I only use Ubuntu for some servers, but maybe this will help. Try
control-alt-F2 once in the Unity gui, and see if you can pull up the
console (ssh, if installed and running, would be another way to access
it). If you can get there and log in, this should allow you to install
an older kernel with dpkg or apt-get. Although, your issues sound like
they are related to graphic drivers, which I would actually recommend
looking into first before downgrading the kernel.

Do you know if the graphics card is the stock Intel GPU for this
laptop? If so, what model is it? If you don't know, in the console run
sudo lspci and report the graphic chip set back. Hopefully you're able
to at least get to the command line.

--
Jeremy MountainJohnson
Jeremy.MountainJohnson at gmail.com


On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 10:00 AM, Wendell Bell <wendell.bell at gmail.com> 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
>
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