Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

[Frank616]

Interesting problem here. I have an older Dell C840 (1.8 GHz P4M, nVidia Geforce4 440 GO) that ran Kubuntu 8.04 just fine. It also boots and runs Kubuntu 11.04 just fine off the Live CD.

When I install to the hard drive, however, I get a boot loop. I get the KDM login screen, into which I enter my account and password. It proceeds, gets about halfway, drops to a full-screen terminal for a few seconds, then snaps back to the KDM login screen again. If I enter again the account and password, it goes through the same process again. I can have fun doing this all day.

I've tried twice now to do the install, once selecting auto updates during the install, and again just doing the install off the CD only, but with no Internet connection.

Anyone have any idea why it would work off the CD, but not off a hard disk install?

I did do a manual login on the terminal once, and used apt-get update and apt-get upgrade. The package update seemed to proceed with no problems, but there was no change in behavior.

I then tried starting X manually with 'startx'. I have a picture of the output from that if it is possible to post that here, but I was too lazy to mount a flash drive and transfer the output as text. Basically X complains that it can't find either the nv or nvidia modules, and stops with a segmentation fault. However lsmod shows nouveau installed.

So, suggestions anyone?

Frank.

[Guest]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

Did this get solved in the meantime? I'm having exactly the same problem.

[sithlord48]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

if you have not done so do a fresh install of 11.04 , its quite different from 8.04 and things like you xorg.con is going to confilct with the new stuff. i.e there is no 'nv' driver anymore. start by removing your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and reboot to see if you x server is working. also check to be sure you don't have a full home folder. if you do you will not be able to log in.

[Catchingup]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty


Frank616,
Did a clean install help you?

hoisoiden,
Any further forward?

I'm still having similar problems with my C810, not getting as far Frank, at least he gets to see the KDE login...

After Snowhog solved my grub menu issue (limiting to 1028X768) and also trying the install with an external monitor fitted,
I still only see a blank screen (LCD) with the external monitor displaying the Kubuntu splash screen.

The Fn key to select monitor output ceases to function just after grub menu, and LCD is main output.

Pressing any key gives a terminal login prompt (tty2), but no KDE after login.

If I change to tty1, screen(LCD) shows repeated output of

[drm:drm_edid_block_valid] *ERROR* raw EDID:
[drm:drm_edid_block_valid] *ERROR* raw EDID:
[drm:] nouveau 0000:01:00.0 DDC responded but no EDID for VGA-1
...
[drm:drm_edid_block_valid] *ERROR* raw EDID:

(text displayed in 1024x768)

Kubuntu splash screen, transfers to LCD when given the three fingered salute to shutdown.

My guess is that the 'installer' or hardware detect selects the graphics output to the max even though the 'native' LCD resolution is below that of a external monitor, grub menu and the xserver is fed duff info and KDE displays black on black menu

LCD did/does display in 1600x1200 (manual selection in previous kubuntu, 8.04 I think) and the other OS. The external monitor works at 2048x1536 with this Nvidia GeForce2 Go, both at 60Hz, ahhh, just wondering, could the hardware detect be selecting 85 by default?

[Frank616]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

Thanks, all. Sorry to be so late getting back to you. Just got too busy with other projects.

I suspect that this machine is just too old for the new 3D graphics that the new distros are using. I may have to go back to 8.04 if I intend to keep using this machine, or else just retire it permanently.

Sithlord48: My install was a clean one, from the ground up. It was once the install was done that I had the boot loop problem.

I tried a full, clean install of 11.10 on it today. After the Kubuntu splash screen (which came up in full 1600 x 1200), I got a black screen, and that was all. Tapping the power key gave a flash of the terminal where it was asking for login, but then I got the Kubuntu splash screen for the shutdown.

Anyway, thanks for your interest.

Frank.

[Frank616]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

On second thought, no, old graphics card cannot be the problem either. It RUNS JUST FINE off the CD. It won't boot off the hard disk even after a complete, error-free new installation.

I dunno. Still looking for a solution, I guess.

Frank.

[sithlord48]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

from the live cd it prolly using the open source driver to run your gfx card. if you choose to install the 3rd party stuff (maybe called restricted software durring install) i think it will install for you the nvidia driver. guess its something to check.

[Frank616]

Re: Boot loop on Dell C840 with Natty

Sithlord:

from the live cd it prolly using the open source driver to run your gfx card. if you choose to install the 3rd party stuff (maybe called restricted software durring install) i think it will install for you the nvidia driver. guess its something to check.

Definitely worth checking! Usually the NVIDIA drivers work better, but this is indeed a possibility. I'll give it a shot in a few days and see what happens.

Thanks.

Frank.

[Frank616]

OK, a follow up. I gave up on 11.04 and 11.10. I have installed 12.04 Alpha 1, and now the Beta 1. Works fine. Only problem I am having now is that the windows render incorrectly on the screen. The upper title bar is right shifted on all windows, and the min/max/close buttons don't show. I'm looking for a way to install the Nvidia 96 series driver, which is not offered in the restricted drivers applet. I may have to find a way to install in manually. However, I'll start a new thread on that.

Frank.