installation issues

[Bryan Schuman]

Package: installation-reports

Boot method: CD
Image version: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
Date: 12/10/2008

Machine: Custom
Processor: Intel Q6600
Memory: 4GB
Video: ASUS Radeon 4870 1gig

Output of lspci -nn and lspci -vnn:
N/A

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [O]
Detect network card:    [ ]
Configure network:      [ ]
Detect CD:              [ ]
Load installer modules: []
Detect hard drives:     [ ]
Partition hard drives:  [ ]
Install base system:    [ ]
Clock/timezone setup:   [ ]
User/password setup:    [ ]
Install tasks:          [ ]
Install boot loader:    [ ]
Overall install:        [E]

Comments/Problems:
Booted into the installer, normal mode.  X fails to load the
installation screen, instead booting to a white screen.  This is
apparently a common issue for X lately, on several different video
cards.  Clearly, it's even an issue on my VERY modern video card (ASUS
Radeon 4870 1gig).  Changing to Safe Graphics mode in the initial GRUB
boot seems to do the trick (I'm guessing this uses a variation of the
xdriver=vesa command, since it doesn't show me the actual command used
when I hit tab after selecting this graphics mode).  Future releases
of Ubuntu should test for this issue, as it seems to be becoming more
widespread, and not limited to older hardware.  As Ubuntu is a more
non-geek friendly installation, this issue has a HIGH potential to
stump users and turn them off to using Ubuntu.