Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

[greywolfexcel]

Hello,

I am a Linux newbie, and figured that since Ubuntu seemed to be the most popular (and newbie-friendly) version of Linux, I'd start out with that. I grabbed Kubuntu because I saw some stuff about the KDE desktop vs GNOME that I liked better.

I just downloaded and burned the live CD of Kubuntu and was looking forward to installing it when after I chose the "Start Kubuntu" option, I was greeted with an unfriendly-looking command prompt, not the installation GUI I expected. I figured out how to reboot with the "sudo reboot" commmand, but attempting to continue the install with "boot: live" or "boot" told me that the command "boot" did not exist. I had already checked the CD to make sure it had no errors, and it did not (0 checksum errors found), so I tried booting it in the safe graphics mode, but to no avail - I still got the command prompt like before.

I went to the #Kubuntu IRC channel on irc.freenode.net, but no one was able to help me aside from guessing the problem might be my video card. I did a bit of research, but didn't find any problems similar to mine, although I did find that in this topic that my card, an ATI 9250, was unsupported by Ubuntu 6.10 unless it had a newer driver version:

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=262092

The problem is that I don't even have Kubuntu installed, so how am I supposed to install drivers for an OS that doesn't even exist yet? It seems like a terrible catch 22 - I need linux drivers to install linux, and I need to install linux for the drivers...

My question is, what do I need to do to get Kubuntu to install? I'll even settle for a text-install as long as I can get Kubuntu working so that I can install the drivers I need. Is the video card even the problem at all? Finally, is there a way I can disable the ATI video card short of taking it out of the slot so I can use the default video card to install Kubuntu?

Thanks for your time.

[sky]

Re: Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

Hi,

first I would suggest you start with noapic and/or nolapic option on the boot screen, it should be available somewhere, don't really remember as it's long time my installs are done...
If it's not working, so you can download the alternate cd, it's the debian old'style installer. Then you will be able to install it and patch...

[greywolfexcel]

Re: Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

Sorry I took so long to get back to you, but I was trying out a bunch of things that the irc channel and the ubuntu forums suggested. Nothing I tried worked, so I downloaded the alternate cd and used the text install, which was relatively painless, but when now when I choose to boot to Kubuntu, it brings me to a command line screen. I think that I can solve this by updating the drivers in the thread I linked to, but if I download them on windows, how does that help at all? Kubuntu didn't recognize my wireless internet usb card (probably because it's DLink), so I can't connect to the internet through kubuntu anyway. I'll probably be able to fix this later, so I'm not worried, but I'd really like to see a GUI sometime soon.

As an added bonus, now when I choose to boot up windows from the dual boot selection screen, I get this message:

Starting up...
_

Where the '_' is a blinking underscore, and nothing happens. I waited for about 20 minutes until I just said forget it and went to bed. It recognizes that windows is installed, and I'm positive my repartition wasn't too small (I was using about 50 GB on an 80GB hard drive, and I repartitioned it to be 65 GB large), so what is going on?

Thanks for any help.

[javierrivera]

Re: Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

Ol, let's try to solve this:

First the GUI:

Try the following command:

$sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Follow the prompts. If you don't know how to answer any question just let it as it is. When you are asked the video drive, select vesa.

Now try:

$sudo /etc/init.d/kdm restart

Or just restart the system. You should boot to the gui using the vesa drivers. They are painful slow, but should work with most cards. From there follow the ubuntu forums thread.

Now, for windows (if you use XP and you have a Windows CD):
Boot from the Windows CD.
When allowed select repair a system
When you are dropped to a command prompt type

FIXBOOT

Restart from the HD.

If it doen't work, you can repear the process but now after FIXBOOT write FIXMBR. Note thas this other option will screw kubuntu booting. You will need to go to kubuntu installation CD, and choose to repair the boot sector.

Javier.

[greywolfexcel]

Re: Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

When I tried to repair windows (with the restore CD I had, as I don't have an XP cd, it just made things worse. Well, I ended up taking my video card out and relying on the integrated video card to install Kubuntu, which ,thankfully, worked. I'll be able to back up my windows drive before reformatting *everything* and starting over from scratch, and partition my drive with windows this time, and *then* install Kubuntu again. I've got it figured out from here; thanks for all your help!

[javierrivera]

Re: Installing Kubuntu goes to a command prompt

When I tried to repair windows (with the restore CD I had, as I don't have an XP cd, it just made things worse.

. Those restore CD are just too dumb. They usually just restore a image of all your hard drive. Scary.

Everyone should get a windows CD with the license or a least a some place to download it .

Well, some place to legally download it .

Javier.