[Sussex] Ubuntu install

Sun Nov 28 21:02:22 UTC 2010

  On 28/11/10 13:27, PHILIP COLLINGS wrote:
>
> > Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2010 06:14:10 +0000
> > From: steve at dobbo.org
> > To: sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk; philcollings60 at hotmail.com
> > Subject: Re: [Sussex] Ubuntu install
> >
> > Hi Phil
> >
> > On 27/11/10 22:39, Desmond Armstrong wrote:
> > > On 27/11/10 21:09, PHILIP COLLINGS wrote:
> > >> Hi all,
> > >> I am trying to install ubuntu 10.10 on to a tower that I have built.
> > >
> > >> The cpu is running at 1400 but will go higher, 2.5 gb ram.200gb hdd.
> > >> I have been trying to install with live disks which do work on another
> > >> comp I've got. The unit freezes from just after the dos front pages of
> > >> the comp to the boot menu of the disks, or anywhere in between.
> >
> > You haven't told us which motherboard and CPU you are using. The speed
> > of the CPU is not really all that important for installation debugging,
> > whether it is an AMD64 or a IA32 processor is much more useful (as is
> > the motherboard make and model).
> >
> > Given that you have built a tower I am going to assume that you went
> > down the AMD64 route, they are common and cheep these days so there is
> > really no reason not to (I assume that there are still IA32 motherboards
> > on the market - I haven't checked).
> >
> > I don't have a universal knowledge of all motherboards but the AMD64
> > motherboards I have played with to date have their memory split into two
> > banks, and you get best system performance if you balance the memory
> > sticks between both banks. If the memory sockets on your motherboard
> > are in two colours then I would suggest that it is very likely that this
> > is the case here.
> >
> > 2.5GB of memory is a really odd amount for a AMD64 system. Assuming
> > that you have 2 x 1GB plus 1 x 0.5GB memory sticks I would give serious
> > thought to pulling the 0.5GB unit.
> >
> > >> I have as yet to get a full install. the furthest I've got once, was
> > >> the keyboard and time zone settings
> > >> Has any body got any ideas, as I'm beginning to run out of things 
> to try.
> > >
> > > The first thing I would check is the CD drive as, if it is worn, 
> this is
> > > the sort of problem one gets. So try another CD or DVD drive first.
> > >
> > > But have you had the live CD running properly?
> >
> > Desmond is right. You can get some funny errors on failing CD-ROM
> > drivers. But the problem may be more fundamental, it maybe that your
> > motherboard (which I assume you've just purchased) may have hardware not
> > supported by the kernel on the CD-ROM.
> >
> > How up to date is your Ubuntu CD? I don't mean when did you download
> > it, I mean when did Canonical master it? Which kernel/driver set is on
> > that CD and does it support all the hardware on your motherboard? I
> > recently installed Debian on a friend's not to old laptop (AMD64) and
> > found that there was an issue with the screen/frame-buffer driver in the
> > kernel itself. In this case it was a bug introduced into the kernel
> > itself, and old version worked fine. You might like to try the previous
> > version of Ubuntu. (Note: AMD64 fully supports IA32 so you can try the
> > old 32-bit software on a newer 64-bit processor, it just doesn't run as
> > fast.)
> >
> > If you're not having any luck with Ubuntu then have you thought of
> > trying another distro. I'm not suggesting that you switch permanently,
> > but trying a different install CD with a different kernel/driver set may
> > work and at least it will prove that your hardware is working properly.
> >
> > Debian, for example, have just entered the final stages of testing for
> > the 6.0 "squeeze" release. This includes proper support at last for a
> > USB stick network installer. (http://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst) As
> > Ubuntu is Debian based this should give you something close to what
> > you're use to with Ubuntu.
> >
> > Steve
>
>
> >
> >
> >hi steve, thanks for the info. i have not just bought the mobo, its 
> one my sister was using for her work that i built for her a while ago.
> >The mobo is a Asrock K7s8x, runs with a north bridge  sis 746fx 
> chipset. fsb 333mhz. supports AMD athlon xp socket A cpu`s. >The ram 
> is ddr266 at 2x1gb and 1x.5 gb.
> >the disks are from linux format mag and ones that ive downloaded.
> > last night i finally managed to get ubuntu 9.10 installed to hdd 
> after trying other os`s like mint ,fedora and puppy.
> > after all these probs it think its to do with a hardware prob not the 
> os`s.
> > i replaced the cpu that was in it as it was a duron one that my 
> sister used to a 3000 athlon xp, this i think is the prob.
> >I will keep playing around till i get it.
> > Thanks to you and Desmond for the tips. i will keep you posted how i 
> get on.
>

Thanks for this information. I am already well aware that the Sis 746 
chipset defeats many Linux systems. I do already have some experience of 
this one. Fortunately the latest Mandriva works absolutely fine with it 
but unfortunately it was a users's machine and I cannot easily try 
Ubuntu on it but may indeed soon have opportunity to try it with a USB 
device. In which case one must use 10.10 and simply we know that 10.04 
will not work.

Now one technique I have used is to install the system on another 
machine and then install the appropriate modules. What is really 
important is that the system is fully updated.
Then you could simply transfer the HD or even use Clonezilla to transfer 
the system, having first included the SiS kernel bits to the hard drive 
AND done all the updates on your machine and then it should work for you.
I should add that I do have success with Mandriva in these processes and 
there is, in principle no reason why such technique should not work with 
Ubuntu.

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-30399.html - no mention 
which version of Ubuntu!

I don't know whether this might be you, but again I stress the fact that 
this chipset will ONLY WORK with the newer releases - Good Luck - more 
learning involved!
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