Ubuntu
ubiquity package

Cannot "Try Ubuntu" on Lenovo 3000 C100 with 2GB RAM - starts to load then dies

Asked by Charles McColm

Every version of Ubuntu until 12.04 has worked with this notebook. The notebook is as follows: stock Lenovo 3000 C100 (the Celeron 1.5GHz model) modified with 2GB RAM (the RAM has worked with past versions and I ran 10.04 up to yesterday).

I can install from an "Ubuntu 12.04 Alternate CD," the problem seems to happen as Ubuntu actually boots, and happens late in the boot process. The system just "locks up" if I use an Ubuntu 12.04 live CD and the "Try Ubuntu" or if I boot 12.04 after being installed using the Alternate CD.

I tried each of the boot options (putting an x beside noapic, nolapic, etc.) and none seemed to help, but did reveal that it seems to crash the moment after Ubuntu 12.04 doesn't see the broadcom firmware (b43). I'm thinking it's maybe some bad code around this missing firmware. Of course I cannot install the firmware since I can't currently get Ubuntu 12.04 to boot.

Cheers!

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Charles McColm
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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

Try the boot option:

nomodeset

Should help

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Charles McColm (chaslinux) said : 		#2

Tried nomodeset on its own and in conjunction with other boot options and 12.04 still hangs.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

Have you tried setting safemode vga?

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Charles McColm (chaslinux) said : 		#4

Do you mean adding VGA=791 to the grub options? Tried a few other boot options listed at the bottom of https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions including irqpoll and acpi=oldboot (but I suspected that wouldn't work since acpi=off didn't work). BTW I also experience the same behaviour with Kubuntu 12.04 and XUbuntu 12.04. vga=791 does not resolve the problem.

nomodeset was a little closer I think because at that point I at least saw Ubuntu got to the point of trying to load the wireless firmware (which isn't there), it seems to die right after this point. I can go back to 10.04 ot 11.10 and Ubuntu will load and function just fine, it seems to be a new issue with 12.04 that happens just after the wireless firmware load attempt.

I thought it might related to a new kernel so I tried the latest Fedora spin (17) and it loads/installs fine, but want to get this issue resolved with 12.04 so others with the same/similar notebook can resolve it.

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JM (slurp-jml) said : 		#5

I have the same problem. Yesterday I tried booting Ubuntu from a USB and it just stopped in the process. Today I tried installing Ubuntu. It downloaded fine, from wubi.exe, but after rebooting it stops somewhere in the process. The computer is a Lenovo 3000 C100. I'll try installing an older version of Ubuntu for now. Haven't tried modifying the boot options, since I'm so newbie with Linux that I don't even know how.

Thanks.

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JM (slurp-jml) said : 		#6

I've been looking for an older version of Ubuntu but I can't find one. Any tip!

Thanks.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#7

Try Lucid, then immediately upgrade to Precise, may help

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Charles McColm (chaslinux) said : 		#8

As I suspected the wireless was at fault. Found an existing bug report that claims it's solved. Hope it's not too difficult to implement because I suspect a lot of people have b43 wireless.

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Charles McColm (chaslinux) said : 		#9

Oh I should add I solved this problem by adding:

b43.blacklist=yes

To the live CD boot parameters just before quiet. This lets me boot the CD and install. Ditto for first boot. Once I use the b43-fwcutter and firmware-b43-installer to install the firmware I don't have to blacklist the b43 on boot.