Unable to use Ubuntu 8.04 live CD

[NoOp]

On 08/01/2008 06:57 PM, Jerry Alber wrote:

> NoOp,
> 
> Thanks to you, I kind of got my Ubuntu 8.04 CDs and DVDs to work. You 
> mentioned that you wondered if it might be something about my keyboard 
> that might be interpreted as a log out when it was not. First of all, I 
> was using a KDE switch to switch between my 2 computers. This KDE switch 
> is USB rather than PC2 connections. Just in case I disconnected it but 
> that wasn't it. Then I looked around at the different options for 
> starting Ubuntu but they didn't work either EXCEPT for F4's "Safe 
> Graphics Mode". When I chose that, they all booted as they were supposed 
> to, without the request for a UID and PW. It's not the monitor that's 
> causing the problem because I also tried it on my roommate's computer 
> with the same "SGM" and it also worked. We both have HP Pavilion a1210n 
> desktop computers with Radeon Xpress 200g graphic cards. They have not 
> caused problems with any of the other distributions - so who knows. I 
> also forget to mention that before, when choosing to stop or restart, 
> the CD/DVD would be ejected but that is all the further it would go.
> 
> I don't know quite what is going on, but my next step would be to try an 
> install on an empty partition to see if it would go as expected. If I 
> can get the install to work, I will have to change the resolution as I 
> can see the top panel but not the bottom one. I can see it if I use the 
> monitor's menu to reposition the screen.
> 
> Tomorrow, I'll  see how the install goes. Any idea why the "SGM" would 
> make it work"?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jerry

Now that's interesting. You certainly have a lot of patience; thanks for
continuing to try to get it all to work :-)

If you want to just do install, I highly recommend downloading the
Alternate CD and installing from there: http://releases.ubuntu.com/8.04/
If you need help on how to do that let me know.

Back to the LiveDVD:

Unfortunately I've no idea why it works in SGM and is not picking up the
Radeon Xpress. But this bug looks like it might be the one & probably
won't be fixed until Intrepid:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-ati/+bug/211759

The screen resolution issue (in standard mode) is common (unfortunately)
- I don't even get top & bottom panels showing on one system as it picks
up my monitor as 1152x864 and it's a 1024x768. It picks up the monitor
type just fine (Hitachi CM641) but for some silly reason it totally
screws up on the resolution size. In SGM it uses 1600x1200 and both
panels show up.

You should be able to adjust the screen resolution using
System|Preferences|Screen Resolution
If that does not work: Alt-F2 then "gksu displayconfig-gtk" and then
select the proper resolution size and click OK. While you are there,
please check out the "Examples" folder/file, other standard applications
(such as OpenOffice, Firefox etc) and once you determine them to be
working reboot using the normal Quit button or System|Quit|Shutdown.

Restart not using SGM and at the "Try Ubuntu..." press F6 and enter
backspace over quiet and splash-- back to "initrd.gz" and hit the Enter
key. See if you can see where the system is looking for your video card
and/or restricted drivers. Unfortunately I do not know how to 'pause'
the screen on a DVD - perhaps others who do can help out?