic yesterday (fairly big one, about 75 mb), then afterward, decided to upgrade my old OpenOffice install to LibreOffice.  Using the LibreOffice manager, I installed all the LO packages, then the installer deleted all the old OO program files.

I can't remember if I was prompted to reboot, but I did, and now, as PCLOS is booting, the boot progress bar comes up, and slowly gets about 98% to the end, then the pc hangs, and the monitor goes to standby (power light blinking).  It does this every time I boot.  If I try safe mode, after about 20 secs, it will drop me to a 'single-user mode' prompt, and I don't know where to go from there.  Can anyone suggest something? It's no big deal to reinstall, but if there's another way, I'd like to try that.  Thanks!

[OMSkates]

Next time you are at a prompt hit Alt+F2 to get correct prompt.  Login with user name + password.  Type su  password.  At root prompt type XFdrake and follow the helper.   When finished do reboot -f

[p^h]

Thanks for responding, omskates.  However, regular boot and safe mode now just hang, leaving a blank screen, then the monitor goes to standby.  So I can't get a prompt.  Can something be done with the LiveCD?  Thanks again.

[p^h]

ok, somehow I got a prompt booting to safe mode & hitting ctrl-alt-F2.  Logged on, went to su & got a root prompt, then ran xfdrake, which confirmed my graphic card & screen res.  When I tried reboot-r, the system gave me these options:  -n, -w, -d, -f, -h, and -i       - no -r available?  Thanks again.

[Vorteggs]

Just try reboot.
I think omskates was referring to -f (force) option.

[OMSkates]

Just try reboot.
I think omskates was referring to -f (force) option.

Yes (sorry typo) reboot -f

[Hootiegibbon]

sounds like an inturrupted/incomplete update

at the boot menu use the option to edit the boot line (F3?) add a number 3 to the end

if this gets you to a text login, do so as our user and su to root

then  type

apt-get update

apt-get dist-upgrade

it should then complete the update (hopfully)_

Jase

[p^h]

I just used the 'reboot' command, the results are the same as before.  Only now, I cannot get to a prompt at all.  The boot menu doesn't seem to have any options other than regular boot or safe mode, then language and kernel options.  I'll keep trying to get a prompt, and will update here later.  Thanks.

[Vorteggs]

But did you try Hootiegibbon's proposal?

[Vorteggs]

The boot menu doesn't seem to have any options other than regular boot or safe mode, then language and kernel options.

Try also booting with another kernel please.

[p^h]

I'm able to get a prompt now (thanks hootiegibbon), and did as HG suggested.  It downloaded a few files, and when it finished, I ran XFdrake again, then rebooting using the 'reboot -f' command.  Same results  I don't think there's more than one kernel, but I'll check again.  Thanks everyone for your help.

edit:  at least I can consistantly get a prompt now, but it will still hang at the 98% mark at boot.  I even tried a startx command from a root prompt, but same results as always.  I'll play with it another day or so before reinstalling.  Again, thanks guys for your help & at least I'm learning a little something today, & taking some notes

[p^h]

I was going to go ahead and reinstall today, but the same problems occurred with the LiveCD!  I removed the TNT2 agp card and replaced it with an old Voodoo3 pci card - bingo!  I guess the old nvidia card from 1999 finally bit the dust.  Anyway the Voodoo card should be fine, since this machine is strictly a browser/email/occasional office machine.  Thanks again to all for the help.