Re: [gentoo-user] Frozen after Upgrade

[Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@gmail.com>]

On Monday 03 May 2010 16:30:53 Colleen Beamer wrote:
> > You said you did a system upgrade. Did this involve a kernel upgrade too?
> > 
> > If so, you are likely running into missing nvidia drivers in your new
> > /lib/modules/. So:
> > 
> > - reboot to single user maintenance mode.
> > - disable /etc/init.d/xdm
> > - remerge nvidia-drivers, making sure that /usr/src/linux point s to the
> > new kernel that is to be configured
> > - reboot
> > - enable /etc/init.d/xdm
> > - start xdm
> 
> New kernel was downloaded, but I did not upgrade the kernel.  If that
> was the situation, I wouldn't be able to load to my login screen - I
> would be booted back to the command line.  I get to the login screen,
> but then, everything is frozen - keyboard and mouse.

Oh yes, of course. Obvious in retrospect

> I don't understand what you mean by booting to a single user
> maintenance mode.  How do I do that?

At the grub menu, select the kernel you wish to boot. 
Press "e"
Move cursor to the "kernel" line
Press "e"
Move cursor to the end of the line. Append " 1" or " single"
Press <enter>
Press "b"

This will load the kernel and run a modified start-up sequence (not the 
regular init command). You get a root shell which is quite limited but usually 
adequate for repairing broken system. 

In a way, it's very similar to booting into a LiveCD without having to go and 
find the CD first



-- 
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com