BleepingComputer.com: Linux Distros Will Not Install

Greetings!

For the past two weeks I have been attempting to install one of the Linux distros on my computer. I have gone through Ubuntu 7-10, with alternate cds, Debian, and now OpenSUSE, all to no avail. If I do get a screen after the installation is selected, I get a blinking cursor on a black screen or at most a run through some of the files opening, ending at being stuck on isapnp or there will be a kernel error pid1 comm swapper tainted message.

I thought something must have been completely fried, but I can run PartedMagic and surf the internet via the preloaded Firefox and everything seems to run. The HD has been reformatted, so I have a blank slate and at the beginning of this Windows would not even run the recovery disks which is why I decided it was time to leave MS for Linux.

I have tried the apic=off/nolapic/noapic settings to no avail, and at this point I am unsure what to even do. The linux kernel does load at the beginning, and after just attempting another install I got an EDD message before it went blank again.

Any help would be appreciated and thanks in advance for at least taking the time to check this over.

Have you tried using a more up-to-date version of Ubuntu? 7.10 is nearly three years old.

Andrew, my apologies, and thanks for the reply. I meant to say from Ubuntu 7 all the way up to the current 10.

The computer is an Acer x1700, 64-bit system. I have tried the 64-bit build as well as the 32-bit. Needless to say, I have about 20 different .iso discs sitting on top of my tower right now that I have attempted using.

Just for the heck of it, have you tried checking your ram with MemTest86?

I've seen Linux do some pretty wierd things when the ram hasn't been up to snuff.

I.hate.doze, on Aug 17 2010, 12:29 AM, said:

When I tested it with the Linux programs, the Memtest would fail. However, I took the memory out, inserted it in another computer that took the same memory and was able to dual boot Ubuntu and Debian. *puzzled*

I'm typing out the error codes in full while looking at my monitor, ahead of time, if it is any help, it ends in child_rip+0xa/0x20 after a kernel panic that isn't syncing.

niteboy - the child_rip is the tail end of the thread. RIP as in Rest In Peace, get it? The answer you need will be in the information leading up to this point.

When you say you tried memtest86, were you booting the system using a dedicated memtest86 boot disk that you downloaded and burned?

Is your system crashing while booting a live cd or install disk?

If it's any help, a sync error prior to a kernel panic usually indicates an init error when trying to mount a root file system.

This post has been edited by I.hate.doze: 17 August 2010 - 04:19 AM

RIP, I should have known it was rest in peace.

I will d/l memtest in the morning and run it on its own. I've been running it off the Ubuntu/Debian/OpenSuSe disk and that's when the memtest was failing.

As far as the live vs install cd. Both options are crashing me. Thanks for the response and I'll get the response back to you on the memtest in the morning.

Ran Memtest86, everything came out kosher. Still getting freezes every time I try to install.

As I'm indifferent to the two, is OpenSuSe or Ubuntu a preferable choice as far as simplicity to get installed? I'm trying to mainly run OpenSuse since it seems I get a tad further, but am open to suggestions.

the killer seems to be a fatal exception in the interrupt. pid:1 comm: init tainted g d 2.6.31.5-0.1-default #1

ending in 0x7f928e57b938 before a freeze

this is with nothing but "nosplash" so I can read the errors.

I'm thinking the CD drive is faulty; try swapping it out.

I had this happen on a Sony VIAO Machine, and it turned out to be a proprietary motherboard. It was only designed to run Windows XP and no other OS would install on it.

OP,
how much ram do you have (i don't see any mention)?

i had similar problems with several different computers. after adding ram, installing goes so much better.

i find that lighter, smaller os's are a better idea if you have less ram.