daru3 Xubuntu Install

[AlexInBlack]

For some reason, it seems that Xubuntu will never work stably on my daru3.
I seem to always crash and get some fatal filesystem errors/corrupted blocks that I can never find out how to fix using Google/Ubuntu forums. To date, since I've got the laptop about 3 months ago, I've reinstalled Xubuntu at least 3 times because I couldn't figure out a way to fix my install.

I've been using Xubuntu 9.04 (amd64) installed via LiveUSB. I'm pretty sure it's not a problem with the LiveUSB OS (although it never starts up with X, as in I have to type "startx" every time I boot it up), since I've used the same LiveUSB OS to install Xubuntu on my desktop, which has yet to fatally crash/corrupt filesystems in a way I can't fix.
I'm also pretty sure my hard drive works because I can access my /home and Windows partitions.

Right now, boot-up fails and I get a message after "Loading, please wait..." that says: "Gave up waiting for root device." It then lists common problems. After that, I get: "ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/f8acb85f-d1d3-4e8a-8cf3-80de0db403e0 does not exist. Dropping to a shell!" I then get dropped into BusyBox/initramfs.
I've tried mounting my / partition via a LiveUSB OS, but even with "sudo mount /dev/sda6 /media/jaunty -t ext3", I get the message about, "wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda6, missing codepage or helper program, or other error"
When I try "dmesg | tail" as suggested, I get "VFS: Can't find ext3 filesystem on dev sda6" among other messages.
This all happened on my second reboot after Firefox crashed and I had to press the power button to exit. The mouse cursor was stuck on the loading symbol. Switching to other workspaces via Ctrl-Esc or Ctrl-Alt-F# didn't work. Neither did using SysRq and pressing R S E I U B as I usually do when nothing else works. (I'm following the tips here: http://www.brunolinux.com/01-First_Things_To_Know/Run-Away_Processes.html and http://www.brunolinux.com/01-First_Things_To_Know/Skinny_Elephants.html).

Should I just try using a normal gnome install of Ubuntu on my daru3 or is there possibly something I'm doing wrong? (I make sure to install the System76 drivers as soon as the slew of updates are done after a fresh install).

[thomasaaron]

System76 doesn't support Xubuntu. JDB may have some tips for you. However...
"sudo mount /dev/sda6 /media/jaunty -t ext3", I get the message about, "wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda6, missing codepage or helper program, or other error"
When I try "dmesg | tail" as suggested, I get "VFS: Can't find ext3 filesystem on dev sda6" among other messages.
...makes me wonder if you installed using the ext4 filesystem, which is still considered unstable. If so, you might want to try using ext3.

[Eldera]

There was a typo in post 2, which has been fixed. "System76 doesn't support Ubuntu." instead of "System76 doesn't support Xubuntu."

[jdb]

System76 doesn't support Ubuntu. JDB may have some tips for you. However...

...makes me wonder if you installed using the ext4 filesystem, which is still considered unstable. If so, you might want to try using ext3.

I think Thomasaaron has hit the nail on the head.
It's probably trying to mount an ext3 partition because that is what /etc/fstab claims it to be.
The error says it is not an ext3 partition.

Can you boot to a live CD & post the output of:

parted -l


jdb

[thomasaaron]

Yes, I meant Xubuntu. Fixed it. Thanks.

[AlexInBlack]

parted -l only gives info about my LiveUSB OS.
Output:
Model: BUFFALO USB Flash Disk (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2064MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 2056MB 2056MB primary fat16 boot

I'm pretty sure I formatted my / partition as ext3. GParted now says that the partition has an unknown filesystem. My Windows XP ext2/3 driver used to work for the partition too, but now shows it as raw. (It also showed my /home partition as raw after the Xubuntu crash before I booted my LiveUSB OS, mounted the /home partition, and offloaded some data.)

[jdb]

parted -l only gives info about my LiveUSB OS.
Output:
Model: BUFFALO USB Flash Disk (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2064MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 2056MB 2056MB primary fat16 boot

I'm pretty sure I formatted my / partition as ext3. GParted now says that the partition has an unknown filesystem. My Windows XP ext2/3 driver used to work for the partition too, but now shows it as raw. (It also showed my /home partition as raw after the Xubuntu crash before I booted my LiveUSB OS, mounted the /home partition, and offloaded some data.)

I'm sorry, you need to run it as root:

sudo parted -l

I'm booted to a live CD right now & this is what I got:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD1600AAJB-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 10.6GB 10.6GB primary ext3 boot
2 10.6GB 160GB 149GB extended
5 10.6GB 21.1GB 10.4GB logical ext3
11 21.1GB 21.6GB 526MB logical ext3
8 21.6GB 32.3GB 10.7GB logical
10 32.3GB 42.9GB 10.7GB logical
6 42.9GB 82.8GB 39.9GB logical
9 82.8GB 155GB 71.8GB logical
7 155GB 160GB 5429MB logical


Model: ATA SAMSUNG SP2504C (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 21.0GB 21.0GB extended
5 64.5kB 10.2GB 10.2GB logical ext3
6 10.2GB 20.5GB 10.2GB logical ext3
7 20.5GB 21.0GB 526MB logical ext3
2 21.0GB 64.9GB 43.8GB primary
3 64.9GB 250GB 185GB primary


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: /dev/sr0: unrecognised disk label

Warning: Unable to open /dev/fd0 read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/fd0
has been opened read-only.
Error: /dev/fd0: unrecognised disk label



The ones that don't show a file system are encrypted.

jdb

[jdb]

I've been using Xubuntu 9.04 (amd64) installed via LiveUSB. I'm pretty sure it's not a problem with the LiveUSB OS (although it never starts up with X, as in I have to type "startx" every time I boot it up)

You might try installing with a liveCD instead of the LiveUSB.
When I booted to a LiveCD on my last post it came right up in Xubuntu.
I've never had to type startx with a liveCD.
I've installed Xubuntu on a lot of computers using a liveCD & have never had any problems.

jdb

[AlexInBlack]

Output via "sudo parted -l"

Model: ATA WDC WD2500BEVT-2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
2 32.3kB 535MB 535MB primary ext3
1 535MB 52.5GB 51.9GB primary ntfs boot
3 52.5GB 244GB 192GB extended
5 52.5GB 225GB 173GB logical ext3
6 225GB 236GB 10.5GB logical
7 236GB 244GB 8390MB logical linux-swap


Model: BUFFALO USB Flash Disk (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2064MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 2056MB 2056MB primary fat16 boot


When 9.10 comes around, I'll try a reinstall of Xubuntu via a LiveCD if nothing else works.

[jdb]

Output via "sudo parted -l"

Model: ATA WDC WD2500BEVT-2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
2 32.3kB 535MB 535MB primary ext3
1 535MB 52.5GB 51.9GB primary ntfs boot
3 52.5GB 244GB 192GB extended
5 52.5GB 225GB 173GB logical ext3
6 225GB 236GB 10.5GB logical
7 236GB 244GB 8390MB logical linux-swap


Model: BUFFALO USB Flash Disk (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2064MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 2056MB 2056MB primary fat16 boot


When 9.10 comes around, I'll try a reinstall of Xubuntu via a LiveCD if nothing else works.

There's some magic at the begining of a partition that identifies it's type.
Since sda6 doesn't show a type it got mangled somehow.
My encrypted partitions don't show a type because they look like random noise.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you on the live CD install.

jdb

[AlexInBlack]

I installed Xubuntu 9.10 via LiveUSB. I didn't like the password I entered, so right after booting and enabling a wireless network, I changed it by booting into recovery mode and using:
passwd username

When I rebooted, I got locked into a cycle of login screens. My partitions were all the same (I just installed over them, making sure to format them as ext3). The only thing different from my 9.04 install was that I enabled the option: "Require password to log in and to decrypt home folder"

I then reinstalled, but this time, without requiring the password to decrypt home folder. It seems to work fine now.

I still get messages on the boot-up screen before the GRUB menu. I don't know what they are, but they do kind of worry me and look messy, so I attached a picture. The last two lines are what I have no idea are about.
The picture's a bit blurry. The last two lines are:
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM

I realize that Xubuntu isn't supported and Ubuntu 9.10 in general still isn't, but I appreciate any input.

[jdb]

PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM



PXE ROM is built into the network card & is used to boot to a network,
mostly for computers that don't have a disk drive.

The message does no harm & judging from google it is fairly common.

jdb

[thomasaaron]

When you see the System76 splash screen, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup utility. From there, tab over the "Boot Options."

In Boot Options, set your hard drive as the first boot device. Does that fix the problem?

[AlexInBlack]

Setting the HD as the first boot device got rid of that screen. Thanks.
So far, Xubuntu 9.10 by LiveUSB without an encrypted /home on my daru3 seems to work fine.