20.04.1 is the HARDEST Ubuntu install ever

[Unterseeboot_234]

I started Ubuntu with Drake in 2006. Plop the CD-R into the CD reader, admire the trial, hit install and 40 minutes later I had Ubuntu.

Ubuntu 20.04.1 halted at BIOS because I didn't have PowerManagement. I had to take the time and flash my BIOS.

I tried several installs of 20.04.1 and failed a lot. Other distros can handle my GPU card -- ASUS GeForce 7300 GT. ASUS has no Linux drivers available for download.

To make a short story long, I went to the store and bought a GPU card I didn't want. Indeed, the newer GPU won't fit in a traditional tower box PC anymore. This new card has a fan and fins on it making a proper install impossible. The card sits in a slant in my computer and without the benefit of the screw reinstalled that holds PCI cards in place. I did prove the new card could run 20.04.1 at the proper resolution. I could purchase and install a PCIe 'riser', but why?

Swap back to my old GPU card, Linux Mint Cinnamon and Knoppix both come up as Live-cd sessions but not Ubuntu. I went ahead and installed the LiveCD of Ubuntu. Unlike Mint, Ubuntu can not find any other drivers to make my screen change resolutions.


sudo lspci --nnk | grep -iA3 vga
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation G73 [GeForce 7300 GT] [10de:0393] (rev a1)
Subsystem: ASUSTek Computer Inc. G73 [GeForce 7300 GT] [1043:8213]
Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau

Any way to change the resolution/refresh rate? The Software Center of 20.04.1 doesn't offer any options.

[GhX6GZMB]

You're not alone.
Try going to the archives and install 20.04 instead.

[QIII]

Alone? No.

But neither are those who are having no troubles at all.

Again: Unless we know the ratio of problematic to smooth installs, we don't know if the failures are anecdotal or generalized.

The preferred path here would be to help the user solve the problem as stated.

Thanks.

[GhX6GZMB]

The preferred path here would be to help the user solve the problem as stated.

Thanks.

Which I did. The "convenience update" from 20.04 (which works fine) to 20.04.1 apparently has problems, eg, installer modifications.
Thus my recommendation to pull the 20.04 distribution from the archives.

[oldfred]

Your issue is very old hardware. The 304 nVidia driver is not supported anymore.

See:
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2395766&p=13783513#post13783513

[Unterseeboot_234]

Can you supply a link to a 20.04 LiveCD download. I've been googling and if there was a link for 20.04 clicking gives me the old '404-File not found' or the link brings up 20.04.1.

Thanks. Any help. I've worked 2 days on this install. My Athlon64 has never touched Windows, always a linux.

[GhX6GZMB]

I'm flabbergasted! All links to 20.04 redirect to 20.04.1!
Ubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu etc. etc. etc.
The archives have been pruned completely. 20.04 apparently never existed.

Canonical or their website maintainers seem to have done a total Lukashenko here.

I'll hold on to my 20.04 DVD and place it my safe. Wow!

[QIII]

Which I did. The "convenience update" from 20.04 (which works fine) to 20.04.1 apparently has problems, eg, installer modifications.
Thus my recommendation to pull the 20.04 distribution from the archives.

Question: "How do I get my chocolate cake to come out right?"

Answer: "I had trouble with chocolate cake. Make a red velvet cake."

No. That's not answering.

It may come to recommending that the OP use 20.04 if the older graphics hardware is unsupported. But that should not be the first suggestion.

Please keep to the subject.

For reference, 20.04 can be downloaded here. (http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/20.04.0/)

[GhX6GZMB]

For reference, 20.04 can be downloaded here. (http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/20.04.0/)

Yes, it can. As a beta-release. All other instances of 20.04 have disappeared. And the page you link to is so well hidden that no search engine finds it.
What's going on here?
Everyone involved with xUbuntu seem totally paranoid about 20.04.1 vs. 20.04; I've never seen this kind of behaviour before.

PS: Your infantile cake comments may make sense to you, but are on an international forum somewhat misplaced.

[QIII]

Please scroll down further ... beyond the betas ... on the page I found using a search engine.

[GhX6GZMB]

You keep avoiding the issue.
Why has 20.04 disappeared from all sites, except the extremely hard to find place that you posted?

Again, what's going on here?

[QIII]

The iso is available. I found it with no trouble using Google.

You have had trouble with installation. The OP has had trouble. That is clear.

Your stated position is, however, secundum quid: a logically fallacious generalization of your experiences to be representative of the entire community.

Please stop posting that generalization and recommending against the installation of 20.04.1.

[grahammechanical]

Any way to change the resolution/refresh rate? The Software Center of 20.04.1 doesn't offer any options.

The place to go is Settings>Screen Display. You may see options to change Resolution and Refresh Rate.

When we install Ubuntu and check to install non-free software we get some proprietary video and audio codecs. We also get a proprietary video driver. If one exists. If we have problems it may be better not to check install non-free software. Then we will get an open source video driver and for a Nvidia card it will be called Nouveau. Once we have a working desktop we can open Software & Updates>Additional drivers. With an internet connection the utility will search for a proprietary video driver. If one exists.

I have a Nvidia GT216 and Additional Drivers is offering to install Nvidia 340.108. We can also use a couple of terminal commands


ubuntu-drivers list

That will list available proprietary drivers.


ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

That will install the most up to date proprietary driver.


ubuntu-drivers devices

will provide information about the video card.

Regards

[Unterseeboot_234]

That link for 20.04 was a 2-hour download over fiber-optic cable.

I would say my problem is the ubuntu install script. 20.04 at least has a boot screen in proper resolution. During installation there are a LOT of artifacts on the screen -- the graphics rendering doesn't clean up dirty areas of the Desktop. The final reboot brings up an unusable windows framework where you can't find buttons or the window actions.

Ubuntu 20.04.1 never invokes the xconf server to do the graphics.

Ubuntu 20.04 beta is mis-using xconf because Ubuntu expects device information coming from my monitor over a VGA cable.

Buying new hardware to accommodate an OS upgrade reminds me of Macintosh. I want Ubuntu Mate but I just may have to settle on Linux Mint Cinnamon. Mint presents.

Any ideas?

[ActionParsnip]

Sure the RAM is OK? I don't think a slanted video card is good for any of the hardware you have

[Unterseeboot_234]

I have RAM OK after memtest. I went back to my ASUS GeForce 7300 GT. I would have to mail-order any other replacement card.

I can LiveCD Linux Mint-Cinnamon and I have faith it will install. Knoppix does install. ubuntu 20.04 starts out with the install screens in good resolution. Final result looks like an incomplete compquiz (the rotating cube for windows desktop).

Try to install 20.04.1 and it never invokes a resolution change -- buttons are off the screen. One can install 20.04.1 by clicking the border of the barely shown button. Final result on with the 20.04-beta install is non-functional

So now I'm looking at installing Ubuntu 18.xx and try upgrade to 20.04.1???? Or, can I install Linux Mint-Cinnamon and bolt on the Redmond GUI theme from Ubuntu Mate later?

[tea for one]

It appears that there has been a dilemma with Ubuntu 20.04.1 and nVidia cards.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes


Systems with an nVidia graphics card: These systems boot the live session by default with the open source video driver 'nouveau'. On some hardware this driver may crash which results in a freeze of the graphical session of the installer. If it happens, on the boot menu, select a 'Safe graphics mode' entry. Then in the installer, on the 'Preparing to install ...' page, select 'Install third party software ...' and continue. This option will install the nVidia proprietary drivers on the target system. Upon installation the proprietary drivers for your card will be loaded and the graphical session should work properly with optimized drivers. (1871562)

Here is a thread with more info and a possible solution.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2451568

[Unterseeboot_234]

Linux Mint-Cinnamon LiveCD installed without a hitch. The whole time I had readable windows and menus. After installation, Display settings brings up the options dialog and my Samsung 23" DVI-1-1, Resolution, 60Hz. And the install took less than 35 minutes. Two little glitches. Upon completion of install came dialog -- "Remove media and hit return". Mint wasn't recognizing my wireless keyboard at that point. Ubuntu does restart with the Enter button upon completion of install. In Mint the Start menu has jumbled text for menu items. When I pass the cursor over the menu items the button labels become readable.

The Ubuntu install of 20.04.x takes close to an hour and my display is never recognized to optimize the resolution. In fact, the only way I can invoke LiveCD to install is by F6 at the boot screen -- shows a person and a keyboard at the bottom of the screen. Select the option nomodset.

Mint is based on ubuntu and the install screens look almost the same.

I will try the latest suggestion of fix my display after I try the Ubuntu 20.04.1 install with the low resolution. 20.04-beta at least starts off in the correct resolution and during the install the display changes to low res.

It would be so nice if the install script for Mint was the script ubuntu used.

[GhX6GZMB]

The iso is available. I found it with no trouble using Google.

You have had trouble with installation. The OP has had trouble. That is clear.



Wrong. I have a wonderfully working installation based on the 20.04 .iso that installs without a hitch every time. I haven't even bothered with 20.04.1. Why should I?

Which is why I recommend using this, as people seem to have problems with the 20.04.1 "convenience update", where the installer apparently has been modified. OK?

Cheers.

[CelticWarrior]

Wrong. I have a wonderfully working installation based on the 20.04 .iso that installs without a hitch every time. I haven't even bothered with 20.04.1. Why should I?

Which is why I recommend using this, as people seem to have problems with the 20.04.1 "convenience update", where the installer apparently has been modified. OK?

Cheers.

You're missing the point here.
The OP's problem is with an old Nvidia graphics card. It has nothing to do with the 20.04.1 installer vs. original 20.04 installer. That said the older nouveau version present in the original release work better (not freeze so often) than the new version present in the point release.

Either way it'll be hard if not impossible to make standard Ubuntu work acceptably in such outdated hardware. That graphics used to work fine but only with a proprietary driver version that can't be installed with the current kernels. Lighter DEs may work even with the nouveau driver but I would keep my hopes high.

[QIII]

That link for 20.04 was a 2-hour download over fiber-optic cable.

I would say my problem is the ubuntu install script. 20.04 at least has a boot screen in proper resolution. During installation there are a LOT of artifacts on the screen -- the graphics rendering doesn't clean up dirty areas of the Desktop. The final reboot brings up an unusable windows framework where you can't find buttons or the window actions.

Ubuntu 20.04.1 never invokes the xconf server to do the graphics.

Ubuntu 20.04 beta is mis-using xconf because Ubuntu expects device information coming from my monitor over a VGA cable.

Buying new hardware to accommodate an OS upgrade reminds me of Macintosh. I want Ubuntu Mate but I just may have to settle on Linux Mint Cinnamon. Mint presents.

Any ideas?

I live far out in the country on our farm. I don't want to pay Comcast the quoted $15,000 to run cable. Satellite is too slow and spotty in my location. My ISP is a bulk reseller of AT&T cellphone bandwidth which I catch on a Yagi antenna. My typical download speed tests are about 50Mbps. I just downloaded 20.04.1 in < 8 minutes with ktorrent. I downloaded the release of 20.04 from the URL I cited (not the beta) over http in < 15 minutes. My own pipe was not saturated. Canonical is not in control of how quickly you can download except to the extent that their pipe is saturated, which is variable and based on demand. Canonical is not a large company with unlimited resources.

I spun a VM for 20.04.1 and installed it without issue in 8:39. Granted, that was from this machine where the image was downloaded to NVMe and the qcow2 is on a mechanical drive on another server on my LAN. Note that I have a dedicated NIC for each of my VMs, so the communication of the data downloaded during install was unhindered just as a bare metal install.

Using KVM as my VM software, the installation process was done in low resolution. However, on restart I was able to change the resolution to 1920x1080 easily.

If NVIDIA has discontinued the driver that your machine requires, that's not on Canonical. Then Nouveau driver is a best-guess back-engineered attempt at providing an alternative for a closed-source, proprietary driver. The fact that NVIDIA keeps its driver closed source is not on the Linux community nor on Canonical specifically.

You are certainly having problems and we will have to see if someone has a better answer for you. Rather than casting aspersions or resorting to secundum quid, working at a solution would be beneficial to you and anyone else having similar issues.

My idea: read through oldfred's post and see if there is any help for you there. I suspect that he is on the right track and the issue is your graphics hardware. Remember that the volunteers who develop Nouveau are always scrambling with NVIDIA hardware and may simply not have the time and resources to keep the driver backwards compatible with older hardware.

[Unterseeboot_234]

I have a PCIe card on the way. I'll install that new card and try installation one more time. I want to hang on to the motherboard I've got because it comes with firewire 1.0 and that connects my DV-camera.

My computer won't boot from USB. I tried install with LiveCD safe mode, internet disconnected and minimal install with no other update, third party. Upon installation I had the beautiful desktop and then the dialog to restart, remove media. Computer boots, Ubuntu loads. Logon screen looks darn good! Password. Pause. Shattered graphics with no GUI. Hold Power button for 5 secs to crash out.

I'm still working on it. I will announce if I did get 20.04.1 installed or if I gave up on Ubuntu.

[oldfred]

If you you are bandwidth limited learn about zsync.

I have not downloaded a full Ubuntu ISO for years.
I started using zsync for the daily as it would just have minor changes.
And when I zsync'd last daily with release there was few changes, but a name change of ISO, which I copy ISO & rename it first.
And when I switched from Ubuntu to Kubuntu I zsync'd that and it was about 50% same.

If you install 20.04, and update you will have 20.04.1. I did not think they were changing installer.
But 20.10 does have major changes as now they are using grub2 to boot both BIOS & UEFI versions in the ISO.

Rename daily from Monday & it was 91% the same:


fred@Z170N-focal:~/ISO$ zsync http://releases.ubuntu.com/focal/ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso.zsync

#################### 100.0% 2711.6 kBps DONE

reading seed file ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso:

Read ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso. Target 91.0% complete.
downloading from http://releases.ubuntu.com/focal/ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso:
#################### 100.0% 7988.2 kBps DONE
**
verifying download...checksum matches OK
used 2471415808 local, fetched 244168352

[ajgreeny]

If you you are bandwidth limited learn about zsync.
<snip>

Same here, and i usually zsync an iso of several of the different DE versions of the Ubuntu family and then install them as VMs using KVM, just to check that Xubuntu is still my rightly chosen version.

The difference between the DE versions is a great deal smaller than getting the whole iso file perhaps by a margin of having to download only 10% of the full iso size.
I already have Xubuntu. Ubuntu and Kubuntu as the 20.10 versions available as VMs to see how they are doing.

[Unterseeboot_234]

Thanks for replies and ideas. In my situation I experienced the best installed GUI with the mashed in PCIe card. I was impressed with Redmond and Mate. That is what I want. I should be up in five days. If it goes, I'll mark this as SOLVED.

The new PCIe card will have HDMI out and that was the difference in Ubuntu. Just baffling that Linux Mint accepts a monitor with VGA, no problem. And the install for Mint looks and smells just like the Ubuntu installer.

[mastercore]

I am also having problems with GPU (Sapphire Radeon RX 5700 XT Nitro+ (8GB)
Running Ubuntu 20.04

My screen is connected to the GPU but other indicators tell me that the GPU is not functioning (blender cannot use the GPU because it does not see it, and I can tell it is not being used by the render performance).
My computer freeze at least once a day, and I get screen flicker and blackouts about once an hour.

I am pretty new to Linux so messing around with Terminal is still a challenge for me.
My go to solution for freezes is the reboot button! Thank god that Linux is fast to start up

This is a production computer so I usually do not have a lot of time to tinker.
I set it us as a dual boot with windows. Windows is tempting me back but for the bloatware all over it and the excruciating long boot up and shutdown times.

[Unterseeboot_234]

My bad. I had a flaky graphcis card and a legacy computer. FINALLY found a great GPU card that fits inside a tower box using a single PCI slot. The LiveCD installed ubuntu 20.04.1 flawlessly. I already like Mate more than I do WIN10. Incredible that this ubuntu release shows Drive A -- the 3.5 floppy drive! And I've got firewire-1399. All of that right out of the box with Ubuntu. WIN can't do that.

Thanks guys.

[Unterseeboot_234]

Unless the Radeon is integrated in the AMD CPU I have had problems with add-on Radeon GPUs in Linux. WIN has the drivers but the AMD drivers have to be added after install of Ubuntu. Once the drivers work they work forever throughout the upgrades and fail when you do a clean install. For Ubuntu I learned there is less pain with nVidia chip cards. I tried and returned four GPU cards and ended up with Zotac GeForce GT 730 which works great with 3D content apps. This card works video editing better with the multi-core AMD. My ocoto-core AMD runs your card without a problem.