install problems using wubi

What graphics card do you have?
What happens if, when you click your user name to logon, before typing your password, look at the bottom and select the "Ubuntu classic" desktop?
You might have a problem running Unity3d... and this might be resolved by installing a custom graphics driver. But the classic desktop should work in this case.

PS if you're going to be using Ubuntu the whole year, you might consider partitioning your computer and doing a direct install. Wubi is great to try out Ubuntu (for those unsure whether they'll keep it) but it sounds like you'll be keeping it... so might as well bite the bullet.

If you're still experimenting with distros (other Linux OSes) and different releases/flavours of Ubuntu, then Wubi does work well as it's easier to uninstall. But FYI here's a thorough guide that covers manual partitioning: http://members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p22.html

Note - this won't make a difference to your current issue which is likely a hardware compatibility issue or you have a graphics card that requires a custom driver.

My laptop is a Dell M5030 running the AMD Athlon II P340 DC Processor at 2,20Ghz with 3Gb ram (64 bit OS) and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 graphics card.

I will check the rest as I will have to log out of Windows to check lol. Will repost the outcome of the checks once I have done them.

See this: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1713733

It apears you need to supply the boot option: pci=noacpi

Here is a good link on changing boot options - it covers all scenarios: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132

Will have a look at the pci=noacpi in a moment.

I tried what you first suggested.

Logging in without the password resulted in "Authentication Failed" message in the log in box.

I changed the setting to Ubuntu Classic and logged in, on the white part of the screen I had the normal pointer cursor and on the coloured parts I had the loading circle.

Will try the pci way now and get back to you

Okay... I didn't mean to login without the password (just that you have to click on the user name before you can change the desktop).

It might remember that you chose the Classic desktop, so remember to change it back to Ubuntu if the pci=noacpi option is working for you.

Couldnt find where to do the pci=noacpi but tried something else instead.

I booted ubuntu in recovery mode then selected Failsafe X. run in fail safe graphic mode. Run once in low graphic mode

This worked so I will try it the same way and write out the boot error report to add to here.

Starting to get awkward using the one laptop to do both lol

When you see the grub boot menu, hit 'e' on the first entry, then use the
arrow keys to navigate to the part that says "quiet splash". Right after
that add "pci=noacpi" so that the line *ends* like this
quiet splash pci=noacpi

Then hit CTRL+X to boot.

Then if it worked, drop to a terminal: CTRL+ALT+t
Edit the grub options (you will be prompted to enter your password):
gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

Change the part that says *GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash" **to *
*GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash pci=noacpi"*
*
*
Save, exit and regenerate the grub.cfg menu to make it permanent:
sudo update-grub
*
*
*That's it.*

got it to work to a point following what you have said above.

For some reason I cannot save the change.

I retried the Failsafe X boot and found an error on boot, a file does not exist. The file is 'fglrx'

My graphics card is supported, it is in the list of supported ATI graphics cards that were listed on the error report

Sorry about those asterixes in my last post... don't know what happened there.

So explain in more detail why you cannot save the change to /etc/default/grub
You can also try:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub

nano is a non-gui editor but it's fairly easy to use. Make the change, hit CTRL-O to write, and CTRL-X (something like that, it shows you on the bottom).

You shouldn't need fglrx with this card according to another post I saw. So try again to make that change permanent.

It's
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash pci=noacpi"

and the to regenerate the grub.cfg it's

sudo update-grub

PS all commands are case sensitive

booted up laptop selected Ubuntu pressed 'e' to open menu as you said added pci=noacpi after quiet splash as you said.

signed in and opened terminal

input gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

then password

then input GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash pci=noacpi"

I get to here but cannot save it

Hit ALT+F and select Save. Or what happens if you do this?

Or what happens with nano?

havent tried nano yet so will try that next.

ALT+f I get the options of
Open Terminal shift+CTRL+N
Open Tab shift+CTRL+T
New Profile....
Close Window shift+CTRL+Q

just tried the nano route and added the pci=noacpi and clicked CTRL+O and am faced with File Name to Write: /etc/default/grub(flashing cursor)

on the bottom I have the options get help, cancel, DOS Format, Mac Format, Append, Prefix and Backup File

you're still in the terminal. When you enter:
gksu gedit /etc/default/grub

the first thing you get is a request for your password. Enter that (it
appears as if nothing is happening) and then it will open up the gedit
editor..
Then make the change and save it.

done that now (I was missing a space between gedit and /etc

rebooted the laptop to see if it as worked and am back to the background only :/

did you remember too run:
sudo update-grub

yes I did

I rebooted again and pressed 'e' from the first entry menu and it has the pci=noacpi after the quiet splash.

I assumed that it had worked when you overrode it manually. Is this not the
case? i.e. did you ever get to load up the desktop successfully when
supplying pci=noacpi? The idea is to figure out which boot option works
before making it permanent. How does it work when you try the Ubuntu classic
desktop - is that any better with that option set?

I can get it to work if I select the failsafe X mode via recovery and I had it working when I was manually enetring the pci=noacpi at the 1st entry menu.

It also worked when I logged out and logged back in after saving it. I tried Classic and normal and both are the same just the coloured background.

If it worked when you manually entered pci=noacpi at the 1st menu, then it
should be working now with the changes you made to /etc/default/grub. Please
post the /boot/grub/grub.cfg to http://pastebin.ubuntu.com and then post the
pastebin address back here.

To do this:
ALT-F2 and then enter:
gedit /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Select all, copy and paste to pastebin.

Thanks

Hi

I had another look at this today and got it to work as you have said above.

To get it to work though I un-installed Ubuntu and deleted the wubi.exe from my laptop, went back onto the Ubuntu download page and re-downloaded the wubi.exe installed it and followed the steps above that you mentioned.

I rebooted my laptop straight away after the changes and when I logged back in the changes had worked and I am now up and running on Ubuntu.

Many Thanks for your help

Glad you got it sorted. To prevent problems with the virtual disk, try to avoid manually powering off the computer while using Wubi: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide#Warning