[NCLUG] PC for Linux (Ubuntu)

[William Greger]

To all -

  What I learned about Ubuntu install (info from Computer Renaissance (CR)) -
1. CR was able to duplicate the problem of re-booting (after install) and getting a black (blank) screen.
2. Using Google ('ubuntu blank screen on boot'), there are (more than) a few posts indicating the same problem that I observed.  The solution appears to be reconfiguring the video interface.
3. CR also found another issue
    - when CR assembled the PC, the 2 optical drives BOTH were primary on the IDE interface.  As soon as #1 was assigned primary and #2 assigned secondary, then the problem went away.  The PC is now able to boot normally from HDD.
    - according to CR, most of their PCs use Windows and Windows doesn't 'care' about the designations of primary/secondary on the IDE interface.  But Linux (specifically Ubuntu (?)) must have the necessary interface specified.

  I am still going through all the responses that all of you sent.  Thank you so much for your comments, expertise, insights.

  I'm sure my next tasks - networking the 2 PCs, enabling file sharing - will evoke more questions on my part.

Bill Greger

> Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:09:34 -0600
> From: bwood at beww.org
> To: nclug at nclug.org
> Subject: Re: [NCLUG] PC for Linux (Ubuntu)
> 
> William Greger wrote:
> > To all:
> > 
> > 1. The tech-sales guy at Computer Renaissance (CR)
> >     - said that for Ubuntu, a 64-bit OS is needed for a 64-bit CPU (e.g. AMD Athlon X2).
> >       This info gleaned from some forum(s) he Google-d.
> 
> Wrong, you can install and run a 32-bit OS on an AMD64 CPU system, this
> mail is being written on such a system.
> 
> >     - said that my CD-ROM with the Ubuntu AMD64.iso had defects.  He was unable to
> >       install this OS.
> 
> If the media had defects (or, more likely, the data on it was corrupted)
> you would probablynot be able to install from it.
> 
> >       I also did a 'check CD for defects.
> >       The final statement was "Check finished: errors found in 67 files!".
> >     - was able to install Ubuntu 7.1 .  He said that he also re-booted the PC, and it was running
> >       for several hours.
> 
> Sounds like you shouldn't use that CD.
> 
> > 
> > 2. I was given the CD-ROM for Ubuntu 7.1 .  I went through the OS install (twice).  After
> >     removing the CD-ROM, I re-booted; after the Ubuntu logo and the moving orange band stopped,
> >     I was left with a black screen (twice).  I was not able to proceed any further.  So I am able to go
> >     through the install process, but I am not able to re-boot.
> >     Anyone know what may cause this?
> 
> Since you got the initial graphic, your system is finding the info it
> needs to boot.
> 
> Sounds like you might have a problem with the graphics card/drivers. If
> you try installing a CLI-only OS, I wonder if it would work, but it
> sounds like you don't want to do that.
> 
> What graphic hardware does this machine have? current Ubuntu installs
> can handle most graphics hardware, but there are exceptions.
> 
> You also might have a problem with Ubuntu setting up for a graphics mode
> that your monitor can't handle. I've run into this several times.
> 
> > 
> > 3. The new PC is now back at CR.  One of the techs will (attempt to) install Ubuntu 7.1 for me.
> > 
> > 4. My to-do list -
> >     - 'burn' another AMD64.iso CD-ROM. Check for defects.
> >     - go to CR; check that the Ubuntu 7.1 OS is installed and can be re-booted;
> >       take the PC home and try to boot up in Ubuntu 7.1
> > 
> > 5. I have already requested a 'clean' AMD64.iso CD-ROM from Canonical web-site.
> 
> Useful, but probably not necessary, assuming you have a working burn setup.
> > 
> > 6. Comments, suggestions, ... would be appreciated.
> 
> Be patient, you will get it working eventually, and probably learn
> something in the process.
> 
> We learn more form things that don't work at first than we do from
> things that work with no problems :-)
> 
> beww
> _______________________________________________
> NCLUG mailing list       NCLUG at nclug.org
> 
> To unsubscribe, subscribe, or modify 
> your settings, go to: 
> http://www.nclug.org/mailman/listinfo/nclug