Can't boot ubuntu on laptop

I just recently bought a Toshiba L505-ES5033 and can not get ubuntu (or fedora 12 32 or 64) to boot from the live cd, or install. I can get to the initial menu that asks me if I want to try without changes and all that but from that point nothing really. If I choose any options other than the help option it runs through some scripts and gives me an error. The error refuses to stay on the screen despite my constant demands that it does; all I THINK I can make out is MIRR… configuration error. Fedora tells me something entirely different. After this error it goes to a faded black screen and I can hear my HDD making angry sounds. Through google I've found that it's possibly an incompatibility issue with acpi, but from what I've gathered I need to install GRUB for that to happen. The computer is equipped only with Windows 7 at the moment, and the only way I've found to install it through windows is with GRUB4DOS which refuses to work properly.

I found a copy of Ubuntu that is a text based install. It worked on my laptop, and it was the only way I could get it to work. The gui install just kept freezing. But try the text install. Its found on the website.

It seems that you're suggesting the alternate cd? I'm not sure if that's exactly what you mean, but the alternate cd fixed the problem. I really have to stop asking for help until I'm 100% it's not going to be solved before hand.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/472183 also http://wubi-installer.org/ might help.

I'm not really interested in Wubi, I've already checked it out. I don't want to be forced to leave my windows filesystem intact. The problem has been resolved though.

Just a note: Wubi installs do not need to depend on your Microsoft installation. They can be transfered to a actual full install, although it takes a bit more work than just doing a normal installation of ubuntu.

That's good to know. It seems that I have NOT resolved this issue. I have fully installed ubuntu 9.10 but it wont boot. It just goes dead screen after I select that partition. It tries to boot but something is stopping it. It seems like it would be a hardware issue at this point? Graphics, or something laptop specific? The graphics card SHOULD be capable of running it. I've heard some talk of acpi being turned off and will try this I suppose.

By the way, Toshiba tech support is bad. Don't call them. Ever.

Actually moshbat that does absolutely nothing, so I'm not sure where that was going. If I remove quiet from the kernel parameters it will show me an error message similar to "MTRR Allocation Failed". I've tried appending multiple MTRR related kernel parameter without any change so far. I'd have to say that you're probably right. It's a bit of a shame though, so far neither Ubuntu or Fedora have worked.

Can you post your grub.conf? Also, have you tried booting into a non-GUI session? (rescue mode, or whatever the hell ubuntu calls it)

I'll have those Fedora errors up in just a bit. I'm trying knoppix 6.2 to see if I can get anywhere. I cannot enter the recover mode, I'm not sure why. I'm also not sure if it's graphical as I have never had to use it.

Edit 1: The Knoppix idea wasted a dvd. :(

Sqwertle wrote: I just recently bought a Toshiba L505-ES5033 and can not get ubuntu (or fedora 12 32 or 64) to boot from the live cd, or install. I can get to the initial menu that asks me if I want to try without changes and all that but from that point nothing really. If I choose any options other than the help option it runs through some scripts and gives me an error. The error refuses to stay on the screen despite my constant demands that it does; all I THINK I can make out is MIRR… configuration error. Fedora tells me something entirely different. After this error it goes to a faded black screen and I can hear my HDD making angry sounds. Through google I've found that it's possibly an incompatibility issue with acpi, but from what I've gathered I need to install GRUB for that to happen. ACPID is one cause of hardware issues in Toshiba laptops (of the L505 family) running Ubuntu. In those cases, putting "acpi=off" as a boot option fixed it for a lot of people. While that might help you with something that you're doing, I have no reason to believe that your issue has to do with ACPID.

You're having problems with video after you choose a boot choice. Your laptop specs are here, which tells me that you have an Intel HD Graphics card. The bug report mention, at https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-x/2010-February/000737.html, tells me that your graphics card is at least partially supported in kernel versions 2.6.32 and up. Ubuntu 9.10 uses kernel version 2.6.31 by default.

Solution? You follow the instructions at http://www.linwik.com/wiki/using+the+intel+arrandale+intel+graphics+media+accelerator+hd+with+ubuntu+9.10 to upgrade your kernel to .32 (or higher) and get Xorg to play nice with your laptop.

Excerpt from the instructions link (which sounds like your issue):

When you try to install Ubuntu 9.10 using the Live CD you will likely get a blank screen. In this case you will need to boot with Safe graphics mode activated. To do this on the Live CD's boot menu press F4 and select Safe graphics mode.

Edit: Fixed url tags.

Ah, so that's what it's called. Safe graphics mode. I knew that >.>

The acpi turned out to be an issue but with the 10.04 Lucid Lynx ALPHA release (using kernel 2.6.32) I have everything sailing smoothly at the moment and don't expect to encounter any problems from this point. Everyone, especially define, was a great help in fixing this.

Sqwertle wrote: The acpi turned out to be an issue but with the 10.04 Lucid Lynx ALPHA release (using kernel 2.6.32) I have everything sailing smoothly at the moment and don't expect to encounter any problems from this point. Everyone, especially define, was a great help in fixing this.

Did you read the link I sent you. the second line in said I can only boot with acpi=off.

I most definitely did see, and use it. As I said it was an issue, but that was directed at MoshBat(?i think he said) that he didn't think acpi was the problem. He was correct, but it was A problem. At this point I'm struggling with the wireless card and it's not being supported-ness.

I'm using a Realtek RTL8192SE Integrated wireless card. The problem has been taken care of at this point. For some reason it refused to accept that my network was valid until I did a factory reset on the router. If you want I can post the error logs.

Probably just weren't broadcasting the SSID or were limiting the MACs that could connect.

MoshBat wrote: Or he has a Belkin router that just decides not to let you connect until you restart it. Only a moron would buy a Belkin.

It's not a Belkin >.>