10.04.1 freezes during boot up

[grey1beard]

I've just done a clean install of 10.4.1 onto a Compaq Pressario Desktop, which earlier had 8.04, upgraded online to 10.04.1.
Repartitioned and installed from an iso disc, checked for Md5sum.
All seemed to go as per text book, but when the system starts there is a momentary error message
"no suitable mode"
"no command terminal found"
It then proceeds to show the default purple hazy background, but stops there, with no other parts of the normal desktop, icons etc .
After about three minutes, it goes black, and if I then hit the enter key, or move the mouse, it displays the log in window and asks for my password.
I enter this, and again it reverts to the purple haze.
This cycle repeats.

I've checked the boot order to boot from the hdd first, so I'm stumped as to what to try next, apart from going through the whole install process again.
John

[grey1beard]

I've just tried running the iso disc as a live-cd, and, though it seemed slow to load, once it ad booted up, it seemed to run normally.

Perhaps there is a way to repair the installation using the live-cd, or should I bite the bullet and re-install ?
John

[grey1beard]

The installed version also lets me change the desktop theme, so the sum total of this installation is the equivalent to an electronic picture frame.
Gosh, I am excited.

John

[grey1beard]

Just completed a reinstall, and suspected that during the partitioning of the disc the first time I may have not formatted the boot partition.
However, taking extra care this time, I was hopeful of some success.


No, it does exactly the same. On powering up, there are the same two lines of error messages, and then it stops when it has loaded the default desktop theme.

So as of this moment the system is down, and I have no way of running my cnc/EMC2, apart from using the live cd route, which is not going to work properly, anyway.

Hope someone can throw me a lifeline, while I try and look at the hardware setup for possible problems via the live-cd.

John

[grey1beard]

"Minimum requirement for 10.04 is a 1Ghz processor...."
Mine is 733Mhz.


Have 1Ghz now ordered.

John

[ronparent]

Older computers may benefit using special boot parameter to work around the limitations of older hardware. You might experiment with adding boot parameters such as 'noacpi', 'noapic', 'nolapic' etc. added to the boot line. You can experiment by adding any one or combination of them to the end of the menu boot line - just hit 'e' to edit. This has only a temporary effect and the appropriate parameters have to be added to /etc/default/grub to make them permanent.

You can also experiment from the live cd menu by selecting boot to try and hitting <f6> which will list the more common needed parameters which can be added.

Ultimately you will probably have to upgrade MB, processor, or memory to get the performance you need, but, some of the boot parameters may be useful meanwhile.

[mörgæs]

"Minimum requirement for 10.04 is a 1Ghz processor...."
Mine is 733Mhz.


Have 1Ghz now ordered.

John

Don't take this to seriously. Memory is more important than the processor.

Can you install 9.10 on the machine? Best is to use the alternate installer and have wired access during the process.

[grey1beard]

Thanks good people. I've been absent for a few days, so only just caught up with the posts.
I'm happy to experiment, as it's the quickest way to learn, but I shall need to read carefully, and understand your ideas.

mörgæs
The reason for jumping to 10.04 is because my system is for running EMC on, and thus my cnc machine. I believe that only 8.04, and now 10.04 support it correctly.
Or are you suggesting the installation of 9.10 as a short term test of the pc's capabilities?

ronparent
I'll have read you ideas carefully before I try anything(tomorrow)but it looks like a few more steps up the learning curve ahead.
Many thanks to you both,
John

PS I think my present memory(516) is the max the mobo will support. tomorow I'll post the full spec.

[grey1beard]

I have now done several install attempts.
8.04 works, so does 9.10, but two different iso cds fail to install 10.04.
I can run the live cd for 10.04 ok.

My system is Compaq iPaQ desktop, Pentium 3, 1Ghz/133, 512Mb RAM,
20gb HDD, on board vdeo and sound. (There are no expansion slots, so neither are changeable.)
The 512 memory is the maximum supported, as is the cpr speed.
This system has a very good latency figure when running EMC on it, so I am loathe to change it if possible.
The main reason to update to 10.04 is to use the latest Inkscape, with the paths to gcode tools, but if it proves impossible to do that on this system, I shall probably stick with 8.04.
I can run a terminal window on the part booted machine, so I have the possibility of identifying the problem ..... if only I knew how.
John

[mörgæs]

Now we are advancing...

Have you tried installing 10.04 using the alternate (text-based) installer?

http://www.releases.ubuntu.com/