I'm not in the metro area, so not able to help that way, sorry :( But, can't you CTRL+ALT+F2 (or F3, etc...) to get to a console and start working from there? It sounds like an issue with Xorg (zooming, or bad resolution settings, etc...). I'm assuming Ubuntu lets xorg automagicly detect devices, so you might be able to create/edit your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and get it to a working state. Try switching the display driver from your native driver to a generic frame buffer, or svga driver. The other issue that I've run into that's similar to this is grub2's framebuffer conflicting with Xorg. I have a netbook here that I've loaded Ubuntu derivatives on and it would boot up to a completely black screen. I eventually dug through grub2's config and forced it to run in text mode, and it magically fixed the screen. Hope these ideas help. Downgrading distros can be painful, and it would be best to avoid that if you could. On 01/21/15 10:00, Wendell Bell wrote: > I have been using Ubuntu for over 4 years and it has been good. I was > running 14.10 on a Toshiba R835 P56X--until December. Then, there was a new > kernel, and something went badly wrong. Ubuntu seems to load, but what is > shown on my laptop's screen is, seemingly, only the center of what there > really is. The result is that there is nothing shown--or clickable--on the > left side with Unity, and nothing shown--or clickable--on the top. > (Shutdown is done by removal of the battery.) > > I've done everything I could think of: tried recovery mode, tried earlier > versions, went onto the Ubuntu forums seeking their counsel, tried what > they suggested etc. It looks like, from what they said, I will have to > reinstall Ubuntu, and just hope that existing files (I don't have a lot) > will come across. The problem is that I don't have a live CD and can't seem > to create a USB stick on the Windows side of this Toshiba (it was > recommended that I go back to, and stick with 14.04 LTS). > > So, HELP! I'll pay whatever's fair, up to about $100. And I'll bring the > computer to you, at a date and time convenient to you (I'm retired, so > pretty flexible as to timing). But I would like to have Ubuntu on this > computer, and, again, have it--usably--up and running. Is there anyone here > who can help me? Thanks in advance. > > Wendell Bell > wendell dot bell--gmail dot com > > > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >