10.04 blinking cursor after grub select OS screen

[axel_2078]

I just installed 10.04 and for some reason once the grub screen loads and I can pick what I want to launch (regular kernel, or rescue mode), it attempts to load and then I just get a blinking cursor. I've found that I can't load the live CD either unless I use the nomodeset flag. I read in another post that this problem should be fixed by editing the /etc/default/grub file to add the nomodeset flag, which I did via nano. However, the file also says you must run update-grub after you edit the file. I tried this and it said something like it can't find / (is /dev mounted?) The hard drive itself is mounted, so I don't know why /dev wouldn't be mounted. How can I get this problem solved so I can boot to 10.04 successfully from the hard drive? (I'm typing this from the live CD right now).

[Catharsis]

If adding "nomodeset" worked for you in the LiveCD, you can do the same on your installation:
1) At the grub menu, press 'e'.
2) After "quiet splash" type "nomodeset".
3) Ctrl+x to boot.

Does this get you to a normal desktop?

[axel_2078]

If adding "nomodeset" worked for you in the LiveCD, you can do the same on your installation:
1) At the grub menu, press 'e'.
2) After "quiet splash" type "nomodeset".
3) Ctrl+x to boot.

Does this get you to a normal desktop?

Nope. If I add the nomodeset flag after the quiet splash flag, I just get the blinking cursor. If I remove the quiet splash flag and replace it with nomodeset, it will attempt to boot and mount somethings but then it just drops to a blinking cursor. Any more ideas?

[Catharsis]

Try getting a terminal by typing Ctrl+Alt+F2. If that doesn't work, boot the recovery kernel and try the same thing to get to a terminal.

[axel_2078]

Try getting a terminal by typing Ctrl+Alt+F2. If that doesn't work, boot the recovery kernel and try the same thing to get to a terminal.

Clt+alt+ F2 didn't work. If I try booting the recovery kernel it does the same thing; it starts booting and stops. The last part of it says "Begin: Running /scripts/init-bottom... Done." Then I'm left with the blinking cursor.

[Catharsis]

It hangs at that message for a minute for me too. Just wait it out. Is your disc light still flashing?

Edit: If it actually is freezing there, try Ctrl+Alt+F2 there too. If that doesn't work either, try choosing "failsafeX" in the recovery menu.

[axel_2078]

It hangs at that message for a minute for me too. Just wait it out. Is your disc light still flashing?

Edit: If it actually is freezing there, try Ctrl+Alt+F2 there too. If that doesn't work either, try choosing "failsafeX" in the recovery menu.

I waited about 30 minutes and it never moved past that point. Ctrl-Alt-F2 didn't get me a terminal window; it seemed to do nothing. When you said "is your disc light still flashing" were you referring to my hard disk light? If so, then no. I can load the Live CD fine if I use the nomodeset flag, but the problem is I can't boot the OS even by modifying the boot line parameter to include the nomodeset flag before it loads (as you suggested above). What is this "failsafeX" you mentioned in the recovery menu? Am I supposed to add that flag to the boot line for the recovery mode? Sorry for all the questions. I'm just baffled to why it's not booting correctly and just giving me a flashing cursor. I couldn't load 9.10 on my laptop at all because of the new grub; no matter what I tried, nothing ever worked and it just wouldn't get past grub. I got a step closer in 10.04 because it installed fine and grub even loads fine, but it doesn't boot properly. *Sigh*

[Catharsis]

I'm thinking the install failed somehow. If you can still get into the system, even with a LiveCD, please see:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

That should give us much more info as to why it isn't booting. If you can't run that script, then you'll just have to guess as to why it isn't booting. You might have to reinstall grub:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling GRUB 2

[axel_2078]

I'm thinking the install failed somehow. If you can still get into the system, even with a LiveCD, please see:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

That should give us much more info as to why it isn't booting. If you can't run that script, then you'll just have to guess as to why it isn't booting. You might have to reinstall grub:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling GRUB 2

Thanks for all your help. I finally realized that in order for grub to boot properly, I had to add the noapic and acpi=off arguments in addition to the nomodeset flag. This did allow me to boot, but only to a console login. I had to login at the console and do a "startx" to load the desktop. Then I found I was introduced to a whole new set of problems. The sound doesn't work, my wireless adapter isn't recognized, USB drives don't mount.....and all this worked fine from the Live CD. I started a separate thread for all that mess here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9276954#post9276954).

[Mills00013]

I know this thread is a little old, but just to maybe help in finding the solution, I have been experiencing the same thing on my 4,1 series MacBook Pro. What I discovered is that when I see the blinking cursor after grub, I press the power button on my computer twice for about half a second each time. The screen will flicker and it will continue on to boot.

This happens on the live cd, in recovery, and regular boot. The way OP described it is exactly the same as mine. I can just bypass it using the power button. Any ideas?

[asphixmx]

I have the same problem. I have a Dell XPS m1210 notebook. The same blinking cursor for about 30-45 seconds doing nothing after grub. Then it continues normally. It happened with Kubuntu 10.04, Ubuntu 10.04 and Linux Mint based on 10.04.... wish anyone could help with a solution...

[dino99]

on my system the same thing happen, i've removed "quiet splash" on the boot line to know about boot process and have seen that hard time begin when scanning sata chipset, i've report it.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/590727

select "affect me too" if you have the same issue

[samcoinc]

I have the same problem with my laptop. (dell studio xps 1645)

I select ubuntu from the grub screen
Get the blinking cursor
the bluetooth light turns off and on
hard drive flashes
nothing.

This happens a good 25 to 50 % of the time. The rest of the time it boots normally. After the bluetooth light goes off and on - the hard drive just keeps accessing and boots normally.

The system is usable.. just have to turn if off and hope that the next time it boots ;)

sam

[samcoinc]

I finally got rid of the 'quiet boot' and have been keeping track. this is where it hangs on my computer.

[Mills00013]

Ironic that you decided to post today for the first time in 3 weeks. I was planning on doing the same :)

I too turned off my quiet boot and splash screen and have found that the freezing during the boot process occurs for me after the line that says:


Freeing initrd memory: XXXXXk freed

Most of the time thats the last item, but maybe 10% of the time one more will sneak in after it that has nothing to do with memory. Either way, I'm pretty sure in my case, at least, it's that freeing process that stops my booting.

Again, all I have to do on my MBP is press my power button twice and it bypasses it, but its still an annoyance.

According to a few bug reports I found, other people have experienced it freezing here, always on 64bit installs like I have, but never on anything newer than a few years.

[samcoinc]

It seems to boot a lot more consistantly without quiet boot... So who knows if it is stalling in the same place. Presssing the power button doesn't seem to effect it for me.

sam

[sdholbs]

If adding "nomodeset" worked for you in the LiveCD, you can do the same on your installation:
1) At the grub menu, press 'e'.
2) After "quiet splash" type "nomodeset".
3) Ctrl+x to boot.

Does this get you to a normal desktop?


Thanks! This worked for me.