Can't solve your problem as such, but the first thing that I would do is
to boot up the PC from the live disc and backup my home folder to
another location (external hdd, flash drive, DVD etc) in case things get
even more screwed up. That way, at least, if you end up having to do a
clean install, your documents will be safe.

Don't change or modify anything until all personal data is safely
backed up.

As much as I dislike having to write this, recovery from an update is
one thing Microsoft (and some other vendors) do right with so-called
"recovery points". I had the proverbial nightmare earlier this year
upgrading a Vista system to SP1 -- it just wouldn't "take" and I later
discovered the problem was due to NVIDIA. Yet, after the SP1 failure,
the system was automatically restored to exactly the configuration it
was before the failed update. I was astonished the first time, and
tried it again immediately to see if the recovery would again repeat
from a failed update (which included a blue screen). It did. That was
simply amazing.

I store all of my data on this computer, so when I wanted 8.10 on the other
one, I just did a full install. I wanted it on a different drive, anyway.

I'm not a big fan of upgrades. Most of the time, you end up with a bunch of
unused files. Especially with M$ products.

Try digging up an old S3 video card or something and installing it, just to
see if it is a video problem. Do you have any? The local computer store
might give you one.

You can backup and restore from Ubuntu. Install Sbackup:

sudo apt-get install sbackup

For screenshots and directions on how to use it see:
www.debianadmin.com/...untu-system-using-sbackup.h\
tml

The above is the GUI way, you can also use CLI if this is your thing:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/backup

If you have a black screen then you need to reconfigure X in a terminal as
follows:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg (question and answer mode = more control)
sudo dpkg-reconfigure-phigh xserver-xorg (automatic mode = easier)

If you can't open a terminal do Ctrl+Alt+Backspace. Then in the menu at the
bottom choose Console Login.

Thanks for the info, I will do that when I get hold of a pci/pcie
graphics card as my on board decided to go pear shape on me or I will
have to get a new main board...