Clean install of 11.04, only get a blinking cursor

[brohmes]

Hi,

I'm on a brand new Sandy Bridge Core i3, trying to install the mini.iso from disk to a 64AGB Corsair SSD.

The install seems to go fine, I don't receive any error messages as it's going through. But once the install finishes and the PC reboots, all I'm getting after the BIOS screen is a blinking cursor. No error messages, but the only input that seems to do anything is CTRL + ALT + DEL, which produces a few lines of text really quickly before it reboots (too quick to read what it says).

I ran the boot info script found at http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ but I'm not skilled enough with linux to identify where my problem is. Here are the contents of the results.txt file:


Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos1)/boot/grub on this drive.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 64.0 GB, 64023257088 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7783 cylinders, total 125045424 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 116,842,495 116,840,448 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 116,844,542 125,044,735 8,200,194 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 116,844,544 125,044,735 8,200,192 82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4 ext4
/dev/sda5 7096fc04-bf17-4ef7-a958-40da8318f9f3 swap

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda1 /media/2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4 ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)


=========================== sda1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae root=UUID=2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4 ro splash quiet vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae root=UUID=2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-1" ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s 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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=2cc3bc77-f2d6-4758-94d6-a298fc926dc4 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=7096fc04-bf17-4ef7-a958-40da8318f9f3 none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

12.127708435 = 13.022027776 boot/grub/core.img 1
12.127716064 = 13.022035968 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
0.635185242 = 0.682024960 boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae 2
0.208438873 = 0.223809536 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae 1
0.635185242 = 0.682024960 initrd.img 2
0.208438873 = 0.223809536 vmlinuz 1

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

unlzma: Decoder error



Any help as to how to get past this is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Hakunka-Matata]

Try holding down the shift key while booting the machine. Keep holding it down until you get the Grub menu - hopefully. You'll want to edit the first entry. The next to last line usually, that starts with linux /boot/vmlinuz-blah blah blah, and probably ends with quiet splash. what ever the line ends with, insert a space followed by nomodeset

then boot the machine, read instructions at bottom of that page.

Good Luck, hopefully holding down shift key will get you into the grub menu

EDIT: Here is another thread dealing with the blinking cursor problem. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10910631

the nomodeset option is used for Nvidia graphics, other graphics need variations on the nomodeset switch. Look at the thread above if necessary.

[brohmes]

Thanks for the reply.

Holding the shift key doesn't bring up the GRUB menu, unfortunately. All I get is still the blinking cursor - or sometimes now, I don't even get that; my monitor (connected via DVI to onboard i3 video) just goes into power savings mode, presumably because it's not getting any signal.

[Hakunka-Matata]

That's too bad, sorry.

This (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1819698) thread might give you some more ideas, FM has a SSD drive and he's solved his problem.


Since you never even see a purple screen, the startup process may be failing before completing, if it's a video problem in 11.04, posters usually report that the screen goes purple for sometime then turns black with a blinking cursor.
Since the outcome/result of booting is not always the same, not consistent, maybe re-installing would would be a good idea.
If you are using a USBmemorystick to install with, I can recommend using unetbootin to burn the USBstick. And of course, multiple attempts can be made using USB without wasting CDs.
It's reported that if there is a kernel panic that the scroll lock key led, blinks (my scroll lock keys don't have a led!).
Your boot_info_script output looks ok to me, but I do not claim to be expert on that either.
In BIOS, if there is an AHCI setting for SATA controller, you might want to toggle it and see if it makes any difference.

[MrGrado]

This is not really a permanent fix but pressing F8 in initial start up screen should take you to a menu with drives to select to boot from. You should be able to select the drive with your OS on it and atleast use your computer until you find a solution.

[brohmes]

Thanks all.

The solution for me was actually really simple - At the blinking cursor I just hit ALT + CTRL + F1, and lo and behold, i got a login prompt. From there I was able to build a working xorg and get xbmc up and running.

Thanks for the help.

[Hakunka-Matata]

That's great, glad to see you solved the puzzle. Gonna mark your thread solved?, Use Thread Tools.

[bink1595]

Same cursor no Ubuntu. Tried Ctrl-Alt-F1, no go. Install was completely normal. Motherboard ASUS A8V-VM-SE if that's an issue.

[brohmes]

Try Ctrl + Alt + F2 and see if that works. Actually try F2 - F6. A couple of times in other situations on other machines the F1 hasn't worked for me, while F2 or F3 has.

[bink1595]

Tried all the Ctrl+Alt+F1..F12. No change. Tried Ctrl+Alt+Esc as well. No change.