“signal out of range” problem after Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Installed

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Ubuntu 11.04 final has released and I just installed it from Windows 7 and previous Ubuntu 10.10 was erased. After installation, monitor displayed “signal out of range” while starting up, but I can choose Ubuntu or Windows 7 using up/down arrow keys and press enter to boot up although I can’t even see the grub menu. After grub, it boot into the system I selected and monitor worked again.

In other words, while my computer starting to grub the monitor displayed “signal out of range” and I can’t see anything else, then it works again when Ubuntu/Windows splash screen. In addition, at first login I got a message informing that I do not have the required hardware for unity, and that I should choose “ubuntu classic” and it finally logged into ubuntu classic desktop.

After many tests and reboots, I finally got the problems fixed by:

1.) About “do not have the required hardware for unity, and that I should choose “ubuntu classic”" problem, just properly install the graphics driver and unity should start at next login.

Go to System -> Administartion -> Additional Drivers, enable and install driver. At next login/reboot, it login to unity desktop.

2.) About “signal out of range” problem, I think it’s related to the refresh rate or resolution being out of range of the monitor.

And I have tested several methods include editing “/etc/default/grub” and “/boot/grub/grub.cfg”, sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg, but they all didn’t work for me.

Finally, I installed a small GUI tool called StartUp-Manger and fixed the problem by changing the grub resolution.

sudo apt-get install startupmanager

UPDATE: SINCE UBUNTU 12.04, startup-manager HAS BEEN DROPPED. USE grub-customizer INSTEAD. SEE THIS POST

BTW: If you get “signal out of range” all through the boot, see nothing even hear Ubuntu booting up. Try following words by prshah on ubuntuforums.org

Try pressing Ctrl-Alt-Numpad- and/or Ctrl+Alt+Numpad+ repeatedly; this will keep changing resolutions in an attempt to find one that works. You will have to wait about 2-3 seconds between each press. If you find a resolution that works, post back on how to make it permanent and/or how to get a suitable refresh rate at which ever resolution you like

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15 users responded in " “signal out of range” problem after Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Installed "

KiRoS said, in May 2nd, 2011 at 6:36 am

THANKS!!!

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Kyle said, in May 10th, 2011 at 2:50 pm

I upgraded to 11.04 through update manager. Now when my computer boots up it goes to signal out of range. I tried two different LCD monitors. When I hold shift it says grub or grub loading for half a second then goes straight to input signal out if range. Please help I can’t get past that point. I have alot of stuff I can’t lose.

[Reply]

Dennis Reply:
September 26th, 2011 at 1:37 pm

Hi Kyle.

I wonder if you ever got this resolved. I am having the same problem (exactly) except for the fact that mine was a manual upgrade using Live CD. Been searching for solutions but most assume you have at least some ability to boot but right now my machine goes right to that ISOoR and there it sits.

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kyle Reply:
September 27th, 2011 at 6:56 am

Yes mineis working. I tried everything suggested also without success. I believe I used the alt number pad method while the grub menu was displayed. The timing had to be pretty good. I didn’t think it work because it still said input signal out of range. It still says input signal out of range after the initial boot screen and it stays like that until Ubuntu is loaded up.

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Richard said, in May 12th, 2011 at 3:44 pm

Thanks!

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Tom said, in May 20th, 2011 at 3:11 am

Thanks!! Same problem, fixed with Startup Manager!

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ubuntu 11.04 開機時『signal out of range』解決方法 | jerry-yang work's logs said, in June 19th, 2011 at 6:19 pm

[...] 安裝ubuntu 11.04已一段時間過去了，但是有個問題還沒找出解決方法。為什麼安裝ubuntu11.04版後開機時總會出現』signal out of range』，今天終於發現了解決方法。解決方法出至於此“signal out of range” problem after Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Installed，至於這個問題的答案其實就是要修改「/boot/grub.conf」上解析度的設定值符合我們電腦螢幕所支援的解析度範圍就可以了。 [...]

RB said, in July 23rd, 2011 at 10:06 am

I’ve got same problem as KIROS… So if I can’t see the screen… how do I install Startup manager???
Ctrl-Alt-Numpad- and/or Ctrl+Alt+Numpad+ does not work for me.

[Reply]

Buddy Freeman said, in September 16th, 2011 at 11:36 am

Thanks for the helpful information on startupmanager.
Using this enabled me to fix my boot problem with Kubuntu 11.04

Gratefully
Buddy Freeman

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isko said, in September 29th, 2011 at 11:29 pm

i also updated mine using update manager..but after the update i can no longer choose to run windows 7 because the list of OS won’t show up upon startup of the computer.can anyone please help me. thanks.

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Rob Sargeant said, in September 30th, 2011 at 5:22 am

Startup-manager didn’t help at all for me, but the CTRL-ALT-Numpad trick sure did. Defintitely beats having to unplug the monitor! Hope someone addresses and resolves this issue soon. This has now been going on for years.

Don’t get me wrong. In the last few years, Linux HAS MADE a lot of progress towards correcting major issues that have kept it from becoming a viable alternative to Windows (namely, driver support) – especially for people who can’t afford to upgrade or replace their machines right now.

With Lubuntu 11.04 still having issues with lower-res monitors at boot, this doesn’t exactly make the noobs want to embrace Linux. This is sad, because with the global economy as it is now, and may be in the future, Linux’s time has come.

if the whole Linux development team can squash the remaining bugs (some of these are related to the GUIs doing things like not saving configuration settings of a program, etc. etc.), Linux is ppoised to be the OS of the future -for nnot just PCs and servers, but for handhelds, phones, and tablets.

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

Lubuntu 11.04 on 16GB SSD

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Jan van Heiningen said, in November 13th, 2011 at 1:10 am

Same problem with ubuntu 11.10, fixed with installation of NVIDIA driver and StartUp-Manager.

BTW, also changed the resolution to 1024×768
in the “Advanced” tab of StartUp-Manager.

Thanks,

[Reply]

angry said, in January 6th, 2012 at 8:10 am

comme on people please do some thing!!!
I have been trying to upgrade to 11.04 for over one year now! And every time I have exactly the same problem
signal out of range,
Machine goes through DOS/bios,
I see “ubuntu” on screen for 2 seconds, 1 second blanc screen and then the signal out of range message.
I cant install anything as I cant even get into ubuntu,
I managed to install changing f6 boot option and I hoped this would stick,but NO, the install is useless to me!
When I first upgraded to 11.04 I lost a lot of stuff, due to this problem I had no other choice then to wipe my hard drive and reinstall 10.10
Since I have tried more than 6 installs,
trying from the out set to fix the problem,
installing boot agent,….
But every time, from my first complet boot from HD I have the exact same problem, I can not aford 1000euro for a new computer, last upgrade I did to my computer was a piece I got from the Dump for free because I can no longer buy pieces for it (it is only a Pentium4)
Without linux I will have to go back to the stone age,

I have used Ubuntu for some 10 years now, And made its good name with all my friends,Many of them changed over to it following my advice, with a litle help from me.
I dont want to change, but you give me no choice,
You have hung me and the others like me out to dry,
So I will do the same to you, I will tell all my friends to abandon Ubuntu and move on,
I will tell all i meet that ubuntu has become like Windope: a tool for the rich with new computers.
On my EEEpc I already had to change to xubuntu, due to the size of the upgrade being bigger then my hard drive,
I see now I will have to do the same with my desktop,

And people wonder why the world is going down the toilet, Everybody wants to upgrade instead of fixing what they already have.
STOP creating new editions of UBUNTU until You have figured out how to fix all the problems you already have
or you might aswell just change the name of ubuntu to TITANIC because you are heading the same way!

NB:In my experience the bigest problem with ubuntu has always been NVIDIA cards, and never has the problem been completly fixed befor the upgrade was published, and then people have Beter things to do.

I hope to hear of a solution soon,

Yours honestly
old faithfull

[Reply]

an said, in January 23rd, 2012 at 9:39 pm

I did a hardware fix. I have a monitor with a VGA connection.

When the monitor was connected to the DVI port of my video card I got the “signal out of range” screen.

When I then switched to a native VGA port on my video card, the problem went away.

[Reply]

Sven Nilsen said, in March 25th, 2012 at 5:05 am

I solved it by unplugging the video cable, waiting patiently for the several bioses to finish(server system), and plugging it back in to find the grub selector screen waiting. Booted normally from there. If i left the cable in, it would not boot at all. Installed startupmanager and it now lets me boot, albeit without seeing the grub screen. But i can use the system!

[Reply]

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