LinuxQuestions.org
Welcome to the most active Linux Forum on the web.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie
User Name
Password
Linux - Newbie This Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question? If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 10-16-2015, 09:16 PM   #16
Ztcoracat
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Dec 2011
Distribution: Slackware, MX 18
Posts: 9,484
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176

Quote:
Thanks for the pointer to the Nvidia drivers - but this is catch-22 - I can't install the drivers without starting Ubuntu, and it seems I can't start Ubuntu without the drivers!
Your Welcome.

You might be able to install a driver with a Live CD using apt-get but I've never tried it-
http://askubuntu.com/questions/25285...is-it-possible

Try booting to vesa like jefro suggested:-
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 10-17-2015, 08:40 AM   #17
davidtrickett
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Oct 2015
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Thanks again. I'll try booting into VESA. But how then do I try to install the drivers from the command line? I know that I need to use apt-get - but please remember that I am not all that clever with Linux and will need some help!
 
Old 10-17-2015, 03:46 PM   #18
Ztcoracat
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Dec 2011
Distribution: Slackware, MX 18
Posts: 9,484
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidtrickett View Post
Thanks again. I'll try booting into VESA. But how then do I try to install the drivers from the command line? I know that I need to use apt-get - but please remember that I am not all that clever with Linux and will need some help!
After booting ino vesa download the driver.
Most people download to their Downloads directory. Change directory like this:

Quote:
cd Downloads Hit Enter
than type ls and Hit Enter to list what's in your Downloads directory
Type su and put in your root password and Hit Enter
Than use the dpkg --install <name of driver> and Hit Enter
That should install the driver.-

Last edited by Ztcoracat; 10-17-2015 at 03:47 PM.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 10-19-2015, 08:36 AM   #19
davidtrickett
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Oct 2015
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
I've finally managed to persuade Ubuntu Studio to load up & install!

Adding noacpi, noapic, nomodeset & xforcevesa to the GRUB line did the trick. During the install session I used "Proprietory drivers" to install Nvidia.

All then worked fine - the next boot went into US with no problems.

Then I got a message that updates were available, so I installed them.

You can guess what came next - flat refusal to boot...

I managed to get it going in the same way as before - my guess is that the update dropped the Nvidia drivers - not too clever.

Since this is bound to happen again at the next update(by which time I will have forgotten everything)what I think I need to do now is to edit GRUB to include a boot option with these commands. I can probably find out how to do so myself, but if anyone can give me some pointers it would save time.

Finally does anyone know if there is an online resource that explains all these(and other)commands in a simple manner? Just that I would like to know what they actually do!

Many thanks once again for all the help - especially Ztcoracat.
 
Old 10-19-2015, 01:25 PM   #20
yancek
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Apr 2008
Distribution: Slackware, Ubuntu, PCLinux,
Posts: 10,444

Rep: Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474
Quote:
my guess is that the update dropped the Nvidia drivers -
Updating the kernel will do that. A quick google of this gets a lot of links to various Ubuntu sites.

To permanently have the modified Grub menuentry, create it in /etc/grub.d/40_custom and run sudo update-grub. It should then show in the output. You can test the menuentry by simply putting it in the grub.cfg file and rebooting immediately and if it works, copy it to /etc/grub.d/40_custom and run sudo update-grub.
 
Old 10-19-2015, 08:31 PM   #21
Ztcoracat
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Dec 2011
Distribution: Slackware, MX 18
Posts: 9,484
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176Reputation: 1176
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidtrickett View Post
I've finally managed to persuade Ubuntu Studio to load up & install!

Adding noacpi, noapic, nomodeset & xforcevesa to the GRUB line did the trick. During the install session I used "Proprietory drivers" to install Nvidia.

All then worked fine - the next boot went into US with no problems.

Then I got a message that updates were available, so I installed them.

You can guess what came next - flat refusal to boot...

I managed to get it going in the same way as before - my guess is that the update dropped the Nvidia drivers - not too clever.

Since this is bound to happen again at the next update(by which time I will have forgotten everything)what I think I need to do now is to edit GRUB to include a boot option with these commands. I can probably find out how to do so myself, but if anyone can give me some pointers it would save time.

Finally does anyone know if there is an online resource that explains all these(and other)commands in a simple manner? Just that I would like to know what they actually do!

Many thanks once again for all the help - especially Ztcoracat.
Your Welcome-

Always glad to help.
 
Old 10-20-2015, 03:05 PM   #22
davidtrickett
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Oct 2015
Posts: 9

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
I thought that all was well - and it is true that I now have a usable instance of Ubuntu Studio. But there are still a few weird things.

Firstly although I have succeeded in getting Ubuntu Studio going the machine still flatly refuses to have anything to do with vanilla Ubuntu(14.04.3) no matter what I put in the boot line. This isn't crucial but I may be passing the computer on soon and I would like it to be in a good state for the new user, who may not want Studio.

Secondly I would like to know which boot options actually work. The grub screen gives me no fewer than ten options for Ubuntu, of which two work well, and one loads but is very jerky. The other seven freeze in the loading process - mostly at "ACPI probe failed". I have managed to identify those that work(the hard reset button is getting worn out!).

I think I can probably do what I want with "Customize Grub", but in all the messing around I have managed to install two versions of Linux - AV Linux & Ubuntu Studio. They are on two different HDDs each in its own partition. AV was installed first, then US a few days after. The initial grub screen is that of AV Linux(it has a great big logo on it!).

However in the process I seem to have acquired two instances of grub - haven't a clue how. The one that's actually being used is that in AV Linux, but if I run Customize grub in Ubuntu studio it edits the Ubuntu Studio version! This does seem to be confusing things somewhat - does anyone know what I can do about this short of starting again from scratch?

What I think might work to put in the "ultra failsafe" option is:

Using Customize grub in AV linux
1 Select an option that works.
2 Go into edit & copy the text
3 Select an option that doesn't work
4 Clear the existing text & paste from 3
5 Add noacpi etc.
6 Save the configuration

Is this likely to work?

Thanks

Last edited by davidtrickett; 10-20-2015 at 03:12 PM. Reason: Clarification
 
Old 10-20-2015, 03:43 PM   #23
yancek
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Apr 2008
Distribution: Slackware, Ubuntu, PCLinux,
Posts: 10,444

Rep: Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474Reputation: 2474
Quote:
However in the process I seem to have acquired two instances of grub
Most systems will install Grub so when you installed AV Linux, it's version of Grub was installed with most of the Grub files on it's root or boot partition (if you are using a boot) with a small part of the code to the MBR. When you installed Ubuntu Studio, you had the option to install to the MBR of the first drive (default) which would have overwritten the AVLinux code so you must have installed it either to the root partition of Ubuntu Studio or the MBR of the drive it is on.

Quote:
but if I run Customize grub in Ubuntu studio it edits the Ubuntu Studio version!
Expected behavior, if you are running it from Ubuntu Studio there would be no reason/way for it to modify the AVlinux.

I'm not sure what your end goal is. You can install Grub from Ubuntu Studio to the MBR of it's drive if it is not already.
You can run sudo update-grub from Ubuntu studio which should find AVLinux, then set the second drive to first boot priority in the BIOS.
You can install Grub from Ubuntu Studio to the MBR of the first drive (AVLinux) and leave the BIOS settings and run sudo update-grub from Ubuntu studio and you should have both options.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Linux won't bootfrom USB/DVD or install davidtrickett Linux - Newbie 2 10-14-2015 08:46 AM
Linux mint DVD, USB Flash and external SSD won't boot to desktop chandos Linux - Newbie 6 04-27-2014 01:57 PM
Toshiba Satellite A105 won't boot from USB or DVD emckechnie Linux - Newbie 17 12-30-2013 12:54 PM
[SOLVED] iMac10,1 won't boot w/14.0 without install DVD, displays question mark michael.conner Slackware 6 10-05-2012 08:20 AM
[SOLVED] CentOS DVD hangs and won't boot from usb drive. deadalus.globalnode Linux - Hardware 9 09-27-2010 02:00 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:02 PM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration