14.04 Live CD will not boot

[n2add]

I am not sure this is the right place but I will post my problem.

I cannot get the 14.04 Ubuntu Live CD to boot on my main system. I can get to the screen which presents the "Try Ubuntu" or "Install Ubuntu" and language selection. When I click "Try Ubuntu", I get about a minute of disc activity and then nothing - just a black screen.

I have tried both the 64-bit and 32-bit versions with the same results. I checked the download 'hashes' and they matched.

System is a HP Pavilion with an AMD 64 processor, 4 GB of RAM, and an nVidia GeForce 6150SE on-board GPU. I have had problems on most newer Linux distros until I was able to install an nVidia proprietary driver but I cannot even get this far with 14.04.

Version 13.10 booted successfully on this system. Plus I tried the 14.04 64-bit on another older HP computer with an Intel CPU and on-board G31 GPU and did not have this problem.

[kc1di]

some video card present problems. you have the same card I have on one of my machines.
You will need boot it with the nomodeset parameter.
It will boot then.
you can do that by hitting left shift key when boot starts and slecting f6 key. then from the menu presented select nomodeset. hit esc and enter.

[sammiev]

Beat me to it. That should do the trick.

[jim49]

I've had the same problem on an old 2005 laptop, and when I check the DVD, it says two files bad. But when I go to a newer laptop with the same DVD, it checks OK. In my case, I'm afraid the older DVD reader is simply getting a lot of errors. In that case, it would help immensely to find a CD size image I can install as a core, and then extend.

I did try nomodeset to no avail. It's a Toshiba Satellite from 2005 ...

[alex185]

I have tried booting with every possible video mode, but i'm still not getting past a black screen with a flashing cursor. I'm using an Acer C720 chromebook with SeaBios enabled. Do you have any other ideas?

[kc1di]

I didn't realize this was a chromebook.
You can find instructions on this page (http://www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/764181-how-to-install-linux-on-an-acer-c720-chromebook)to tell you how to install ubuntu on a chromebook.

and here is another page. (http://chromeos-cr48.blogspot.com/2013/10/chrubuntu-for-new-chromebooks-now-with.html)

[n2add]

kc1di

Your suggestion worked correctly. Thank you.

[Vesnog]

some video card present problems. you have the same card I have on one of my machines.
You will need boot it with the nomodeset parameter.
It will boot then.
you can do that by hitting left shift key when boot starts and slecting f6 key. then from the menu presented select nomodeset. hit esc and enter.

Sorry, to resurrect an old thread but I am experiencing the same problem and hitting the Shift+F6 key does not seem to work. Exactly when should I hit this key combination? No window pops-up allowing me to select something in my case and I wait till it loads from the LiveDVD up to the point where you are prompted to choose between trying Ubuntu or installing it.

[efflandt]

No you do not do Shift+F6. When you boot the live/install iso press any key when you see little symbols at the bottom that look like keyboard and mouse. Then it should ask your language. And at the menu you will see F6 at the bottom.

Press F6, use cursor keys to highlight nomodeset (or any other boot parameter) and Space bar will select it. Then Esc back to menu and select whether you want to try a live system (you can install in the live system) or you can go right to install. Note that whether booting from bootable iso on USB or DVD, it will take a while to boot, so give it time.

[Vesnog]

No you do not do Shift+F6. When you boot the live/install iso press any key when you see little symbols at the bottom that look like keyboard and mouse. Then it should ask your language. And at the menu you will see F6 at the bottom.

Press F6, use cursor keys to highlight nomodeset (or any other boot parameter) and Space bar will select it. Then Esc back to menu and select whether you want to try a live system (you can install in the live system) or you can go right to install. Note that whether booting from bootable iso on USB or DVD, it will take a while to boot, so give it time.

Thanks for the update I will try it as soon as possible and let you know.

[Vesnog]

No you do not do Shift+F6. When you boot the live/install iso press any key when you see little symbols at the bottom that look like keyboard and mouse. Then it should ask your language. And at the menu you will see F6 at the bottom.

Press F6, use cursor keys to highlight nomodeset (or any other boot parameter) and Space bar will select it. Then Esc back to menu and select whether you want to try a live system (you can install in the live system) or you can go right to install. Note that whether booting from bootable iso on USB or DVD, it will take a while to boot, so give it time.

Yeah that worked like charm(for a time I again got a black screen for around a minute or so but then the OS and Unity loaded) and it booted much faster too. Can you explain why this is the case and what does this setting change that it boot from the live DVD?