Live Disk, Can't Install

[Niwa Awin]

Okay, so I have a disk of Ubuntu 8.4 (that I had delivered) and when I choose the live disk the graphics comes up all fuzzy and messed up after it boots. It's to the point that I can't read anything. I have Ubuntu 9.10 (I believe it was, none the less it's the latest version) That when the menu comes up I can't even choose because it's like my key board isn't being detected. The video graphics I have is an Intel 4500 mhd.

[quixote]

(When you say you can't choose, I'm assuming you're trying to use the arrow keys, is that right? If it's not detecting the keyboard at all, then my suggestion below won't work, of course. It's possible, though not likely, that the CD is somehow faulty. You could try downloading and burning a new CD.)

When you start the liveCD, and you come to the list of choices:
Try Ubuntu without changing your computer (or whatever it says)
install
[and so on]
hit F4 "Modes" (within the 30 seconds it gives you before it continues booting)
and select "Safe Graphics Mode" from the popup menu.

Then let it continue with the first choice "Try Ubuntu" (I think maybe you have to hit "return" to get it to continue.)

If it boots, and you can read the screen, even if it's low-res like 800x600, then the problem is in the monitor / video configuration for the graphical desktop. If it still is basically unreadable, then there's something else going on.

[Mark Phelps]

The LiveCD serves more than just a way of experimenting with Ubuntu, it also provides a very good indication of how well your machine will work once Ubuntu is installed.

If basic stuff like video doesn't work, post-installation hacking to MAKE it work is going to be a nightmare. Unless you're eager to learn command line functions, which is what it's going to take to get Ubuntu to work (if ... it eventually does), suggest you try a different distro first.

That's the really GREAT thing about Linux, you don't have to drop $200 (USD) for each copy of an OS that you want to try out; instead, just visit the distrowatch.com page and download the distros you want to try. I had a laptop that wouldn't work with any Ubuntu version I tried until I stumbled across OpenSUSE -- and it installed and work with that with no problems. Had another laptop with the same experiences except it installed an worked with PC Linux OS 2007 with no problems.

[quixote]

Good suggestion. Google your exact model of laptop and linux (eg, "Thinkpad T60 linux" without quotes), and see what comes up.

[Saxicide]

I have a similar problem--the graphics work fine, but as soon as I've made a selection (Try without installing, install, whatever) Ubuntu stops recognizing my keyboard. And my mouse. For that matter, it stops recognizing any of my USB ports. And this happens with Easy Peasy, Ubuntu 9.04, Ubuntu 8.04, and Kubuntu 8.1

[Mark Phelps]

Yeah, well I don't know about the first one, but all the others are flavors of Ubuntu. Try something completely different -- like OpenSUSE or PC Linux OS 2009. Both are available from distrowatch.com.