I just installed Ubuntu server 11.10 and the install went fine. This system is running on an Intel Pentium II board with onboard graphics.

However when I try to boot into Ubuntu I get a white terminal with garbled black text. I have tried various grub 'fixes' as googling the issue seemed to suggest it was a res or grub related issue.

I cannot ssh in so the issue does affect Linux as well.

I have had no luck with anything thus far and am at my wits end. This was my first Ubuntu excursion as my friend told me it was better for servers than CentOS because it was easier... Not so much....

Does anyone have any ideas as to what the issue could be? When answering bear in mind I am an Ubuntu noob and Linux novice.

As of 1/26/12 I have tried to add the console=ttyl line to the /etc/default/grub and run update-grub. This results in the line in the boot parameters that normally reads:

linux /vmlunz-3.0.0-12-generic-pae root=/dev/mapper/dev-root rovt.handoff=7

now reads:

linux /vmlunz-3.0.0-12-generic-pae root=/dev/mapper/dev-root ro console=ttyl vt.handoff=7

This does not work. Is there anyway to have console=ttyl inserted on a line by itself? I am at my wits ends, Thanks for all your help, Speed