PCBruiser
September 24th, 2010, 11:03 PM
I have noticed a fairly large number of references to the problem that the Live/Graphical Install 10.10 Beta CD/USB stick fails to load. I have also seen several topics where using the text version of the installer works, but then on the first and subsequent boots, Ubuntu fails to load and the monitor is turned off. I believe that I have found the bug responsible for the issue, and a simple work around.
The problem is simple. The native resolutions available in the default set of drivers in the current versions of Ubuntu max out at a max resolution of 1280x1024 pixels. During the install, or load of the Live version, the installer polls the system's hardware to determine the resolution of the user's monitor. If the monitor is an LCD, LED or plasma display, that poll generally returns the native resolution of the monitor, in my case 1920x1080 pixels. Since the native video driver cannot accommodate displays larger than 1280x1024, I think the driver install fails. On the next and subsequent boots, no driver is loaded, and the monitor turns off.
While I would characterise that as a serious bug, there is also an easy fix.
1. Use the text version of the installer.
2. When it loads to the purple Ubuntu screen, click the {space} bar to open an options menu at the bottom of the Ubuntu screen. Click on F6 and check the option nomodeset. Then continue the boot.
3. The text installer should now work and install Ubuntu 10.10.
4. On the following boot, when Grub is on the screen, highlight the installed system (it should already be highlighted in Grub) and click on e to enter an edit screen.
5. Add the following to the line that starts with linux /boot/vmlinz ... :
nomodeset
and click {esc} to end the editing session. Make sure you have at lease 2 spaces between nomodeset and any other Grub runtime switch.
6. Ubuntu should now load correctly to a terrible looking screen. That is because by using the nomodeset boot switch you have bypassed Ubuntu's bootstrap check for the user's monitor resolution.
7. Install the correct drivers for your video card using the Additional Drivers Control Panel, and then reboot.
8. Your system should now reboot normally and each time thereafter.
Once the correct driver is installed, Ubuntu's loader will use that in lieu of the default one from the installer or live CD/USB flash stick. You do not need to make any further edits of Grub since the edit above was used only for the single boot.
The problem is simple. The native resolutions available in the default set of drivers in the current versions of Ubuntu max out at a max resolution of 1280x1024 pixels. During the install, or load of the Live version, the installer polls the system's hardware to determine the resolution of the user's monitor. If the monitor is an LCD, LED or plasma display, that poll generally returns the native resolution of the monitor, in my case 1920x1080 pixels. Since the native video driver cannot accommodate displays larger than 1280x1024, I think the driver install fails. On the next and subsequent boots, no driver is loaded, and the monitor turns off.
While I would characterise that as a serious bug, there is also an easy fix.
1. Use the text version of the installer.
2. When it loads to the purple Ubuntu screen, click the {space} bar to open an options menu at the bottom of the Ubuntu screen. Click on F6 and check the option nomodeset. Then continue the boot.
3. The text installer should now work and install Ubuntu 10.10.
4. On the following boot, when Grub is on the screen, highlight the installed system (it should already be highlighted in Grub) and click on e to enter an edit screen.
5. Add the following to the line that starts with linux /boot/vmlinz ... :
nomodeset
and click {esc} to end the editing session. Make sure you have at lease 2 spaces between nomodeset and any other Grub runtime switch.
6. Ubuntu should now load correctly to a terrible looking screen. That is because by using the nomodeset boot switch you have bypassed Ubuntu's bootstrap check for the user's monitor resolution.
7. Install the correct drivers for your video card using the Additional Drivers Control Panel, and then reboot.
8. Your system should now reboot normally and each time thereafter.
Once the correct driver is installed, Ubuntu's loader will use that in lieu of the default one from the installer or live CD/USB flash stick. You do not need to make any further edits of Grub since the edit above was used only for the single boot.