Thread: No login / password user interface

my desktop won't come automatically on hard disk of mine (see below ubuntu version history). boot “grub” etc; ubuntu load bar thing timer spinning around [i hope can understand technical language!] goes through ok instead of getting user interface little boxes enter login , password, whole screen in black (as if it's in terminal mode). black screen asks me login , password: when entered them, said:

“starting up......loading, please wait
19 + 0 records in
19 + 0 records out
kinit: [followed load of technical stuff , series of numbers]
kinit: trying resume /dev/disk/ by-uuid/9b [then whole series of numbers]
kinit: no resume image, doing normal boot.....

ubuntu 9.04 john-desktop tty1
john-desktop login: [i entered it]
password: [i entered it]

on 1 occasion (among dozens tried), got ominous sounding message: “there 1 zombie process”. is worry about?!
gives details of last log in (& general info canonical etc).
finishes john@john-desktop:~ $ “

i've done best find answers problem no avail yet. nearest i've found date reported in thread below (it's not possible post now):

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=347778

tried r4ik suggested in above thread:

log in you're username , password , “sudo apt-get install gdm ubuntu-desktop”

screen said:
“reading package lists.....done
building dependency tree
reading state information....done
gdm newest version
ubuntu-desktop newest version.
following packages automatically installed , no longer required:
python-pexpect dar libdar64-4 pmount.
use “apt-get autoremove” remove them.”

tried see if desktop load ok, without doing last instruction. didn't, repeated operation above , carried out last instruction still didn't work. desktop still didn't load , last thing on black screen once again john@john-desktop:~ $

i´d mention problem developed 1 day several months ago when hard disk had ubuntu 8.10 intrepid installed on it. decided take out of normal computer , try in old computer (as had been using hard disk on before without problem); reason, booted way desktop, no problem. upgraded ubuntu 9.04 jaunty (in hope solve problem). result that:
- on old machine boot way desktop kick me out login page, whenever used scroll bar!
- on new machine, haven't managed login/password interface after dozens of attempts. i've tried multitude of different options using installation cds both 8.10 , 9.04 (trying various recovery mode options etc).

yesterday tried fresh installation time ubuntu 9.10 karmic (this time using cd-r, opposed cd-rw, read cd-rs more reliable). use desktop applications trial option (indicating there's nothing wrong machine; indeed i'm using karmic on machine write using ancient hard disk). whenever tried install, wouldn't go past “prepare partitions” step: absolutely nothing appear in partitions table; options @ bottom of screen (“new partition table” etc) greyed out , on clicking “forward”, message appear:

“no root file system defined. please correct partitioning menu”.

reason why hard disk , running there files on recover! if it's enormously difficult beginner i'd prefer wipe , start again, if considerably easier (so @ least i'd have hard disk back).

can please?
in advance

john@john-desktop:~ $

@ prompt try entering:

code:

startx

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