Kernel Panic on a vaio pro 13

[ngandriau]

Hi
I am the new owner of a Vaio Pro 13 and I want to use it with kubuntu.
I am trying to install 13.10 64 bit on it. I have read some success story but I am not there yet and I am looking for some help.
From the bright point, when I boot kubuntu with the usb key, it works out of the box, wireless included.

So I have erased the hard drive, bye bye windows 8 and installed kubuntu on it.
The installation is a success. I was able to use the wireless during the installation and create my partitions.
Then when I boot, I get to the grub menu and select kubuntu and then very quickly, I get an error Kernel Panic and the computer is frozen.
When I boot with the recovery mode, I get the same error, with some more detail, cf picture.
But I don't know what to do from here.

Here are a summary of my setup:

• boot mode: Legacy
• created a new partion table. I don't know if it is a MBR or a GPT. I took the default when installing kubuntu

Spec of the machine:

• Processeur intel Core i5-4200U
• 8gb memory
• intel 4400 video card
• 128Gb SSD

Thank you for your help

[ngandriau]

Hi
I spent a few hours trying to fix this issue and sadly, I am completely lost.

Please, I really would appreciate your help.

Nicolas

[zeeone]

My rule of thumb is to never use the wifi for the install, to many bad things can happen to the connection during the install, always plug in the cable.

[ngandriau]

Ok zeeone, I'll try this, but I am not very optimistic

[SteveRiley]

I don't think it has anything to do with wi-fi. Your computer boots fine from the CD, but fails to boot from the hard drive after you've installed Kubuntu onto that drive. We don't have enough information yet to know the actual cause.

Please boot from the live CD and open a console window. Then run:

sudo apt-get install efibootmgr

sudo modprobe -v efivars

sudo efibootmgr -v

Let's see the output from that third command. Or, if the second command throws an error, let us know what that error is.

[ngandriau]

OK, that's my mission for tonight

[ngandriau]

OK
So I did a reinstallation on an external ssd through USB.
During the installation, I did not use wifi. No network.
I did default installation without installing the extra stuff (flash...)
=>But I got the same kernel panic then

So I rebooted with the live USB key and did the command from @SteveRiley.
But I got:

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr -v
Fatal: Couldn't open either sysfs or procfs directories for accessing EFI variables.
Try 'modprobe efivars' as root.

The whole operation is here:

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install efibootmgr
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  efibootmgr
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/32.5 kB of archives.
After this operation, 103 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Selecting previously unselected package efibootmgr.
(Reading database ... 109215 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking efibootmgr (from .../efibootmgr_0.5.4-7_amd64.deb) ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up efibootmgr (0.5.4-7) ...
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo modprobe -v efivars
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr -v
Fatal: Couldn't open either sysfs or procfs directories for accessing EFI variables.
Try 'modprobe efivars' as root.
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$

Here are some additional info when I boot from the USB


If you need more info, please ask me.

Thanks

Nicolas

[LNTJ_]

Have you disabled secure boot? How did you install Kubuntu?

[ngandriau]

Hi
- I disabled secure boot in the bios
- I have also set legacy mode instead of uefi
- I have installed kubuntu on the internal SSD and also on an external SSD connected via USB. Same result for both.
- Basically I have made a bootable USB key with the kubuntu 13.10 iso
- Boot on it and with the graphical installer, made the standard installation
- Manually defined the disk partition, starting from scratch and created a / partition, a /home and a swap

- the graphical installation works like a champ.
-- I tried with the WIFI and the update activated and with no internet
-- same result each time. When I reboot, I have the kernel panic

- As I was out of option, I tried to install arch on a usb key. And it works.
- I would really prefer to stick with kubuntu. All my computers are on it.
So please any help is welcome

Thanks
Nicolas

[LNTJ_]

I installed Kubuntu with secure boot disabled but with UEFI on. It also seems that Kubuntu is searching for UEFI files but maybe it can't find them because you're on legacy mode. Try enabling UEFI. Besides that I followed the following guide: http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/27418512

Unfortunately it didn't work right away, fortunately that solution was simple: running boot repair made everything work!

[ngandriau]

thanks for the guide @LNTJ_
I missed it during my investigation.
As I only have 128Gb of SSD, I don't really want to have dual boot.
That's why I was more looking for a non UEFI boot. I was hopping it would be simpler.

But I'll try it.
Thanks again
Nicolas

[LNTJ_]

Shouldn't this also be usable for installing Linux only? In particular step H.

[ngandriau]

just a small question, regarding the installation.
Where do I set the bootloader installation during the installation?
/dev/sda?

[ngandriau]

It is working.
I have now kubuntu 13.10 dual booting.
Not the kind of installation I was used to, but not so complicated.
I quickly tested it. wifi, chrome, sound, micro, flash are working.
I will use it for a few more days to validate everything, but so far, this is great.

Thanks a lot for your help.
Nicolas

[LNTJ_]

Maybe now you can remove all options from GRUB except the Linux boot options and have it boot automatically; when that succeeds you could delete the W8 partition and add it to your Linux partition. Watch out not to delete the recovery if you want to keep that.