Edubuntu install won't completely boot up

[Thomas Christy]

The Problem:  getting the "edubuntu gutsygibbon" install to work.

What happens when I boot up is it takes a long while, then a maze of
colorful
noise comes on the screen for a minute or so, then the edubuntu logo
appears amid noise, and the scroll bar (where the orange line is
supposed to fill in from left to right) is there too but with no
activity.  Eventually all that mess disappears and the Debian Busybox
dialogue appears on black screen suggesting I type "help" for a list of
possible commands.

I have also tried using the second option at boot-up, that shows the
install going through all its steps, but then it stops and (apparently)
wants me to type something to complete the process, but I do not know
what to type in there.

Should I assume the install is defective and try installing edubuntu all
over again, or is there
something I can do to fix this install and get it to continue to boot up
effectively / normally as it appears almost ready to do.

Also, I got this same set of circumstances when I had first completed
the install but it eventually resolved itself and allowed me to log in.
But then there was a prompt saying there were like 189 updates
available, and did I want to download and install them.  I opted YES,
and that process of downloading and installing all those updates took
quite awhile.  Now that all the updates are
installed, the edubuntu will not boot, as described above... it goes to
the Debian Busybox dialogue instead.

Thanks for your help - I will watch my email for your reply.

Best regards, 

Thom Christy
thomchristy at gmail.com