[PARTIALLY SOLVED] Installing Ubuntu 13.04 on a Toshiba Satellite C55-A laptop

[Jim Byrnes]

On 10/05/2013 02:58 PM, Jim Byrnes wrote:
> On 10/05/2013 02:43 PM, Nils Kassube wrote:
>> Jim Byrnes wrote:
>>> Just got the above mentioned Toshiba laptop yesterday.  Would like to
>>> install Ubuntu on it next to Windows 8 without activating Windows 8.
>>
>>> It booted but not to the normal screen.  I saw a non-graphical screen
>>> with 3 selections Install Ubuntu  -  Try Ubuntu & Test media. I choose
>>> Try Ubuntu and it booted to a command line:
>>
>>> Obviously a graphics problem.
>>>
>>> Specs say: Processor and Graphics
>>>              AMD Quad Core A6-5200 Accelerated Processor with AMD
>>> Radeon™ HD 8400 Graphics
>>>              2.0 GHz, 2MB L2 Cache
>>>
>>> Googling on the HD 8400 and linux produced this hit:
>>>
>>> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8LINBetaDrive
>>> r.aspx
>>>
>>> Which talks of a beta driver that supports this chip.
>>>
>>> So it seems there is no way to test Ubuntu on this machine before
>>> installing it. Is that correct?
>>
>> I think you shouldn't expect that it would work after you installed this
>> version of Ubuntu. If the LiveDVD doesn't support your graphics
>> hardware, it is unlikely that it would work with the installed system.
>>
>> As your graphics hardware is rather new, I would suggest to try the beta
>> version of Ubuntu 13.10 or wait until the release of 13.10 (next week?).
>> The article above talks about kernel 3.10 support and Ubuntu 13.10 uses
>> kernel 3.11, so it may work with Ubuntu 13.10.
>>
>>
>> Nils
>>
>>
>
> Thanks Nils, looks like 13.10 offers the best chance of sucess.
>
> Regards,  Jim
>
>

Couldn't wait.  Downloaded and burned the 13.10 beta.  It boots up to a 
fully fucntional Unity desktop.  Going to wait for the offical release 
before attemting to install it.

I still could use some guidance on wether or not it is possible to 
install Ubuntu next to Windows 8 that has not been activated.

Thanks,  Jim