Issue booting Ubuntu 11.04

[Straemer]

So I have recently upgraded from 10.10 to 11.04 (32-bit), and have not been able to boot Ubuntu since. I believe this may be a kernel issue, as when I first upgraded from 10.04 to 10.10, I was not able to use the 2.6.38 linux kernel (It would hang when booting when it said "Starting up..."). I just used the 2.6.32 kernel instead, and everything worked fine. Now that I have upgraded to 11.04, neither of these kernel versions work. 2.6.38 hangs at the same spot as it did when trying to use it in 10.10, and 2.6.32 freezes up at the Ubuntu loading screen. I have tried burning a CD to reinstall (11.04), however, this seems to not want to load either. (It freezes with a black screen and blinking cursor after quickly displaying ISO LINUX or something along those lines)

I'm on an ASUS F50 with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and am Dual-Booting with Windows 7 (Windows will still boot properly). Has anyone experienced similar issues to this?

[Rubi1200]

Hi and welcome to the forums :-)

Have you tried booting using Recovery Mode?

If you can somehow get the computer booted with a LiveCD (doesn't have to be an Ubuntu CD), do the following:

Boot the Ubuntu Live CD/USB. Choose the option "Try Ubuntu without any changes." Once the desktop loads come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Once downloaded, move the boot info script to the desktop.
3. Open a terminal and run the command


sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here in a new post. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

NOTE: depending on which distro you use to boot the computer, you may not need to preface that command with sudo. Try with either su or nothing in front of the command.

[Straemer]

I was able to startup in recovery mode (only on the kernel), I tried some fixes posted on the forums (mostly just reinstalling graphics drivers), but these seemed to be unsuccessful. The results of the script are:


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive
in partition #7 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Vista: Fat 32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /boot/bcd

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe
/wubildr.mbr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr /wubildr
/ubuntu/winboot/wubildr

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda6 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab

sda8: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdc: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Windows XP: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x97646c29

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 63 24,579,449 24,579,387 1c Hidden W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 * 24,580,096 337,149,951 312,569,856 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 337,156,155 625,137,344 287,981,190 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 429,819,138 433,819,259 4,000,122 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 433,819,323 625,137,344 191,318,022 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 337,156,281 425,931,344 88,775,064 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 425,931,408 429,819,074 3,887,667 82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd8eb771e

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 63 1,953,520,064 1,953,520,002 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 3C98-AC5D vfat RECOVERY
/dev/sda2 BC7E9AB97E9A6C40 ntfs Why should I name my hard drive?
/dev/sda5 1cc44ccc-1641-4a6a-81ea-08214793152c swap
/dev/sda6 90948E31948E1A3C ntfs Data
/dev/sda7 b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ext3
/dev/sda8 6f024d41-8c91-431b-ad37-c4e2e7081302 swap
/dev/sdb1 AE3E2CD03E2C937F ntfs THE SPOOL
/dev/sdc F05B-414E vfat THE FLASK

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

rootfs / rootfs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb1 /media/THE SPOOL fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=512)
/dev/sdc /media/THE FLASK vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=hal,shortname=mixed,uid=9 99,utf8,umask=077,flush)


=========================== sda7/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.38-8-generic-pae
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae
quiet

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.38-8-generic-pae (recovery mode)
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.38-8-generic
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode)
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.32-30-generic
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-30-generic root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-30-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 11.04, kernel 2.6.32-30-generic (recovery mode)
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-30-generic root=UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-30-generic

title Ubuntu 11.04, memtest86+
uuid b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


=============================== sda7/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=b70d5bfe-bfa8-4464-9b70-bf69e8ba3690 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda8 during installation
UUID=6f024d41-8c91-431b-ad37-c4e2e7081302 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sda7: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


208.8GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
208.9GB: boot/grub/stage2
208.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-30-generic
208.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
208.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae
208.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-30-generic
208.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic
208.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae
208.5GB: initrd.img
208.5GB: initrd.img.old
208.5GB: vmlinuz
208.5GB: vmlinuz.old

[Straemer]

Anyone have anything on this? Or is there another thread that might be helpful?

[Straemer]

I still have not resolved this issue. Can anyone help? I'm tired of having to use windows :(

[Straemer]

Anyone? Please?

[Rubi1200]

You appear to have vestiges of a Wubi install as well as a mix of legacy-GRUB and GRUB2. Ubuntu versions from 9.10 onwards use GRUB2. You also have 2 swap partitions? Is there a reason for that?

The best advice I can give right now is to purge and reinstall GRUB from the LiveCD using the chroot method described in this fantastic thread by drs305:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1581099

[Dutch70]

Edit: Well crap, that's twice today Rubi :)

The only thing I can tell you is that you've got grub legacy installed and 11.04 uses Grub2, but so does 10.10.

Also, if you look at sda7 in your boot script, it says...
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab
I'm not sure why it's saying that.

menu.lst is also a part of grub legacy, I don't think its been used since Ubuntu 9.10.
You may want to try reinstalling grub2.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD)

Good luck! I've never been able to upgrade successfully. Although some people say they've never had a problem.

PS. If all else fails, you may want to try renewing your installation. I've never tried it before so I don't know how well it works, but I'll give you this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGnsYuWS0xY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGnsYuWS0xY)

[Straemer]

Thanks for the quick response.

I was able to boot off a livecd and install GRUB2, however Ubuntu 11.04 still won't load. I get stuck at a blank purple screen when loading it from GRUB2. I originally installed Ubuntu from either 9.04 or 9.10, and have just upgraded through the update manager. I would probably be able to revert to 10.04 (that's the livecd I booted off of) however the 11.04 livecd doesn't seem to boot properly either.

[Rubi1200]

Did you use the full chroot method I linked to?

A simple reinstall of GRUB will likely not work in your situation.

If needs be, post the results of the boot script again so we can see what, if anything, has changed.

Thanks.

[BlowyJellyFish]

Well, this is an old thread, but I may have found a solution that will work. I also have an ASUS F50SV, and I just recently upgraded from 10.04 to 12.04. I ran into the same problem. After some research, none of which was really helpful, I started playing with BIOS settings. I found that if I go to Security -> I/O Interface Security Settings and set the New Card Interface to Locked (disabling it), the system boots normally. I presume that this is the PC card slot, but I am not certain.

I do not use that card slot, so I am not missing anything, but if anyone knows how to fix the problem, the help would be appreciated.

Hope this helps!