Ubuntu install...flashing underscore

Conrad11 · 21 Aug 2009 at 10:08

Hi there,

When I go to install Ubuntu on my Intel Atom 330 board, I can get to the options menu on the Ubuntu CD but whenever I try to boot the live CD or install all I get is a flashing underscore in the top left corner. I have tried the alternate CD as-well with no luck (same thing). I have tried both 32bit and 64bit versions of each. This is 9.04 I am trying to install.

What's wrong?

Thanks.

Conrad11 · 21 Aug 2009 at 20:09

Getting exactly the same thing with Linux Mint too :/

Hairybudda · 21 Aug 2009 at 20:17

Have you tried booting from a live cd?

Ascendancy · 21 Aug 2009 at 21:48

Conrad11 said:
whenever I try to boot the live CD

Hairybudda said:
Have you tried booting from a live cd?

Found this thread for you, someone with a similar problem

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-868943.html

Conrad11 · 21 Aug 2009 at 22:11

Thanks for the link (already found it when I first googled and it doesn't help much)

iraiguana · 21 Aug 2009 at 22:13

Have you tried to install from a bootable USB?

I followed the install from site linking to netbooter to auto download and create its own bootable usb.

Very quick and worked well.

For some reason I was unable to burn a good live cd from download that day and this was the workaround I used.

Conrad11 · 21 Aug 2009 at 22:20

iraiguana said:
Have you tried to install from a bootable USB?

I followed the install from site linking to netbooter to auto download and create its own bootable usb.

Very quick and worked well.

For some reason I was unable to burn a good live cd from download that day and this was the workaround I used.

How do I create a bootable USB drive? Do you have a link to the app you used?

Hairybudda · 22 Aug 2009 at 12:08

Sorry about the livecd comment earlier, must have missed that somehow :|

Anyway the application you're looking for is called Unetbootin

Minto · 22 Aug 2009 at 14:22

use unetbootin to make a bootable usb of the netinstall, seems to be more reliable

iraiguana · 22 Aug 2009 at 15:13

This is the guide that will tell you more about it if you need it.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick

Its what I used to prepare mine.

Conrad11 · 22 Aug 2009 at 21:14

No joy

it says all my images are corrupt......I'm going to give up and install Windows.

I will try download Ubuntu on that new Windows install and try and create an image that way.

Which version is best to download for compatibility....the i386 alternative or the normal desktop?

EDIT: Windows won't boot either :s....what is up?

Conrad11 · 23 Aug 2009 at 17:49

Did a full day memtest so it isn't the RAM....going to try install Windows again...

....when I try to boot in safe mode it stops at Mup.sys

slylittlefox · 23 Aug 2009 at 18:10

Have you checked MD5 sums to ensure the downloads are good?

Failing that, what speed are you burning the CD's at? If you've got it set to auto or max, that will probably be your problem. Use 4x or 8x and try again.

Conrad11 · 23 Aug 2009 at 19:07

I assume the fact that I can't install windows or Ubuntu from a standard Ubuntu CD (the ones they post to you) means that it is some sort of hardware issue?

Conrad11 · 23 Aug 2009 at 19:09

Hang on! - I unplugged my keyboard and mouse and windows has booted fine

...so I am pretty sure this issue is something to do with the keyboard and/or mouse....surely?

EDIT: Very strange! Have the keyboard and mouse both plugged in now and Windows is booting fine.

EDIT 2: Right getting somewhere now...Windows doesn't boot with the DVD drive plugged in so it must be the DVD drive thats causing all the issues.

iraiguana · 23 Aug 2009 at 19:20

Glad you have got somewhere at least! Sounds very odd with the drive not allowing it to boot.

Conrad11 · 23 Aug 2009 at 19:25

I am going to try another DVD drive see if that will fix it:

Currently won't boot with that DVD drive regardless of the configuration, but it will boot without it regardless of how the rest of the PC is configured.

I figure that is what's causing issues with the live CDs too...

Conrad11 · 23 Aug 2009 at 19:42

LOL, after all that...it was the DVD drive...can now boot into Ubuntu...

slylittlefox · 24 Aug 2009 at 07:47

Glad you got it sorted

I had a similar issue with a tape drive not so long ago.