New User Needing Install Help Eeepc

[GoldenMason]

Hello.
I just received my new EeePC 900a and have tried HARD to install XUBUNTU 9.04.
Install seems to go well. However, when I try to restart turn off/on the PC, all I get is a light blue screen with an active cursor.
Power key will allow me to restart, power down, etc.
Ctl-Alt F1-F3 will drop me to a command line which I assume are all virtual desktops.
However, No XWindows or other functionality is available.
PLEASE HELP!

Thanks,
GM

[running_rabbit07]

You should hook us up with some system specs.

If it is a netbook then you should have the Ubuntu Netbook Remix (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download-netbook). I just checked and I do see your model listed (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport/Machines/Netbooks#Asus%20Eee%20900a) for the Netbook Remix.

What size RAM and such do you have? The more we know the more we can help.

[running_rabbit07]

You should hook us up with some system specs.

If it is a netbook then you should have the Ubuntu Netbook Remix (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download-netbook). I just checked and I do see your model listed (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupport/Machines/Netbooks#Asus%20Eee%20900a) for the Netbook Remix.

What size RAM and such do you have? The more we know the more we can help.

The Ubuntu Netbook Remix is for you. Give it a try, let us know how it works out for ya.

[GoldenMason]

The Ubuntu Netbook Remix is for you. Give it a try, let us know how it works out for ya.

Thank you.
Looks like it is going to take ~5 hrs. (for some reason my d/l speed is ~60k/sec from my loction in CO to Utah server) to d/l.
I will try the install in the morning with high hopes and report back. This looks like the best bet yet after a day of head scratching!
Most appreciated.

GM

[running_rabbit07]

Thank you.
Looks like it is going to take ~5 hrs. (for some reason my d/l speed is ~60k/sec from my loction in CO to Utah server) to d/l.
I will try the install in the morning with high hopes and report back. This looks like the best bet yet after a day of head scratching!
Most appreciated.

GM

I know the feeling, I just spent 2 hours changing to Ubuntu8.04 Long Term Support from 9.04.

[GoldenMason]

Well, I am busy installing the OS from thumb drive.
With luck, it will work, though I will also say that XUBUNTU seemed to work just fine last night after I updated the machine's BIOS and re-installed yet another time. Regardless, this version SHOULD work better. So the next question-I should have asked last night is the following:
Assuming a good OS install, is it desirable to let the OS go ahead and update all of the updates (in XU, there were 151 updates--I do not know if this build pulls from the same location or not, etc.).
If it is NOT desirable to auto-update with all available updates, is there a list of preferred updates or the reverse, some I should NOT apply?

Thanks in advance.

GM

[running_rabbit07]

Well, I am busy installing the OS from thumb drive.
With luck, it will work, though I will also say that XUBUNTU seemed to work just fine last night after I updated the machine's BIOS and re-installed yet another time. Regardless, this version SHOULD work better. So the next question-I should have asked last night is the following:
Assuming a good OS install, is it desirable to let the OS go ahead and update all of the updates (in XU, there were 151 updates--I do not know if this build pulls from the same location or not, etc.).
If it is NOT desirable to auto-update with all available updates, is there a list of preferred updates or the reverse, some I should NOT apply?

Thanks in advance.

GM

If you want to let it download while your are away from the PC, that will help. You don't have to do all at once, but some of those are security patches that help keep your system secure and it can be hard to tell which ones are.

[GoldenMason]

Ok.
From your response, it would seem that I should go ahead and install it all.
Not much to loose to try at this point, so will do so.

Note: It is interesting--this is an entirely different build and interface. Including different applications--possibly "better ones" from what I can tell. The initial UI is MUCH simplified and reminds me a bit of the OS which came shipped on the machine.

What I have not yet seen is a way to switch between virtual desktops as was done in the previous OS by clicking an icon at he lower-right of the screen. Can you advise?
Meanwhile, I will apply the updates and report back w/ findings.

THANKS!

GM

[running_rabbit07]

Ok.
From your response, it would seem that I should go ahead and install it all.
Not much to loose to try at this point, so will do so.

Note: It is interesting--this is an entirely different build and interface. Including different applications--possibly "better ones" from what I can tell. The initial UI is MUCH simplified and reminds me a bit of the OS which came shipped on the machine.

What I have not yet seen is a way to switch between virtual desktops as was done in the previous OS by clicking an icon at he lower-right of the screen. Can you advise?
Meanwhile, I will apply the updates and report back w/ findings.

THANKS!

GM

I haven't used the netbook remix. I had remembered seeing an article about some of the eee systems using Netbook so i just looked in their installtion requiremants to see if your PC was there.

I have a laptop that I want to put that system on boot it isn't in the list. Just a really out of date lap top.

[GoldenMason]

Ok.
I understand. I am sure I will figure it out eventually.
BTW, I also have a really old laptop which I intend to put this OS on.
That said, I could not find an ISO--only am IMG of the remix.
Nero will burn an IMG to a DVD (to big for a CD), but the DVD will NOT be bootable.
I had to follow the instructions and create a bootable thumb drive for the EeePC.
Chances are that you have a laptop w/o a DVD drive and if it does have a USB port, the BIOS may not know how to boot from it. This creates a bit of a problem for these old laptops. Nothing that some research can't solve, I am sure, but as of the moment, no answers.

BTW, as I write this, the NB is applying the updates. We will see if there is any space left on the 4GB SDD when it's done, assuming it all works out. Will report back on this.

Regards,
GM

[running_rabbit07]

That was the fun with the laptop, I managed to load Xubuntu but it was maxing out the CPU at idle. I got it working better after uninstalling a lot of not needed programs.

The fun part, the CD drive doesn't work and it will not boot from USB thumb drive. I managed to use a live cd with an external cd drive and started the install while the laptop was running. The laptop is for my 5 year old daughter who loves to play on a pc while me or the wife is on ours.

[GoldenMason]

Sounds like you got it!
Clearly you know more Linux than I. It's an OS I have not used in at least 1 years. I need to get brushed up on it & then may be able to accomplish the type of install you managed to get down.

FYI, there is a REAL difference between XU and UR. I just finished updating the UR install and the netbook seems to be running just fine. Need to experiment now...
What can suggest is that UR does seem to be a smaller footprint and seems to run a tad faster than XU. The trade off--from what I can see so far is a dramatically simplified UI. Maybe I can yet fix that. However, for your old PC, I would recommend UR. It's going to be placed on my old laptop soon enough. That is unless I decide to change my mind and bring it own to the shop and use it as a DRO / machine controller, etc. This all is done in DOS most folks use their old machines for this purpose. Probably a Linux version out there as well--just have not looked for it yet.

So my progress report so far is SUCCESS, but with possible trade offs. I'll continue to report progress.

Again, I REALLY appreciate your help.

Regards,
GM (Dan)

[running_rabbit07]

Sounds like you got it!
Clearly you know more Linux than I. It's an OS I have not used in at least 1 years. I need to get brushed up on it & then may be able to accomplish the type of install you managed to get down.

FYI, there is a REAL difference between XU and UR. I just finished updating the UR install and the netbook seems to be running just fine. Need to experiment now...
What can suggest is that UR does seem to be a smaller footprint and seems to run a tad faster than XU. The trade off--from what I can see so far is a dramatically simplified UI. Maybe I can yet fix that. However, for your old PC, I would recommend UR. It's going to be placed on my old laptop soon enough. That is unless I decide to change my mind and bring it own to the shop and use it as a DRO / machine controller, etc. This all is done in DOS most folks use their old machines for this purpose. Probably a Linux version out there as well--just have not looked for it yet.

So my progress report so far is SUCCESS, but with possible trade offs. I'll continue to report progress.

Again, I REALLY appreciate your help.

Regards,
GM (Dan)

No problem, glad I could help.

Most of what I have learned is just from reading other threads as they are updated and I have been studying some online books for Debian.

[GoldenMason]

Well,
Here is the kicker.
I am back to where I started.
I thought I had the remix version loaded and working.
Turned the system off and plugged in for a recharge.
When I turned back on, once again, I got a blue screen, with an active cursor.
If I put a mem card in, it will show up as a mounted volum, but for the life of me, I can not get the application (whatever version of XWindows) window up and running as it should on startup.
Clear that the OS IS running, but something is not starting up as it should and I do not know enough to figure out what is not starting up and why.
I could really use some help with this as the OS seems to run fine otherwise. Just can not figure out why it occasionally seems to not starup properly. I am now re0installing for the 6th time!

HELP!!!!!!!

Thanks in advance,
GM

[running_rabbit07]

Sorry to here that. To get the best help, start a new thread and title it "Ubuntu Netbook Remix install gives BSOD"

BSOD is blue screen of death, gets attention. Normally found in Microsoft. Be sure to include that you have loaded multiple times and that you have also tried Xubuntu. Make it known how much storage you are using. Basically, the more info you give, the better help you can get. There are some really smart people in the forums that can help you.

I wish you luck on getting that fixed.