At ubuntu start up, computer freezes.

Asked by Ace

Whenever I boot up onto the ubuntu disc and i select the start/install option, it goes to the ubuntu loading screen and the bar freezes. I have left my computer on quite a while to let it finish but it never moves. If anyone could please help me I would greatly appreciate it. This is my first time getting into linux.

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Duncan Lithgow
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Philipp Dreimann (philipp-dreimann-deactivatedaccount) said :
#1

how much ram do you have? -- you need at least 192mb or better to use the livecd to install.

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#2

You can also load LiveCD using safe graphic mode in order to see kernel debug messages.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#3

I have 2gbs of ram. What is the LiveCD, right now i have a cd for Fedora Core and Ubuntu. What should I use?

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jz (jz+) said :
#4

I think you'll find a few people here will highly recommend Ubuntu...

You may want to try using the "Start Ubuntu in safe graphics mode" if "Start or install Ubuntu fails"

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#5

I did try the Ubuntu Start in safe graphics mode. Before the ubuntu loading screen where the logo and loading bar are, it says resource cannot be allocated. Then it proceeds to the loading screen where after about 5 secs the bar stops and doesnt move again. I've waited for it but nothing ever happens. No matter what I try, something goes wrong. Is this something wrong with my computer or me?

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jz (jz+) said :
#6

Could you provide some information on the type of computer you have... Desktop/Laptop... Make + Model if possible...

If you could also provide the exact error you are getting word for word including any numbers it may rattle off that may be helpful.

It sounds as if there seems to be some hardware incompatibility, hopefully it can be bypassed. At the very least we should get to the bottom of it so a bug can be filed if necessary.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#7

EMachines
Processor: Amd Athlon 64 3200+
Ram: 2GB
Video Card: Radeon X700
Ok well I get two error messages. One using Fedora Core which the error message is kernel panic - not syncing: drivers/ide/pci/atiixp c: 129 : spin_lock(drivers/ide/ide.c:c03de668
The second and most important is the Ubuntu error. I could not get all of the numbers but I got the main message. Here it is. [numbers] PCI: Cannot allocate region 3 of device 000000000(a bunch of zeros).

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#8

Which release of Ubuntu are you trying to install?

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#9

6.10-desktop - i386

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#10

I would think itd either be my video card or sound card because those are the only ones that are in a PCI slot. And now that I think about it, i believe my video card is actually in a PCIE slot. Could that be the problem?

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#11

I think it could be related to SATA disks.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#12

Is there any way around that? Can I try anything?

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#13

You could try to pass boot command line one of the following parameters:
ide=nodma
ide=reverse

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#14

I do not know what that means. Do I type that in in the main menu part? Sorry I do not know much if any about linux at this point.

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#15

When your system loads Ubuntu CD, by pressing F6 (if I remember well) you are given a command line where you can place such parameters. You have to insert them (only one at a time) and press enter button.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#16

Ok so I tried the first one and it went past the part where it normally freezes. It got to the part where the whole bar starts filling up and then it froze. But as it got to the very end, the display went a little wierd and dots appeared around the logo and a dotted line went horizontally across the screen. What does this mean?

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#17

On the second one, it only went a little past where it normally did before it froze.

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#18

I noticed it affects other distros too. I'm going to see if it has already been reported to LKML.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#19

Ok, so whats the next step? Do i basicly just accept that I cant get linux on my computer? By the way, thanks for all your help.

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#20

In the meantime, you could try to install with Alternate version.

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Best Duncan Lithgow (duncan-lithgow) said :
#21

Anytime I have trouble with the installer the best way around it is to get the "alternative" CD. Where you download Ubuntu CD's you'll see there are CD's for different architectures (types of PC) and also two different types; the livecd and the alternative cd. The alternative cd uses a much more basic installer which often means you can get everything installed and working to the point where whatever the problem was you can either fix it or ignore it.

I hope that helps you.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#22

Ok thanks a lot. Ill try that and let you know how it went.

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Luca Falavigna (dktrkranz) said :
#23

You can also try 64-bit version of Edgy, even if I think it will give similar results since it seems there is a serious conflict with ATI Radeon Xpress 200 chipset, as reported in bug #69046.

As suggested from that bug, try passing pci=nommconf parameter at boot.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#24

Ok so I downloaded the ubuntu 6.10 alternate amd 64 and ran it with the ide=nodma command and it ran and installed. But, when it restarted and I selected what OS I wanted to boot which was ubuntu, it gave me an error saying the GUI could not be loaded because of some error. It told me to go to some website, www.wiki.x.com or something like that. What should I do now?

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#25

(==) log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log"
(==) Using config file: "/etc/x11/Xorg.conf"
(EE) end of block range 0x1fffffff < begin 0xe0000000
(EE) No devices detected.
Fatal server error: no screens found

This is the error I recieve when I try and load ubuntu. It does take me to the command prompt so that is good. But I would like to have a GUI. Thanks.

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Ace (vcjc23) said :
#26

User confirmed that the request is solved.

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offline (thefakebackup) said :
#27

hello.! I have a little problem when Im starting Ubuntu I Have this error
hdd: time out waiting for DMA
hdd: driver not ready for command
anyone knows how to help? :)