Note: This is work in progress. It aims to provide quick answers to common problems from the forums and irc chats. Hopefully it can be a useful reference, an one included in the main docs. It could become CommonProblemsGuideSpec. |
Getting Ubuntu CDs
There are several ways to get Ubuntu install CDs.
Downloading CD images can be found at http://www.ubuntulinux.org/download/ If you have broadband this is a quick option.
ShipIt CDs Get free CDs sent to you https://shipit.ubuntu.com/ These are free official CDs, they can take a while to arrive.
Buy CDs Search the web for "cheap linux cds" May cost a few dollars per cd, usually quick to arrive.
You could also have a look at forum/GiveAway for people who are offering to send out ubuntu CDs
Burning the Install/Live CD
If you have downloaded the CD you will need to write it to a CD-R. Have a look at the BurningIsoHowto
The Install CD won't boot
Check that you burned the CD correctly, see the BurningIsoHowto
If you are using a PC check that your BIOS is set to boot from cd. Some older machines may not be able to boot from CD, these will need a boot floppy (see How To Make A GRUB Boot Floppy )
If you are using an Apple Mac, hold down the 'C' key
The download may have been corrupted, try checking the md5sum, or re-downloading. Note: can someone write a HowToMD5SUM
Disabling ACPI
Sometimes disabling acpi is needed for the install to work.
From the installer's boot prompt, enter
linux acpi=off
More disabling things to make stuff work
This page addresses more things like turning the acpi off.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BootOptions
In essence if it is a module it can be turned off, this is not always a good idea.
Hotplug Issues
Resolving problems with hotplug during install is discussed further here:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PaulsKludge
No monitor found-install stops
You will need to download the 'alternate' version iso and install in text mode. when it comes to configuring xserver-xorg options, you will need to know for your model:-
horizontal and vertical sync / display resolutions / hz it can run at
or some intes (intel) and ati cards require driver
eg Card: Sapphire ATI Radeon x800 GTO PCI-E
In a terminal type
sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx sudo aticonfig --initial sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv
fresh install has weird networking problems
From personal experience with Debian and ubuntu Breezy and Dapper it is advisable to disconnect any networking ethernet cables.
While this could be isolated cases, the effects experienced of ethernet cable on fresh install are
1)ati grapics card not configured and install either hangs or you get text login as xserver-xorg not configured.
2)can access web with browser, but synaptic claims it can't down load known working repositories.
3)packages that would normally be installed damaged or missing.
[BUG]By pinging google.com using network tools, suddenly synaptic and other aplications can access internet
teaker1s