Anybody out there need help with an Ubuntu issue?

[Drate]

I'm opening this thread as an invitation for anybody to ask questions and hopefully get the answers they are looking for and with a personal, local touch.

[Bobrm2]

Well sir, I'm from north of Harriet, Ar. Recently assembled a new computer, that I partitioned ./ ./Boot ./Data ./swap. All primaries and except for ./ /dev/sda/ ext4.

After I partitioned the HDD with Gparted and attempted to install Ubuntu 10.10, maybe also tried 11.04 have made startup disks, with new downloads of the respective ISO. Anyway, attempting to install the program all I have now is black screen with a flashing cursor in the upper left (since yesterday). I can just barely make out "Checking NVRAM" before the BIOS page flashes by.

I obviously don't have a terminal and don't know how to wipe the hard drive, that's all I can figure to do, but how.

I take you up on your offer of assistance. It's a good think my hair is only about a 1/2 inch long.

Bob

[kwadroke]

Sounds like GRUB is hosed.

[Bobrm2]

So, how can I start over? Will resetting CMOS do it?

[roadrawts]

I'm reading the GRUB 2 documentation about this problem but I don't understand it all. It says to use a LiveCD and pick the Repair of the Computer Boot option with "I want to reinstall the bootloader (Grub2)". But it looks like an Ubuntu 10.10 function which I don't have (I have Ubuntu 10.04). I just want to move my Ubuntu partition using GPARTED but will encounter the same problem that you have because Grub wont find the OS. I need some guidance also.

[Bobrm2]

I've gone back trying to load 10.4 ISO, with no success, and 11.04 won't git pass this black screen with white cursor. I'm going to see if I can find a way into the "Terminal". Anyone know how, pls speak up.

Bob

[Drate]

Okay, well, first things are first, I don't want to recommend anything that would result in you losing any valuable data, or your existing 1/2 inch of hair, so:

Do you have any valuable data on this computer? If not, my recommendation would be this:

Don't try to partition the drive manually. Start with an Ubuntu 11.04 live CD, let it come up into the installer, choose all the default options.

There are sometimes some visual problems at bootup, don't let that bother you too much. There is supposed to be a fancy boot splash with colored orange dots. In my experience they are always there on OTHER people's computer, never mine, I've gotten used to it. It shouldn't take but a minute for Ubuntu to be up at a login screen.

If you DO have valuable data you need to protect, then the first step is going to be making sure that data is backed up. Let me know where we stand with this and I can make more informed recommendations.

[Bobrm2]

There is nothing on the HDD. This is brand new install, so anything goes. First, and I don't remember why, the tech at ECS motherboards, had me remove the CMOS battery, and since last evening I learned what NVRAM is, and that is the flashed message at the bottom of the BIOS screen, (it took a while for me to see the message) "Searching NVRAM". I'm going back and see if the battery is installed correctly and then I'll Change the CMOS header, move from pins 1 and 2 to pins 2 and 3 for ten seconds, and then back to pins 1 and 2, resetting CMOS.
When I came on the computer, with the HDD not connected to the mother board, and using 11.04 installed on the memory stick all was fine. Realizing that the HDD was not connected is when things began. The GForce memory may be defective and I intend to make sure it is seated correctly.

Glad to meet you, and appreciate you stepping, I'll be back to you pretty quick.

Reset the CMOS jumper all appears to be functional. Will install the 11.04 ISO.

Bob R

[Bobrm2]

Ok, I've set the system, saved and exit, computer rebooted on it's own and I'm back to the BLACK screen with flashing cursor. My question is this normal on initial setup?

[Drate]

It's not representative of the normal install experience. It is a normal thing to see when there is no boot device.

I am not sure what led to the resetting of CMOS and whatnot, I don't typically find that those sorts of issues really come up all that often. But hopefully you are where you need to be now now from a hardware standpoint? Hard drive connected and all that?

So you are installing from a USB stick? You will want to make sure booting from USB is enabled in your CMOS. Sometimes it is by default, sometimes not. Sometimes it is easy to spot the right options, sometimes it is cryptic and weird. I personally recommend trying this from a CD simple because it's the most common and thus simplest format.