12.04.1 CDs will not run

[ladasky]

Hi folks.

I'm currently running 11.10 AMD 64-bit with no major problems, if you ignore a perpetual cycle of manual video driver rebuilds and upgrades (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2055141) that afflicts many of us, and my discovery that switching between multiple accounts causes LibreOffice to behave strangely (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2000212). I have a spare partition that I have saved for the installation of 12.04.

I tried 12.04 a few months ago and it hung during the installation (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1974971). I thought I would wait for 12.04.1 and try again. I downloaded both the standard and alternate install 12.04.1 CDs (I use RAID). Checksums were good, so I burned two disks.

Neither of them will boot. Here are the symptoms:

1) The standard CD: Yes, I know this won't talk to my RAID. I just wanted to try 12.04.1 without installing it first, given the installation problems I had a few months ago. Well, I can't get it to run. The Ubuntu boot logo appears on the bottom of the Aubergine screen for a while, and then disappears, leaving a blinking cursor on a black screen. I never get a menu. Both the CD-ROM drive and my hard drives thrash for about three minutes, and then I hear the Ubuntu drum sound prompt. Normally, I would be looking at a GUI login screen when I hear that sound. There isn't one, I'm still seeing a black screen with the blinking cursor. Ctrl-Alt-F1 through -F6 do not bring up text login prompts. The first time I Ctrl-Alt-Del I get an Ubuntu error sound. The second time, it ejects my CD. I can press Ctrl-Alt-Del all day and the system will not reboot. I have to reach for my reset button.

If I try to press any keys when the Ubuntu boot logo appears on the bottom of the screen, I get no response. This is supposed to bring up the boot options menu which would allow me to, e.g., use the nomodeset option. I know that I need nomodeset to get 11.10 to run on my system.

2) The alternate CD: With earlier revisions of Ubuntu, it's my experience that you don't need to press any keys during the boot process to bring up the boot options menu on the alternate CD, it appears by default. This also happens with my 12.04.1 alternate disk. And, like older versions, you see that boot options menu for an instant, and then it gets overlaid with the menu that asks you what language you want to use. But then, I have no keyboard control at this point. I can't use the arrow keys to change languages, I can't even press Enter to accept the default choice of English and proceed.

Here's a detailed description of my hardware, in case it's relevant:


Gigabyte GA-MA78-US2H motherboard, 8 GB RAM, AMD x6 1100T CPU
NVidia 460 family GPU card
Two hard drives operated in RAID1 configuration, administered by mdadm


Any suggestions? Thanks!

[darkod]

Do you have a wireless keyboard? Sounds like your keyboard is not working in both cases.

You said yourself it doesn't work with the alternate cd, and I guess the same applies with the live cd, hence hitting a key when the logo shows doesn't bring on the main menu, hence you can't select nomodeset.

I would focus on the keyboard. If you get that sorted, you could install without issues I guess.

[ladasky]

No, I have a wired keyboard.

And the system continues to function normally with 11.10. I am posting my reply to you from that system right now.

[ladasky]

Bump.

Anyone?

Did something change between 11.10 and 12.04 which affects how Linux interacts with BIOS?

[Crazy K]

I'm having the same problem with Xubuntu 12.04.1 and Lubuntu 12.04.1. I just starts Ubuntu up. I was able to get into CMOS but I have no idea if that's correct or not. I chose the CD rom choice as the first boot option, but when I noticed at startup, boot option said "Nothing in medium" or something along those lines.

I have another topic wondering if it's worth upgrading, but I just wanted to bring this up here because it seems to not be just me.

[darkod]

Bump.

Anyone?

Did something change between 11.10 and 12.04 which affects how Linux interacts with BIOS?

I have a wireless logitech keyboard and mouse (not combo, separate receivers) and they worked just fine in 12.04.1 live mode, during the install, and after it.

So in my experience, wireless works for 12.04. I still wonder if it's something with BIOS and not the ubuntu cd.

[ladasky]

I have a wireless logitech keyboard and mouse (not combo, separate receivers) and they worked just fine in 12.04.1 live mode, during the install, and after it.

So in my experience, wireless works for 12.04. I still wonder if it's something with BIOS and not the ubuntu cd.

Did you just see my bump post (#4), and not my original follow-up post (#3)?


No, I have a wired keyboard.

And the system continues to function normally with 11.10. I am posting my reply to you from that system right now.

I don't think that the keyboard is a problem. I can't imagine what the BIOS problem might be, but I'm willing to consider the possibility.

[darkod]

Sorry, I read it but forgot about it. Reading too many threads. :)

Is there any chance to test with another keyboard? I know the KB works in 11.10, but just in case.

Also, try the CDs on another computer and see how that goes. They might be corrupted. You can also try downloading new ISO and burning a new CD on low speed, like 8x or 10x max.

Apart from that, I'm running out of ideas.

[jmore9]

I just got done installing 12.04 on my machine 2 days ago. I do not use the cd's i use only the dvd's. Mainly because thats all i buy now. Did not have any problems with the insall this dvd also installed on a dell gx280 with no problems.

Maybe you could download a dvd iso and burn it and see if it works then. I don't think there is any didd between installers other than the disks , but i might be wrong.

I have also had problems burning the Ubuntu cd to cdrs with my equipment , they don't seem to fit.

Hope this heps a little.

I remember googleing a while back about a no bios use setting during the install process but i cannot remmember where i found the settings to select it. Maybe thats what you are looking for ?

[ladasky]

I just got done installing 12.04 on my machine 2 days ago. I do not use the cd's i use only the dvd's. Mainly because thats all i buy now. Did not have any problems with the insall this dvd also installed on a dell gx280 with no problems.

Hi jmore9,

I am running low on CD-Rs myself, but I have many DVD-Rs. I have been wondering what I will do when I finally exhaust my CD-R supply. Can you burn a CD image to a DVD and get it to boot? Well, maybe that's an issue for another day, especially since there's a DVD image of 12.04.1, which I am now downloading (here's the link (http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/12.04/release/) to the rather obscure page where it is hosted).

One question: does the DVD image include the "alternate install" features as well? The page doesn't say. I have to install to my RAID. As I documented in my first post, the alternate install CD didn't work for me.

[darkod]

Hi jmore9,

I am running low on CD-Rs myself, but I have many DVD-Rs. I have been wondering what I will do when I finally exhaust my CD-R supply. Can you burn a CD image to a DVD and get it to boot? Well, maybe that's an issue for another day, especially since there's a DVD image of 12.04.1, which I am now downloading (here's the link (http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/12.04/release/) to the rather obscure page where it is hosted).

One question: does the DVD image include the "alternate install" features as well? The page doesn't say. I have to install to my RAID. As I documented in my first post, the alternate install CD didn't work for me.

Yes, you can burn the cd ISO to a DVD, just use very, very low speed, like 4x or even 2x. It makes it more resistant to errors during burning.

As far as I know the DVD image doesn't include the alternate installer. It just includes more packages that don't fit on the CD image, like manu language files, etc.

You can still install RAID with the desktop installer, only the alternate is recommended. Depending on the raid type (fakeraid or software), the steps are slightly different.

[ladasky]

Just burned the 12.04.1 AMD x86_64 DVD, and tried booting from it.

The language popup menu appears, and then -- I have no keyboard control. Exactly like the CD. :(

Everything is still fine with 11.10. :confused:

[efflandt]

12.04 is different than 11.10. There are MANY old posts about the blinking cursor on black screen when you boot with nvidia graphics (I experienced that too). For 12.04 install, you need to use nomodeset kernel boot option. You no longer need that for the installed system once nvidia drivers are installed (which should happen automatically during install)

But, I cannot answer any questions about RAID.

I did have one laptop from 2006 (integrated Intel graphics) that for some reason would hang indefinitely (hours) without any errors 90% into installing 12.04 files with the regular install iso on USB. But the alternate install iso worked from USB and installed system works fine. I use 64-bit on everything including 2 GB tablet PC booted from SDHC card.

Other than that I have had no problems with 12.04. But I may hold off trying 12.10 (or install it where it can be tested first, like a USB drive), since many people seem to be having issues.

[ladasky]

12.04 is different than 11.10. There are MANY old posts about the blinking cursor on black screen when you boot with nvidia graphics (I experienced that too). For 12.04 install, you need to use nomodeset kernel boot option.

I know about nomodeset, as you will see from my original post (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=12262709&postcount=1). I needed nomodeset to run 11.10. However, I never get the opportunity to choose the nomodeset boot option when I try to boot from the 12.04.1 x86_64 CD, or the DVD -- because my keyboard is locking up. It's the very same keyboard that I'm using right now to type this message, from 11.10. I'm baffled by that.

I am getting the boot menu screen, and the language menu overlay. My screen isn't black. I can even see the 30-second menu timer counting down behind the language menu. The computer hasn't crashed.


But, I cannot answer any questions about RAID.

I would be happy to see 12.04.1 64-bit boot in live mode at this time. I'll worry about my RAID after that. One step at a time.


I did have one laptop from 2006 (integrated Intel graphics) that for some reason would hang indefinitely (hours) without any errors 90% into installing 12.04 files with the regular install iso on USB.

That pretty well describes the symptom that I saw (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=11918328&postcount=6) when tried to install 12.04 (not 12.04.1) on this same system -- 2009 motherboard, AMD CPU, NVidia graphics card (full specs in post #1 of this thread). The system hung for minutes to HOURS on the commands grub-install and update-grub. I didn't get any errors, either. And the hard disk thrashed the whole time.


But the alternate install iso worked from USB and installed system works fine. I use 64-bit on everything including 2 GB tablet PC booted from SDHC card.

I've never tried making a bootable USB before. Why it should behave any differently than booting from the same image burned to a CD or a DVD, I can't fathom. But if you can see a reason why it might make a difference, I'm willing to try.

[ladasky]

If I could mark this thread "half-solved," I would. I still do not have 12.04.1 installed, but I have discovered what my keyboard problem was.

Many of you probably are not using a PS/2 port any more. I am. I have an ergonomic keyboard that I bought ten years ago, and as long as it still works, I see no reason to replace it.

Most motherboards still have two PS/2 connectors on the back. One is designated for a PS/2 keyboard, the other for a mouse. Some time in the not-too-distant past, I unplugged my keyboard from the motherboard -- and then I plugged it back into the MOUSE connector.

Here's the funny thing. Linux anticipates this possibility. Once your system is fully booted, it will find a keyboard which was accidentally plugged into the mouse connector. However: EARLY stages of a boot or installation process (including BIOS) can only find a keyboard which is plugged in where it belongs. This explains my inability to use my keyboard to make the initial menu selections on the install disks. To prevent this subtle problem from ever happening again, I've taped over my PS/2 mouse port.

At last, I have been able to select nomodeset, and boot the 12.04.1 live CD. That's progress!

Unfortunately, I need to install to my RAID. And, as I reported earlier, the 12.04.1 alternate install CD is hanging for me at the grub-install step. The hard drives thrash away, but nothing seems to happen. Eventually (after over 15 minutes), I give up and reboot.

From the Live CD, I am able to sudo apt-get mdadm, and then build all of my RAID1 partitions. So, darkod, are you still out there?


You can still install RAID with the desktop installer, only the alternate is recommended. Depending on the raid type (fakeraid or software), the steps are slightly different.

If you (or anyone else) can tell me how I can install to RAID from the standard CD, I would appreciate it. Do I just start the standard install process after building my RAID? I could do that now. I don't know whether the standard CD installation will get around the mysterious hangup I'm experiencing at the grub-install step, but it's worth a try.