[Novalug] Ubuntu 7.04 login problems (Was: Gateway 2500 BIOS Problems)

Jon Taimanglo jontaimanglo@gmail.com
Thu Jul 19 10:46:12 EDT 2007


Megan-
Unfortunately, when I am able to see errors (it seems no two boots are
alike) the errors messages only appear for second then the login screen
comes up.  I looked through the messages log file and nothing showed up that
appeared that looked off, normal boot stuf, irq assignments, hardware info -
but no errors.  The only ones I saw in the xorg log (and the gdm log) after
further review, were synaptics keypad and aiglx errors.  The cursor moves
when I'm at the boot menu so I'm ruling out a synaptics issue for right now
and I'm able to see the boot menu so I'm ruling out any screen drawing issue
also.  I only did a tail on dmesg but when I get a chance later today I'm
going to look over it further.

Jay-
Possible, I only checked the md5 hash and it was the same.  I believe there
is a check disc
option when it boots that I can try later today.


It almost seems like a permission issue, as though it can create the
environment needed after logging on and then errors out after 10 seconds.
Although nothing in the logs I've looked through seems to support that?!

On 7/19/07, Jay Hart <jhart@kevla.org> wrote:
>
> Could you had a bad iso image disk?
>
> Jay
>
> > Yes this is all on the new harddrive, the install took quite a long time
> (2+
> > hours) and I didn't get a chance to try an install on the old harddrive
> yet.
> >
> > I had to use the alternate cd for ubuntu, trying the "regular" desktop
> i386
> > kept failing with segfaults trying to get into gnome.
> >
> > Just for kicks, I downloaded the 6.06.1 alternate i386.  I'm going to
> try
> > that install later today.
> >
> > But if the same errors occur, I'm not sure where to begin
> troubleshooting
> > other than the gdm logs and the xorg logs.
> >
> > On 7/19/07, Jay Hart <jhart@kevla.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > ok, I installed the old harddrive (on a recommendation from Megan
> Larko)
> >> and
> >> > the laptop booted fine.  I put in the new harddrive and it froze.  At
> >> one
> >> > point I was able to somehow get into bios and manually set the size
> of
> >> the
> >> > new harddrive - unfortunately the bios cylinder count would only go
> up
> >> to
> >> > 65535, but it is listed at 77K+ according to Samsung.
> >> >
> >> > I was able to install Ubuntu 7.04 but I get a ton of errors during
> boot
> >> and
> >> > if I'm lucky enough to see the gnome login screen I can only do a
> >> "failsafe
> >> > xterm" login.  I checked out the gdm and xorg logs, no errors really
> >> stood
> >> > out to me why I would not be able to select a gnome session, or the
> >> default,
> >> > xclient scripts and be able to log in.  When I do, I get a notice
> about
> >> the
> >> > session lasting less than 10 seconds, I check out the logs and there
> are
> >> no
> >> > errors, I click ok and back to the log in screen I go.  Has anyone
> ever
> >> had
> >> > a similar problem with ubuntu or gnome?
> >>
> >> Are the things you are seeing above when you use the new drive?
> >>
> >> Jay
> >>
> >> >
> >> > On 7/18/07, Jon Taimanglo <jontaimanglo@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> when i was able to get into bios (before flashing to the latest), i
> >> think
> >> >> the only option was either to enable or disable it.  the first time
> >> through
> >> >> it was enabled with the autodetect, but only reported 8.5GB.  i was
> >> hoping
> >> >> the upgraded bios would be able to see all of it.  problem still
> though
> >> is
> >> >> that i can't get into bios any more.
> >> >>
> >> >> has any one else failed a bios upgrade?  does the system even boot
> to
> >> show
> >> >> the initial information - bios version, ram amount, etc?  or does it
> >> just
> >> >> not respond?
> >> >>
> >> >> On 7/18/07, rogerb@bronord.com <rogerb@bronord.com > wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > In bios, is there an option to use LBA rather than just
> autodetect?
> >> If
> >> >> > so, try
> >> >> > that. It also sounds like you should be sure to put the linux boot
> >> >> > partition
> >> >> > towards the beginning of the drive if you are dual booting - to be
> >> sure
> >> >> > that
> >> >> > you can boot. If the bios is not seeing some sectors, you would
> not
> >> be
> >> >> > able to
> >> >> > boot.
> >> >> > --
> >> >> > Roger W. Broseus
> >> >> >   NEW Email: RogerB@bronord.com
> >> >> >   NEW Web Site: www.bronord.com
> >> >> >
> >> >> > > I'm wanted to install Ubuntu ( 7.04, Desktop-i386) on a Gateway
> >> 2500
> >> >> > solo for
> >> >> > > my brother to get into linux.  The laptop needed some new
> hardware,
> >> so
> >> >> > I
> >> >> > > went out and bought a 40GB HDD and two sticks of 128MB
> RAM.  BIOS
> >> saw
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > > RAM fine, but the HDD was only seen as 8.5GB.
> >> >> > >
> >> >> > > I figured I would check on updated BIOS for this laptop.  The
> >> latest
> >> >> > one I
> >> >> > > found was from 2000.  I followed the directions and everything
> >> >> > appeared to
> >> >> > > go cleanly; no errors were given during the update
> procedure.  Once
> >> >> > > rebooted, I was able to enter BIOS for the laptop and when to
> >> >> > configure
> >> >> > > everything up.  I clicked on the "autodetect" for the harddrive
> and
> >> it
> >> >> > > froze.  I powered down and turned it back on and I get the BIOS
> >> >> > version
> >> >> > > number, the amount of RAM and right where it should be detecting
> >> the
> >> >> > > harddrive and dvd drive, it does nothing.  I hit F2 to enter
> bios
> >> but
> >> >> > > nothing.  Is this laptop now (even more so) a paperweight?
> >> >> > >
> >> >> > > I'm guessing the next thing to try is clearing CMOS but I'm not
> >> sure
> >> >> > that
> >> >> > > would even do anything since I really never got the chance to
> >> >> > configure
> >> >> > > anything in the updated BIOS anyways.  Any suggestions?
> >> >> > >
> >> >> > > Thanks.
> >> >> > > _______________________________________________
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> >> >> > >
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >>
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> >>
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> >
>
>
>
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