Ubuntu installition problems.Please help linux pros.

[The_Devil_Himself]

Ok I downloaded ubuntu 7.04 fiesty fawn and made a bootable CD and installed ubuntu.I got several problems:

(1.)I cannot boot up my system without the ubuntu CD in my drive>when I try to boot up without cd the following shows up:

Intel(R) Boot agent FE v4.1.17
Copyright(C) 1997-2004,INTEL COOPERATION

Intel(R) Boot Agent PXE Base Code(PXE-2.1 build 085)
copyright (C) 1997-2005,INTEL COOPERATION

PXE-E61:Media test failure,Check Cable

PXE MOF-Exiting Intel Boot Agent
No Bootable device-Insert Boot Disk and press any key

when i put cd and prees any key nothing happens and the same thing reappears again.

To boot up i have to boot from the ubuntu CD and then select 'Boot from hard disk'.


(2.)I had windows installed on another partition so I thought the before installation that the boot loader will give option to select between the two OS but it is happening linux is started.IS there any way I can boot up both the OS depending upon my need.Please note after hitting Esc the grub only shows three options one is normal one is safe mode(kind of) third one is something weird(lols)

(3.)This is my biggest worry.Ubuntu did not recognise my onboard graphics (GMA300) but the sound is working correctly.So the display is fuzzy and the desktop effects are not smooth.The screen is about 1 inch all black on right side.

(4.)I cant play movie files(.avi) and mp3s???Its asking for codecs.


MY SPECS.
intel C2D PROCESSOR E6300
INTEL 946GZ MOTHERBOARD WITH 128MB GM1300 ONBOARD GRAPHICS
512MB DDR2 RAM

 

[silent008]

Have u selected the custom partition during installation or manual.
If u hv selected the manual process then i think whole of ur hard disk has been formatted and ur windows installation might not even exists.

As far as mp3s are concerned,UBUNTU comes with only open source codecs like flac
if u want ot play mp3s u need to download codecs

 

[The_Devil_Himself]

Have u selected the custom partition during installation or manual.
If u hv selected the manual process then i think whole of ur hard disk has been formatted and ur windows installation might not even exists.

As far as mp3s are concerned,UBUNTU comes with only open source codecs like flac
if u want ot play mp3s u need to download codecs

I selected manual and did the partitioning perfectly.My windows partition is still intact and I can browse it from ubuntu.
It is just some grub problem I guess.

 

[faraaz]

No Bootable Device means your hard drive is fried. Your card is not being detected properly and you can't do anything about it because you are in a Live CD environment...

Your drive is formatted and all your other stuff is gone...I think...so here's what you do. Format and re-install Windows (if you want to...I honestly wouldn't bother). Re-install Ubuntu (on a separate partition!!).

You know how to partition a hard-drive right?? When installing Windows, make a dedicated Windows partition and leave ATLEAST 10 GB free space for your Ubuntu partition.

Once you re-install everything, you should have a working desktop.

As for enabling multimedia playback in Ubuntu, here's a handy guide:

*ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=413626

 

[saurabh kakkar]

go to this thread :HOW TO install ubuntu with or without CD full detail
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61019

hope this will help

 

[The_Devil_Himself]

No Bootable Device means your hard drive is fried. Your card is not being detected properly and you can't do anything about it because you are in a Live CD environment...

Your drive is formatted and all your other stuff is gone...I think...so here's what you do. Format and re-install Windows (if you want to...I honestly wouldn't bother). Re-install Ubuntu (on a separate partition!!).

You know how to partition a hard-drive right?? When installing Windows, make a dedicated Windows partition and leave ATLEAST 10 GB free space for your Ubuntu partition.

Once you re-install everything, you should have a working desktop.

As for enabling multimedia playback in Ubuntu, here's a handy guide:

*ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=413626

Atleast read the full post dude I SURE AS HELL KNOW HOW TO PARTITION A HARD DRIVE.
Ok lemme tackle you one by one
(1.)I am not working off live cd I HAVE INSTALLED UBUNTU and my card is still not detected.
(2.)My hard disk ain't fried cos I AM STILL USING IT.It's some wierd grub problem.
(3.)MY hard drive is formatted and all my stuff is gone??I said I can browse all my oartitions from ubuntu no problem so I know all my stuff is still there.

(4.)I kept 20GB for linux and 1GB for swap partition.And i do have a dedicated windows partition and for your information you can't install linux and windows on the same partition(And I thought everybody knew it) so I have dedicated partitions for both of them.


Please Read carefully and then answer.

And guys I am waiting for your replies.This is disheartening for a new linux user.I so much want to kick windows outaa my pc.
​

 

[aditya.shevade]

Hey, try reinstalling GRUB from synaptic. It should help. Cause I think the bios is not able to detect the boot loader. (Thats what I think from what you have posted).

If it still does not help, post the file, menu.lst from /boot/grub

Aditya

 

[faraaz]

I didn't read the part about how you could still browse your NTFS partitions. And btw, screw you dude...I'm not getting paid to help your candy ass out...I'm just doing it because I like to give what help I can.

If you want f'king tech support, go buy RHEL or something.

 

[mak1012]

I didn't read the part about how you could still browse your NTFS partitions. And btw, screw you dude...I'm not getting paid to help your candy ass out...I'm just doing it because I like to give what help I can.

If you want f'king tech support, go buy RHEL or something.

please dont fight here every one likes to help and every one need help......

@The_Devil_Himself i think you once again reinstall the ubuntu if ur problem is not solving after reinstalling the grub.

 

[The_Devil_Himself]

Hey, try reinstalling GRUB from synaptic. It should help. Cause I think the bios is not able to detect the boot loader. (Thats what I think from what you have posted).

If it still does not help, post the file, menu.lst from /boot/grub

Aditya

Thanks aditya for helping the following is the /boot/grub/menu.lst file

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=040272a5-5e6b-4e69-b18a-117c72bf2f6d ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,6)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=040272a5-5e6b-4e69-b18a-117c72bf2f6d ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic
quiet
savedefault

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.20-15-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-15-generic root=UUID=040272a5-5e6b-4e69-b18a-117c72bf2f6d ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-15-generic

title Ubuntu, memtest86+
root (hd0,6)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

Can it be modified somwhow to include windows?BTW my windows is in sda5 partition.

I am not sure how to reinstall grub.But I am trying.

 

[infra_red_dude]

ok, reading the post from the start my inference is that boot from hard disk option is not set in bios, since yousay that windows installation and its boot record are intact. the bios searches everywhre for boot record but not on the hard disk. change that. also add (cut, paste) these lines to the /boot/grub/menu.lst after ## ## End Default Options ## to boot into windows:

*****cut here******

title MS Windows
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

******cut here********

however, you need to note that: (hd0,0) means /dev/hda1, (hd0,1) means /dev/hda2 and so on. so once you boot to ubuntu using live cd, jus so a sudo fdisk -l and determine where windows is installed. but before doing this, you need to set the hard disk (ide-0, or whatever) as one of the boot devices in bios.

 

[nileshgr]

Try configuring boot devices in BIOS. After configuring it, may be u will see grub without CD.

 

[The_Devil_Himself]

Ok dudes a million thanks for giving your valuable comments.I reinstalled ubuntu then installed pclinux and they again UBUNTU and finally its working and I am now(finally) able to boot without cd grub is working like a charm.

Ok one of the problem is solved.Next is UBUNTU is not detecting my onboard graphics.What do I do about it?Even the screen savers using openGL are working slowly.

I am currently surviving without windows and I have dedicated all 80GB to ubuntu.

Broadband worked perfectly right after installation no further configuration needed.

I think it will take some time to get used to it.

One more questions-The the update manager shows 179.5mb of updates available for downloading,One of my friends has downloaded and installed them all.Is there any way I can take those updates from his pc and put them in my pc so that i don't have to download them all??I mean 179.5MB is a pretty big download.

THANKS AGAIN DUDES.

 

[faraaz]

Get a program called aptoncd...its available here:

*downloads.sourceforge.net/aptoncd/aptoncd_0.1-1_all.deb

Install that and then use it to create a backup ISO of all the stuff your friend has installed. Then just transfer the CD to your computer, add it as a local repository and away you go. However, note that along with updates, you will install everything else your friend has unless you unselect it after adding the repository.

For more info, look at the aptoncd howto's.

PS: If you dont want to burn a CD, then I suggest looking in this thread:
*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65739, more specifically post 19 by Mediator. Excellent way of setting up a local repository with a pen-drive or something.

You need to be conversant with Ubuntu to get it running though, so I recommend getting used to Ubuntu first.