New distros don't boot (on my PC)

PhilGQ

PhilGQ

PhilGQ

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I am having some problems getting the most recent round of Live CDs distros to boot.

I tried Ubuntu 10.10 64/32bit when it was new It didn't boot but then I every 2nd or 3rd Ubuntu hasn't booted for me for me for some years. I put it down to my motherboard but this has now been changed. So I tried Linux Mint debian edition (similar to LM9 32bit only back then) which did work. I tried LM10 when it came out but that didn't work. However my LMDE did upgrade itself to have the LM10 theme etc.

I put it down to Ubuntu having a problem with my system and since LM is based off it then it was the same problem. I thought no more of it.

Yesterday I tried LM10 64bit KDE didn't work properly although it got closer than the others. I then tried SUSE 11.4 KDE 64bit, Fedora 14 KDE 32bit none of them worked. In addition I patched my LMDE again now mouse and keyboard don't work.

Can anyone suggest what could be the problem.

Specs are

Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD3P which is AMD 790X + SB750 Chipset
AMD PIIx2 555
Nvidia GF8600
 
yeah, is it simply a case of not seeing the CD and loading your normal OS or are you getting the CD's to start booting and then failing?
 
I sold a system recently with a similar build and MB chipset and that was quite happily running Ubuntu 10.10 32 and 64bit so I doubt your current setup is the problem :)

I take it your burning the iso file at the slowest speed to disc?

Is the Live CD failing to boot?

strange :(
 
Have you searched for any known issues with key components in your machine?

I had problems on my "old" PC (it was actually better than my current one) with various distros and it was all because of the Nvidia 7800GT PCI-E card. As I didn't have the cash to change it, I swapped desktops with my good wife and ended up with this one... a cut-and-shut of the PC world if ever I saw one :/

(sounds like an overclocked hairdryer too, but I'm getting off topic here...)
 
The problem is seem different on each distro.

The disk is recognised as a boot disk but what happens next varies.

Suse gets so far then fails back to the command line (start x will make it try again but it just fails again), Ubuntu just goes round in a reset boot reset loop. Fedora gets a black screen with nothing happening. Mint did get into KDE one time then froze, next time it got stuck at the login screen. LMDE (which is on the hard drive) gets to the log in screen but the mouse and keyboard don't work.

The symtoms are all different but the effect is the same I can't believe its a coincidence.

@Essexraptor I wasn't aware that the speek you burn the disk at could be an issue. I am using one DVD RW disk and trying each distro. I supose it could just be that. Will buy some new onces and try agian.
 
Just that if you burn it at the slowest speed... normally x2 .... it reduces the chances of errors, especially with iso files :)

Happened to me when I was trying Ubuntu 10.10 on a desktop setup a few weeks ago. I re-burnt the disc from the same iso file and it loaded first time. So may be worth a try.

that's all :)
 
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Sounds to me like a driver issue with Xorg? Might be your integrated graphics as nVidia cards don't usually cause an issue.
Try starting the distros in VGA or safe graphics mode or something, there'll be an option on the boot menu.
 
You could be right, now you mention it, the time Mint booted it prompted to use VGA settings. There is no intergrated graphics on this motherboard though so if thats the problem it with the nvidia card. Its worked fine for years though just this round.

I found some more DVD RW disks will, thryy fresh disks and low graphics.
 
I have now tried mint and suse on a flash drive, both use different software to right the iso to the flash drive, neither worked. I guess that eliminates my DVD Drive, media and burning software as the problem.

I found a disk with an old version of puppy on it, that booted fine. I've also managed to get my keyboard and mouse working on LMDE which is on the hard disk so am back in business for now. Thanks for your suggestion will have to keep trying the distros as they come out and see what happens.
 
russ0r said:
Sounds to me like a driver issue with Xorg? Might be your integrated graphics as nVidia cards don't usually cause an issue.
Try starting the distros in VGA or safe graphics mode or something, there'll be an option on the boot menu.
Click to expand...

I selected one res lower in opensuse, it booted no problem.

Gold star for you:)

gold-star.png
 
Glad you got it working :)

So .... now you've adjusted the resolution down does your chosen distro boot every time?

Just so I can store this little nugget away for future use :)
 
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