Blank screen when installing Ubuntu 13.10 dual boot with UEFI

[toby.dublin]

I have been unsuccessfully trying to dual boot Ubuntu 13.10 to a new-ish laptop with Windows 8.1. The laptop has UEFI. I have used both live DVD and live USB, and I have tried with SecureBoot both enabled and disabled. Every time I have the same failure. Just before the GRUB screen appears, the following error message briefly flashes on the screen "error variable root isn't set". The GRUB screen then appears. I have tried both Trying-out the Installation, and Installation, and each time after I select one of these options the screen then goes blank and stays blank. When using a DVD, the DVD continues to whirr for several seconds, before going dead.

Out of interest I have also tried installing OpenSUSE 12.3 in the same ways (with SecureBoot both enabled and disabled in turn, etc) and the installation stalls at a similar point each time, which leads me to think it's something to do with the way UEFI is set up on this laptop.

The laptop is a Toshiba Satellite P845T about 3 months old, with the HDD replaced by a SSD. It came with Windows 8 pre-installed, and I upgraded to Windows 8.1 last week, shortly before trying to install Ubuntu. Curiously the Windows 8.1 desktop has a watermark in the lower-right corner that says "SecureBoot isn't configured correctly", but that may not be relevant to this query, as googling this suggests that many people have this watermark even though SecureBoot is configured correctly. And enabling/disabling SecureBoot makes no difference to the message.

Any help would be gratefully received, as I'd love to get this dual-booted with Ubuntu. Thanks!

[skhandige]

Try setting "nomodeset". Refer http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132

[fantab]

Have you disabled 'Fast Startup'?
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials...ndows-8-a.html

Have you disabled 'Fast Boot'?
http://www.intel.com/support/motherb.../CS-032034.htm

Also check in the BIOS/UEFI for 'Intel SRT', usually this is to found when SSD and HDD are provided by the manufacturer on Intel-based machines. If you find it then Disable it.
http://superuser.com/questions/47677...ling-intel-srt

[toby.dublin]

Thanks, skhandige and fantab.
I have tried nomodeset, I have disabled Fast Startup, and I have disabled Fast Boot. Still no luck.
I am unable to see an option to disable Intel SRT in the BIOS options. I had a look through the info in the link you provided, fantab, and I am a little confused about how to disable SRT if there is no opton to do this given in the BIOS menu.
How can I tell if I have SRT enabled if there is no option in the BIOS menu?
Thanks!

[fantab]

...
I am unable to see an option to disable Intel SRT in the BIOS options. I had a look through the info in the link you provided, fantab, and I am a little confused about how to disable SRT if there is no opton to do this given in the BIOS menu.
How can I tell if I have SRT enabled if there is no option in the BIOS menu?

It it probable that you don't have it. Like I said, it is usually found on computers that come pre-installed with both SSD and HDD, where the SSD is used as a 'cacheing' device.

So you don't have a HDD on the laptop but only SSD, right? Or do you have both?
How did you "Burn" the DVD? It is possible that there could be an issue with your DVD drive.
Have you tried to "Burn' the .iso to USB pendrive? You can use Unetbootin to burn .iso to USB drive.

Also we need to know exactly what ERROR you see.

[oldfred]

It looks like it is part of grub2's startup.

http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/man...roubleshooting

GRUB's normal start-up procedure involves setting the ‘prefix’ environment variable to a value set in the core image by grub-install, setting the ‘root’ variable to match, loading the ‘normal’ module from the prefix, and running the ‘normal’ command (see normal). This command is responsible for reading /boot/grub/grub.cfg, running the menu, and doing all the useful things GRUB is supposed to do.

But I have no idea how to fix, as if it then works it must not really be wrong? Other than a full reinstall of grub2 which may reset it to correct value??

[toby.dublin]

Hi, many thanks for the assistance. I have tried again, now using USB drive, but still the same error: "error: variable 'root' isn't set".

I have tried reading the notes sent by oldfred, and as far as I understand (I'm new to all this) the next step is for me to try using the Boot Repair tool. However, I'm unsure how to use it - I read the instructions, but they seem to assume you have already installed Ubuntu. How do I access and run the Boot Repair tool if I am at the grub menu but have not yet installed Ubuntu?

[fantab]

Here is boot repair CD:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Bo...ng_Boot-Repair

See the 1st option.

[toby.dublin]

So, I just tried installing Boot-Repair on a Live USB using UnetBootin. I then rebooted. The GRUB menu came up, and gave me the option Boot Repair Disk Session. I pressed enter, and the screen went blank and stayed blank, just as it has done whenever I've tried to install Ubuntu. So I seem unable to use the Boot Repair Disk. Is there some other way?
(I have been wondering whether this is all just me being incompetent, so I've tested by trying to install Ubuntu on an old PC (pre-UEFI) using the same USB drive I've been unsuccessfully using on this new laptop. On the old PC I successfully managed to install and dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows. So I think it's not user error!)

[travel.test]

Hi, I'm having the same problem have you had any luck with this?