Unable to install - black screen during boot DVD, unable to cache CD ISO HELP!

[nxqd]

Hello, I am desperately trying to get a LinuxMCE system up and running in my house and am having troubles in my first step. The system I am intending on installing on is a abit a-n78hd with an onboard GeForce 8200, 2g ram, 120 Sata. My problem is that I cannot get anything to display on screen during the AMD 64 710 DVD installation, I get the initial Kubuntu  sreen where I can choose 'Install LinuxMCE 0710 for AMD64', I see a couple of terminal commands and then my screen goes black. I have tested this on both an LCD display and a old CRT monitor with the same results, I have also tried on the VGA, DVI and HDMI ports, each with the same result. I have left it sit for 30-45 minutes ad nothing ever comes on screen.

Next I chose to try installing off an existing Kubuntu 7.10 installation, I have downloaded the ISO images, and got the LinuxMCE installer to appear on my dkestop, however when it comes to caching the LinuxMCE CD1 it gives a response back 'unable to cache lmce cd1' or something similar. I have tried it both with a CDR burned at 2x speed AND with the ISO image, both times 1 get the same response.

I have looked high and low for step by step inscructions for compiling from source, however I have only found references to comiling SVN once you have the actual mce system installed (http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Building_From_Source)

CAN ANYONE HELP ME!??!

I have been unable to get this thing running and have been at it for 3 days, testing each way I can think. Anyone have an answer? Or better yet a way to install on Kubuntu 8.04?

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated!

[pigdog]

Hi,

First thing is you can only install LMCE using Kubuntu 7.10 so there isn't a better way to install under Kubuntu 8.04.

I hope that you checked your MD5SUM(s) on the iso DVD/CD disks.

If you are using the CD's (Kubuntu 7.10 plus MCD 1&2 iso's) you can copy them to your HDD and when running the LMCE installer point the browser to the directory location for the iso's.

This will get you past the problem with trying to cache the files to the HDD from the CD.

This will save you a couple of hours as well (CD method still takes about 2.5 hours).

For the DVD install did you try to burn at a lower speed as well?

During the 30-45 minutes did you see any HDD disk activity (flashing light)?  If so just let it go for a while longer.

Also with the DVD installation did the system return a series of beeps?

This could be an indication that the AVWizard has ran but the screen setup is not correct.

Are you running VGA, S-video, DVI or DVI/HDMI connection?

What kind of TV are you trying to connect to and what resolution?


Cheers.

[nxqd]

The MD5 sums all checked out for both the DVD and the CD images.

Last night I tried a couple new things with some better results; I plugged in an ATI PCI video cad and was able to then see the terminal commands needed during install, I was not able to install onto my SATA hard drive as it was not being seen by Ubuntu 7.10 (both Ubuntu LiveCD, Alternate and LinuxMCE 710, Ubuntu 8.04 was able to see it fine). I plugged in a old IDE drive and installed onto that for the time being.

Now I am trying to get the onboard Nvidia and NIC to work. I have ran through the instructions here:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers#NVidia_Chipsets

and installed the NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-173.14.09-pkg2.run file.

Now if I boot the LinuxMCE Box I get signal through the ATI PCI card, but not through the Nvidia card... I can still see my bios through Nvidia, but as soon as it gets to where it would show to Kubuntu Logo and boot screen my screen goes blank.

I have tested this on a 17" CRT (VGA) , a 19" Gateway LCD (DVI + VGA and DVItoVGA Adapter) and a 32" Vizio (HDMI + VGA) same results every time.

[pigdog]

Hi,

You are familiar with this? http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=3931.0

The system defaults to VGA port, if you are setup to DVI, S-Video, etc you need change your video output when the system "beeps" as per instructions.

I'm just trying to verify this part has been attempted - for troubleshooting.

Cheers.

[nxqd]

I'm a bit closer now...

So I have now got the Nvidia working and displaying the LinuxMCE Launch Manager, via both VGA and DVI (no HDMI yet), however it goes through the launch manager setup and never launches the orbiter. I have gone to the Video tab and asked it to reboot and start the AV Wizard again but it never comes up, it just sits at the Launch manager!

I have tried manually opening the AVWizard in terminal using sudo -s /user/pluto/bin/AVWizard_Run.sh however it returns back a error in line 72 and will not launch.

Any ideas?

[nxqd]

more info:

In the log it says
'Starting device 20 OnScreen Orbiter' then
'Timeout waiting for device registration'

as though its not loading the orbiter at all, or the AV Wizard... any ideas?

[pigdog]

Hi,

Have you tried to full regen the oribter thru the LMCE Launch Manager admin website?

         LinuxMCE Admin Website/Wizard/Devices/Orbiter

Or, don't know if it will help but you could try going to the dcerouter prompt, ( at LMCE Launch Manager screen <ctrl+alt> F1) log in and type:     sudo apt-get update

Maybe even try     apt-get -f install       or       sudo apt-get install pluto-orbiter

To return to Launch Manager <ctrl+alt>F7

My only other idea is to do a clean install.

[nxqd]

Ill give those commands a shot when I get home, I am trying not to do a full reinstall as I JUST got to this point. I really havent done anything extra to the install except for add the latest Nvidia drivers and reboot.

99% of these problems do not exist in Ubuntu 8.04 but happen a lot in Ubuntu 7.10 (better kernel and driver support), leading to my next question... when can we expect to see a newer lmce build?

[agentsmith]

Forgive me if I missed this, but after you installed the Nvidia driver have you tried to run the AVwizard again?
Maybe try this, if you can't get to the orbiter to tell it to reboot and run the AVwizard, go to a command prompt and run the following script.
/usr/pluto/bin/RebootWithAVWizard.sh
Good luck.

@gentSmith

[pigdog]

Hi,

I would only load the NVidia restricted drivers via the LMCE mechanism.

Once things are running then download the latest NVidia driver via X Window.

[nxqd]

Is there a command I should use to grab the 'linuxmce' nvidia drivers, other than the standard Linux compatible Nvidia drivers? It seems to load the Nvidia drives just fine, I can see the Launch Manager just fine, just never loads Pluto or AVWizard.

Ill try all your suggestions in the next 30 minutes and report back...

[pigdog]

Hi,

Did you look at this: http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers

Cheers.

[nxqd]

Now I am trying to get the onboard Nvidia and NIC to work. I have ran through the instructions here:
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers#NVidia_Chipsets

and installed the NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-173.14.09-pkg2.run file.

I've ran through these steps already, which got me to the current driver I am using. I have also ran the command /usr/bin/pluto/RebootWithAVWizard.sh, the computer rebooted but again started the Linux MCE Launch Manager and never starts the AVWizard or the Orbiter.

apt-get update and apt-get install pluto-orbiter all return saying I have the latest version.

I am beginning to think it may have to do with the log that says 'Timeout waiting for device registration' just after it says 'Starting device 20 OnScreen Orbiter'. The orbiter and AVWizard came up fine with the ATI card, since I installed Nvidia drivers neither has worked.

I am going to try another bare install, this time instead of the LinuxMCE 64DVD I will install from Ubuntu 7.10 then install Nvidia then install LinuxMCE from CD ISO

[nxqd]

OK, after a couple more days of messing with it I have got a lot closer. I ditched the DVD install and went for a Kubuntu installation then installed the Nvidia drivers THEN installed MCE via the CD packages. I have yet to actually go through the entire processes but it is looking a lot better. Chalk one more up for installing via CD over DVD!

One last side note, and I hate it when people ask me about release dates... but any idea of a release schedule for a 8.04 Kubuntu LinuxMCE? (Last time Ill ask, I promise)

Ill write up an entire installation walkthrough once I am sure its working as expected.

[pigdog]

Hi,

Glad to hear that things are going better.

There will not be a 8.04 release from what I understand.  8.10 will probably be the next release but don't expect that the latest LMCE version to match the 8.10 release date.  A lot of testing/interface will have to be done before a new LMCE is available.