I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

[silver2falcon]

I am running Windows Vista Ultimate, and am trying to dual boot Kubuntu. This is the first time I've run any Linux distro.

(The LiveCD would only let me load in "safe graphics mode"--whenever I tried running it normally, it just left me on a black screen with a cursor. I could write things/press Enter for new lines, but nothing happened when I tried to do the default option. I don't know why this would have any effect, but all of the following stuff was done in safe graphics mode.)

I successfully installed Kubuntu onto a 10gb partition of my main hard drive (the same one with Vista on it) using the LiveCD.

I restarted, taking the LiveCD out after it shut down as it told me to.

When it booted back up, it booted back into Windows Vista by default, without giving me any options. About 30-60 minutes of searching haven't really turned much up. I've tried a program called VistaBootPRO that is a graphical front end for Vista's boot manager (which is different from in prior versions of Windows), and it tells me that the only OS installed on my system is Vista, and so I can't tell it to have me boot into Kubuntu. (It's probably worth noting that this GUI or the boot manager in general [I'm not sure which] don't seem especially friendly towards non-Windows OS's.)


Any ideas/suggestions/etc. would be much appreciated. (For both the running normally [not in safe graphics mode] and the actual booting into Kubuntu.)

Thanks in advance!


My system (it's a laptop):
C2D E6600 2.4GHz
2GB DDR-2 RAM
GeForce 8600M 512MB
5400RPM 80GB HD - internal, has OS's on it
7200RPM 320GB HD - external w/ eSata

[Snowhog]

Re: I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

I successfully installed Kubuntu onto a 10gb partition of my main hard drive (the same one with Vista on it) using the LiveCD.

Are you sure?

This post may help you.

[Snowhog]

Re: I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

Additionally, this post addresses dual booting Linux with M$ Vista using EasyBCD. I'm using it and it is slick.

[silver2falcon]

Re: I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

Well I thought I was sure, but now not so much. I'll try again.

A question though, I'm trying to fit this all in about 20gb of space (maybe more later). What sizes do you recommend for the /home and root partitions?

[dibl]

Re: I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

What sizes do you recommend for the /home and root partitions?

Allow 6GB for the root "/" filesystem. It shouldn't ever grow past about 4.5 - 5GB, but better safe than sorry.

For swap, if you want to use hibernate you need to make it 150% of your RAM size. So, whatever is left after "/" and "swap" can be for /home.

[silver2falcon]

Re: I'm not able to boot into Kubuntu/only able to boot in safe graphics mode

Alright, thanks