12.10 installation failed

[virsto]

I have a dual-boot system: Windows Vista 64-bit and Ubuntu 12.04->12.10 (attempted)

My 12.04 system was ok; but, as recommended (bug fixes, improved security,etc.) I attempted to upgrade to 12.10 about 6 hours ago.

1. There were some errors generated during the installation and when prompted for feedback on these to Ubuntu developers I tried to do this.
2. I am quite sure that I followed the instructions during the upgrade process correctly.
3. I can boot-up 12.10; but, unfortunately, I am unable to connect to the internet via my wireless. [Note, this was no problem before I attempted the upgrade.]
4. I tried to use the recovery mode for 12.04 but, this was impossible --- kernel was missing, etc.
5. I was unable to recover (return to) any of the earlier versions of Ubuntu.

I have all the details on my wireless connection (saved this from 12.04) and it seems no matter what I try I can not connect to the internet with 12.10.

Questions:
1. How can I connect to the internet with 12.10?
2. Why are these recovery modes offered as possibilities if they do not actually work properly?
3. How can I recover 12.04?

Note:
1. I am sending this from my Windows Vista system.
2. I can provide details of my wireless connection (if this would help) and any other information that might be useful for recovery of 12.04.

[virsto]

I tried to installed 12.10 very recently; but, there were several errors during the installation and I ended up with a 12.10 that did not provide an internet connection.

No matter what I attempted with "Network tools" I never managed to connect to the internet via wireless. Connection to the internet was never a problem with 12.04.

I then tried to recover (generic mode) 12.04 but I get the following error messages:

error: file not found.
error: you need to load the kernel first.

Press any key to continue...

If I try to recover 12.04 (recovery mode) I get the following

Loading Linux 3.2.0-27-generic...
error: file not found.
Loading initial ramdisk...
error: you need to load the kernel first.

Press any key to continue...

How can I recover my previously working 12.04?

[cariboo]

Please don't create multiple threads on the same subject, I have merged your two threads.

[virsto]

I have tried to get more information on the wireless problem using the following commands (results follow each):

sudo lshw -C network

description: Network controller
product: BCM43225 802.11b/g/n
vendor: Broadcom Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
version: 01
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:da100000-da103fff
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 03
serial: c8:0a:a9:5f:6b:45
size: 10Mbit/s
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list rom ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half firmware=rtl_nic/rtl8168d-2.fw latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
resources: irq:46 ioport:4000(size=256) memory:d4104000-d4104fff memory:d4100000-d4103fff memory:d4110000-d411ffff

lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 net

02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Corporation BCM43225 802.11b/g/n [14e4:4357] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:145e]
Kernel modules: bcma, brcmsmac
03:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller [10ec:8168] (rev 03)
Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:3659]
Kernel driver in use: r8169

iwconfig

lo no wireless extensions.
eth0 no wireless extensions.

rfkill list all

0: hci0: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: hp-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no

lsmod

Module Size Used by
dm_crypt 23125 0
parport_pc 32866 0
ppdev 17113 0
rfcomm 47604 12
bnep 18281 2
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 32474 4
binfmt_misc 17540 1
joydev 17693 0
hp_wmi 18092 0
sparse_keymap 13890 1 hp_wmi
snd_hda_codec_idt 70795 1
nvidia 11257315 44
psmouse 87692 0
serio_raw 13211 0
snd_seq_midi 13324 0
i7core_edac 28102 0
edac_core 53746 1 i7core_edac
snd_rawmidi 30748 1 snd_seq_midi
uvcvideo 72627 0
videodev 98259 1 uvcvideo
v4l2_compat_ioctl32 17128 1 videodev
btusb 18288 2
bluetooth 180104 23 rfcomm,bnep,btusb
snd_seq_midi_event 14899 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 61896 2 snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device 14540 3 snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd_hda_intel 33773 5
snd_hda_codec 127706 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 13668 1 snd_hda_codec
jmb38x_ms 17646 0
memstick 16569 1 jmb38x_ms
ir_lirc_codec 12859 0
lirc_dev 19204 1 ir_lirc_codec
snd_pcm 97188 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
ir_mce_kbd_decoder 12777 0
ir_sony_decoder 12510 0
ir_jvc_decoder 12507 0
snd_timer 29990 2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
ir_rc6_decoder 12507 0
ir_rc5_decoder 12507 0
rc_rc6_mce 12502 0
ir_nec_decoder 12507 0
snd 78855 20 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_rawmidi,s nd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec, snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
ene_ir 18457 0
rc_core 26412 10 ir_lirc_codec,ir_mce_kbd_decoder,ir_sony_decoder,i r_jvc_decoder,ir_rc6_decoder,ir_rc5_decoder,rc_rc6 _mce,ir_nec_decoder,ene_ir
wmi 19256 1 hp_wmi
hp_accel 25976 0
lis3lv02d 19876 1 hp_accel
input_polldev 13896 1 lis3lv02d
soundcore 15091 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 18529 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
mac_hid 13253 0
lp 17799 0
parport 46562 3 parport_pc,ppdev,lp
hid_logitech_dj 18594 0
usbhid 47199 1 hid_logitech_dj
hid 99559 2 hid_logitech_dj,usbhid
firewire_ohci 41000 0
firewire_core 63558 1 firewire_ohci
crc_itu_t 12707 1 firewire_core
sdhci_pci 18826 0
sdhci 33205 1 sdhci_pci
r8169 62099 0
video 19596 0

sudo cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e b43 -e wl -e firmware -e wlan0 | tail -n35

Nov 5 00:53:58 virgil-laptop kernel: [ 0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC/3659, BIOS F.17 02/06/2010
Nov 5 00:53:58 virgil-laptop NetworkManager[1100]: <info> monitoring kernel firmware directory '/lib/firmware'.
Nov 5 00:58:08 virgil-laptop kernel: [ 0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC/3659, BIOS F.17 02/06/2010
Nov 5 01:39:31 virgil-laptop kernel: [ 0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC/3659, BIOS F.17 02/06/2010
Nov 5 15:53:28 virgil-laptop kernel: [ 0.000000] DMI: Hewlett-Packard HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook PC/3659, BIOS F.17 02/06/2010
Nov 5 15:53:28 virgil-laptop NetworkManager[1007]: <info> monitoring kernel firmware directory '/lib/firmware'.

I hope that this will help in fixing this problem.

[2F4U]

How can I recover my previously working 12.04?

Only by a fresh installation, because downgrading is not supported.

but, as recommended (bug fixes, improved security,etc.)

I am wondering where you read this. It is simply wrong. 12.04 is a LTS and will get full updates and security advisories for 5 years. Of course, you probably won't get newer versions of software, but the software for 12.04, on the other hand, should be more stable.

[virsto]

Only by a fresh installation, because downgrading is not supported.



I am wondering where you read this. It is simply wrong. 12.04 is a LTS and will get full updates and security advisories for 5 years. Of course, you probably won't get newer versions of software, but the software for 12.04, on the other hand, should be more stable.

1) What then is the purpose of having "recovery" to earlier versions in the bootup menu?
2) How can I do a fresh installation of 12.04 while keeping the applications and configuration that I had before my attempt to upgrade to 12.10?
3) When do you think it would be safe to upgrade to 12.10?
4) What precautions should I take to prevent this from happening in the future?
5) What does LTS mean?

This message (on importance of upgrading) came from a message that I often see with Microsoft's upgrade manager when checking for updates. I have also read something similar in a book on programming (don't remember the name of the book unfortunately).

[2F4U]

1) What then is the purpose of having "recovery" to earlier versions in the bootup menu?

This just refers to previous kernels, NOT the whole previous operating system.

2) How can I do a fresh installation of 12.04 while keeping the applications and configuration that I had before my attempt to upgrade to 12.10?

Reinstall the applications, because a fresh install removes everything. Settings could be kept if /home is on a separate partition, but I doubt that it would make sense. 12.10 has newer applications and therefore maybe settings not present in 12.04, so probably more trouble than it is worth.

3) When do you think it would be safe to upgrade to 12.10?

I don't know. With a release cycle of only 6 month there is not much time to fix bugs and issues, and many of the developers are already working on the new release.

4) What precautions should I take to prevent this from happening in the future

If you prefer stability over bleeding edge, stay with LTS versions. If you absolutely need the latest and greatest, learn to live with the fact that there will be problems.

5) What does LTS mean?

LTS means Long Term Support. These releases appear every two years and will get extended support. For example, for 12.04 it is planned to support it for 5 years, while a normal release, in theory, gets support for only 18 month.

[virsto]

This just refers to previous kernels, NOT the whole previous operating system.



Reinstall the applications, because a fresh install removes everything. Settings could be kept if /home is on a separate partition, but I doubt that it would make sense. 12.10 has newer applications and therefore maybe settings not present in 12.04, so probably more trouble than it is worth.



I don't know. With a release cycle of only 6 month there is not much time to fix bugs and issues, and many of the developers are already working on the new release.



If you prefer stability over bleeding edge, stay with LTS versions. If you absolutely need the latest and greatest, learn to live with the fact that there will be problems.



LTS means Long Term Support. These releases appear every two years and will get extended support. For example, for 12.04 it is planned to support it for 5 years, while a normal release, in theory, gets support for only 18 month.

Ok
Thanks very much 2F4U!
I will try to do a complete reinstallation on by dual-boot system. I have downloaded 12.04-1 and burned an DVD for it. And I will stay with 12.04 for a few more years, as suggested by you.

Finally, this is something that I have never tried before --- are there any special things that I should do or not do to avoid problems when downgrading from 12.10?

Note, I have a dual-boot system (Windows 7 64-bit and Ubuntu 12.10).

[virsto]

The suggestion to do a new installation of 12.04 was the one I took. I downloaded 12.04-1 and reinstalled with very little difficulty. And most important I can connect to the internet via my wireless network.

Thanks to the Ubuntu forums --- this is not the first time that they came to my rescue.