good'day ubuntu community

I just got an some 3 year old IPC labtop (P3/1000mhz 128mb ram) and tried to install the server version of ubuntu (for its lightness).

unfortunately as soon as i type "server" for the light installation,
after copiing the installer files to the harddrive it tries to start the x-server (i guess) which doesn't seem to be a very good idea
my lcd screen flashes in greenish colours before it experiences a very slow death.
now my question:

is there anyway i can prevent the installation from starting the x-server an install only in real text mode? are there any variables to accomplish that.

thank you very much for your help

kooling

kooling,

This may not be much help, but I suggest getting the CD image to install. That worked perfectly for me. From the looks of your post, you are trying to install from files copied to your HD? I'm sure there is a way to do this, but I just don't know how. I only know it worked for me with the CD.

hey breakthestate!

thanks for your reply.
i was actually installing from the cd which i made from the official ubuntu 5.10 release.

Installing the system on my desktop was a piece of cake. i recon the problem emerges due to the unability of my SIS (i think) graphic chip to cope with the x-server.

there has to be a way to install in "true" textmode....

When you boot from the install CD there are special bootparameters described under keys F1 to F8, they are sometimes needed with laptops.

Descriptions of installation of laptops can be found on the internet, these descriptions often have usefull information about installation (even when they are old or for another linux brand).

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupportMachinesLaptops

http://www.linux-laptop.net/

http://www.linuxcompatible.org/compatibility.html

http://tuxmobil.org/

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/

It is also a good idea to run memtest on old hardware (with the install cd), just to be sure.

There is a description of a light version of ubuntu (xubuntu=ubuntu +xfce), xubuntu may get its own install CD in the future: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InstallingXubuntu I tried this and it is not hard (when there are no hardware problems).

thank you bwog!
i will try xubuntu first an then check out the links.
(funny, it was yesterday i first read about Xubunt. it sounds cool. since i prefer xfce to gnome due to ram reasons)

kooling

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