BulletProofX

Revision 8 as of 2006-12-15 01:05:14

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Summary

Rationale

Use cases

Scope

Design

From Forum topic [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=318142]

...sometimes logging out results in a black screen and a system freeze. None of the exit shortcut keys work, and I can't restart X.

I found a very reliable fix to this issue was changing the following line (line 96) in the /etc/gdm/gdm.conf file to this:

This forces GDM to restart X completely before returning to the login screen...

I propose to make this into the default configuration in Feisty Fawn.

Implementation

Today, the 'live xforcevesa' parameter can be used on the startup of the live cd, although it is not widely known.

  • Huh? This is the "Start Ubuntu in safe graphics mode" option. It's perfectly well-known - it's just not good enough (because you have to select it explicitly, it's only useful on the live CD, etc.). --ColinWatson

Code

Data preservation and migration

Unresolved issues

BoF agenda and discussion

Gobby dump of Thursday, November 9th, 2006

we want to offer a "safe" (degraded) mode of desktop operation in order to allow the user to attempt recovery. This should be triggered in the following circumstances:

  • gdm detects that the X server is failing to start (XKeepsCrashing)
  • a grub boot option will be provided to activate this mode
    • new top-level options: normal boot, safe mode boot

The configuration fallback process should be:

  • First try a conservative VESA mode (800x600x256)
    • 800x600 is sane given the current state of hardware out there, and Windows XP and above also use 800x600 in their safe mode.
    • run dpkg-recnofigure by passing an environment variable
    • xserver-xorg.config should check for an environment variable which behaves the same as xforcevesa
  • If that fails, provide an error on the console.

We discussed falling back to vga instead, but that would introduce another mode switch and delay before the error is shown, and vesa is very well established nowadays.

The 'safe' mode should offer a visual indication that it has happened to avoid 'why is my desktop SOOO SLOW' scenarios.

UI should offer the following options:

  • attempt automatic reconfiguration of video settings
    • can we do this first, and only prompt the user to accept/reject if the auto-config is different from their existing configuration? If yes, they should be prompted to restart in test mode, if no, continue in safe mode.
  • dpkg-reconfigure
  • if that produces a different configuration, allow the sure to test by logging them out and allowing the display manager to restart X
  • give up and use this mode: 'Use these video settings for your normal use'?
  • display diagnostics of what failed - for giving to technical support/showing their local 'computer expert.'

Future work:

  • Fall back for thin clients
  • Kubuntu


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