Ubuntu (14.10 and 15.04) Gnome refuse to install

[OneCatFamily]

Hi guys,

Strange things started happening today when I tried to install various Ubuntu versions (all with the Gnome environment, but I think that's incidental): after starting the VM, I get the usual video memory calibration failing, then an implication that the chipset isn't optimal (PIIX4 required, PIIX3 installed), etc...

But right after that, the screen turns black, and nothing happens. No blinking cursor, no progress bar or blinking dots, nothing.

Installing the exact same distros with the exact same settings in terms of RAM and disk space in VMware Player will lead to a full install, albeit a faulty one, because they (VMware) still don't know how to make a laptop Touchpad work in their VMs.

Long story short, I'm stuck here: either I install on VMware, but can't scroll in Web pages, menus, documents, etc... Or I can't install on VirtualBox at all.

I reinstalled VB from scratch, deleted all the files and folders I could find on my hard drive, that could contain preferences and settings, but it's still not working. Extensions have been installed anew, too.

The only reason I can think of is I installed elementary OS (based on Ubuntu Precise P.) earlier, and got rid of it because it was unusable (too slow, unstable). Do you think that could have caused a setting in VB to be altered?

[loukingjr]

Hi guys,

But right after that, the screen turns black, and nothing happens. No blinking cursor, no progress bar or blinking dots, nothing.

Once you get to the black screen, press Host+F1 then Host+F7. Should take you to the install screen. Host Key=right Control Key

[OneCatFamily]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply! Host-F1 did take me to a prompt, where I typed "startx", to no avail so far, although the virtual DVD drive icon at the bottom show read activity.

Host-F7 doesn't do anything at all, except resize the VM window. I've still got an empty, black screen, to play with...

I should add that I've installed a dev-build on top of the stable one, just to see if it would change things or not. I haven't found the extension file for that build, so there may be a conflict between the dev-build core and the old, 4.3.18.x extensions...

EDIT: pressing Host-F1 again shows a bunch of error messages with the "xkbcomp" module, and install seems stuck.

[loukingjr]

you weren't supposed to type "startx", just press Host+F7. That works on my Mac and Linux hosts. I don't have a Windows host so I don't know if it works on those.

[OneCatFamily]

Hi again,

Sorry, but again, Host-F1 only brings me to a prompt, and if I let it sit that way, it can outlast me by a whole lifetime: nothing happens at all, the cursor's just blinking and blinking.

Host-F7 only resizes the original window, nothing more.

When I press Host-F1 and type "sudo startx", then press Enter, I see some lines of code very briefly, then it's back to the black screen. Pressing Host-F1 again doesn't change anything.

For what it's worth, here's how it looks:

Ubuntu 15.png (13.21 KiB) Viewed 12053 times

Right this minute, I'm installing Debian 7.6.0 without any trouble. Go figure...

[loukingjr]

once you get to the prompt is when you are supposed to press Host+F7. You have to restart the guest, press Host+F1, (which takes you to the prompt), then Host+F7.

Not sure why it's not working for you. As I mentioned it works on both my Mac and Linux hosts.
first start...

start.png (1.42 KiB) Viewed 12042 times

after Host+F1

F1.png (3.02 KiB) Viewed 12042 times

after Host+F7

[OneCatFamily]

OK, I discovered something strange: if I store the ISOs of the distros I want to install on a NAS on my home network, they do install (Ubuntu 15.04 is installing as we speak), but if I store them in a folder (any folder) on my PC, nada...

I don't know what to make of that. Maybe a preference sticking somewhere, but that's OK, I can live with that.

Another strange thing: the VB interface/library opens twice when I run it. I only double-click on the Desktop icon once, though (I mean, I do double-click, but I don't double-double-click).

I may have to reinstall VB from scratch, but getting rid of all the preferences files and stuff is a real pain. Plus, Revo only finds the programs that sit in Program Files, not in Program Files (x86), so it's all "a la mano"...

[OneCatFamily]

I may have rejoiced a tad too soon... The Ubuntu ISO I was trying to install started to hang too, still at the same prompt. There seems to be package or service missing in the ISO that prevents VB from loading it in memory, but the sad truth is, it doesn't happen in VMware Player.

If only those guys knew how to make a Touchpad work in the VMs, I'd switch in a heartbeat...

Needless to say, I'm at my wits' end here. Any ideas?

[OneCatFamily]

once you get to the prompt is when you are supposed to press Host+F7. You have to restart the guest, press Host+F1, (which takes you to the prompt), then Host+F7.

Not sure why it's not working for you. As I mentioned it works on both my Mac and Linux hosts.
first start...

after Host+F1

after Host+F7

OK, I'm going to try that one more time. I wonder, how long does it take for the install GUI to appear on your machines? I dedicated 2Gb of RAM to this VM. Maybe that's not enough?

Oh, and I have another question: what's that progress bar that remains stuck at 55% for at least a minute when I enter the System parameters in the VB GUI?

[Perryg]

I would like to see the guests log file after you try to install and it hangs. Post as an attachment.

[OneCatFamily]

Yeah, well, no go. I briefly saw a message stating that the install was trying to revert to network install, hence the impression I got at first that installing ISOs from my NAS would be the solution.

I'm installing elementary OS again, but it's based on Precise, not Utopic or Vivid, so maybe something's changed in the boot files themselves.

[loukingjr]

OK, I'm going to try that one more time. I wonder, how long does it take for the install GUI to appear on your machines? I dedicated 2Gb of RAM to this VM. Maybe that's not enough?

If you mean the Ubuntu install screen it takes less than a second after I press Host+F7. 2GB is plenty for an Ubuntu guest.

Oh, and I have another question: what's that progress bar that remains stuck at 55% for at least a minute when I enter the System parameters in the VB GUI?

No idea what progress bar you mean. Can you attach a screenshot?

[OneCatFamily]

OK, I'm going to try that one more time. I wonder, how long does it take for the install GUI to appear on your machines? I dedicated 2Gb of RAM to this VM. Maybe that's not enough?

If you mean the Ubuntu install screen it takes less than a second after I press Host+F7. 2GB is plenty for an Ubuntu guest.

Oh, and I have another question: what's that progress bar that remains stuck at 55% for at least a minute when I enter the System parameters in the VB GUI?

No idea what progress bar you mean. Can you attach a screenshot?

Hi,

I tried to add a screenshot to my previous post, regarding the progress bar, but found I couldn't upload it, whereas I could for the first one (the one taken from the VM install screen). That's OK, because the progress bar finally disappeared, and I suppose it was about saving my preferences.

I'm a bit worried when you say it takes you a second or two to make the install screen appear after you press Host-F7, because in my case, it just doesn't show at all, no matter how long I wait. The VM window is resized, but when/if I press Host-F1 again, I get back to the prompt.

I'm probably missing something, but what really irks me is that I can install a distro based on an older version of Ubuntu, but I can't install more recent versions!

Thing is, on my 2006 MacBook Pro, with only 1Gb of RAM devoted to it, the Vivid VM installs like a charm (no pun intended)...

[loukingjr]

I tried to add a screenshot to my previous post, regarding the progress bar, but found I couldn't upload it, whereas I could for the first one (the one taken from the VM install screen). That's OK, because the progress bar finally disappeared, and I suppose it was about saving my preferences.

I'm a bit worried when you say it takes you a second or two to make the install screen appear after you press Host-F7, because in my case, it just doesn't show at all, no matter how long I wait. The VM window is resized, but when/if I press Host-F1 again, I get back to the prompt.

I'm probably missing something, but what really irks me is that I can install a distro based on an older version of Ubuntu, but I can't install more recent versions!

Thing is, on my 2006 MacBook Pro, with only 1Gb of RAM devoted to it, the Vivid VM installs like a charm (no pun intended)...

Screenshots have to be <128k to post. So you might have to resize it.
As many times as I've mentioned it you still haven't said what host you are running and which OS that you are having trouble with. Might be useful.

[OneCatFamily]

Hi,

Yeah, you're right, I forgot to mention that: host is Windows 8.1 Update (64-bit, no HyperThreading, unfortunately), 6Gb of RAM, a P6100 CPU, and plenty of disk space.


Guests are, well, you know, they aren't much right now...

I'm still trying to install Vivid Vervet (Ubuntu 15.04, that is) 32-bit, and it's installing (again...) on VB on my Mac right now. I'm hoping to export the VM someway, and run it from VB on Windows.

Any tips & tricks about that?