Error 16 message on bootup

Asked by ChrisR

I recently loaded Ubuntu on a desktop computer, but when it rebooted, the computer began to load but then brought up ERROR 16 and no longer loaded. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

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Tom (tom6) said :
#1

Hi :)

Which version did you try installing, 8.10?

Also please let us know what your cpu speed is, how much ram you have and how much hard-drive space you gave Ubuntu. Did you try installing Ubuntu iside Windows using the Wubi?

If you still have an Ubuntu Cd please can you try using it as a LiveCd
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD
Did the LiveCd work?

Sorry, lots of questions! Just answer what you can & we will worry about the rest later!
Thanks and regards from
Tom :)

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ChrisR (chrisr155) said :
#2

I was installing version 9. whatever...I don't remember the decimal for the version. I don't know the exact details of the computer off the top of my head, but I am sure that it has sufficient speed, ram and space for what was required for Ubuntu.

Part of why I was installing this disc was that something is not working correctly with my Windows on the computer, thus I am unable to boot into windows.

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Tom (tom6) said :
#3

Ahhh, please try the Ubuntu Cd that you have as a LiveCd
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD
that should at least get something useful working on your machine.

Ubuntu uses the decimal in it's version numbers to show which month the version was released. So 9.04 was released at the end of April in 2009. 9.10 hasn't been properly released yet but is available for alpha-testing. If you got your download from this page here at this site
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/getubuntu/download
then you got 9.04 by the sounds of it. :)

The main thing is trying to get a LiveCd working because there are a lot of things we can try from that.

I have looked up the error code but it's not very enlightening. I gather you get as far as the boot-menu with lots of choices for booting into Ubuntu?

Also do you have some spare blank Cds and access to a machine you could download a new copy of Ubuntu and try this guide for making a really decent bootable Cd?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto

Please let us know
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said :
#4
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ChrisR (chrisr155) said :
#5

The CD I have for Ubuntu was not one that I made, but is an actual Ubuntu disc, with the company packaging etc, so I'm not sure that it is the disc that has the problem.

Could this likely be attributed to the same problem I am having with Windows, as it will do the initial startup screen (where it shows windows logo and then option for F2 or F12 for setup) but then goes to a blank screen and will no longer load any further?

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Tom (tom6) said :
#6

It could be.

Have you tried the Ubuntu Cd as a boot-up disk and got to a Live Cd session yet? Please let us know how this is going.

There might be an option to test your memory, well your machine's memory ;) It takes some time but could be well worth it as it marks any bad-blocks in the Ram so that the cpu avoids using them.

It is possible for an official Cd to get scratched in the post and so it might be well worth ordering another free one from Shiptit
https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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ChrisR (chrisr155) said :
#7

Ok, I have now done a Live Cd Session and tried to install it from there. Now, when the computer starts it starts GRUB and stops giving Error 5.

Let me know what I should do from here, as I am unfamiliar with all of it at this point.

Thanks

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zvacet (ivicakolic) said :
#8

Read http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p15.html#5_ .I hope it will be helpful to you.

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Tom (tom6) said :
#9

Ahh great link there from Zvacet, thx :) To get to a command line use the LiveCd and then this guide should help
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal#Starting%20a%20Terminal
So when you get to a command-line type in

sudo fdisk -lu

note the " -lu" is a lower-case " -LU" and the sudo command will give the command superuser rights. I don't think it asks for a password on a LiveCd session but if it does then you might need to try sorting that out from the top taskbar

System - Administration - Users&Groups

Note that sudo does not show any stars as you type the password in but does recognise what you type. My whole answer here is just window-dressing on Zvacet's answer so if this solves the problem then please mark his answer as being the one that solved it.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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Tom (tom6) said :
#10

Ahhh i forgot to say that sudo only needs your normal user password. Which should make things easier with any luck
Regards from
Tom :)

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