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Firstly, I hope that I am posting in the right place for the right thing this time. Please don't hammer me too much if what I am asking is not appropriate for this forum.

I have created a USB boot drive with Ubuntu 14.04.01 on it. I'm trying to install it on a Zoostorm Desktop machine purchase November 2013 - Zoostorm Desktop PC, AMD Elite DC A4-5300 3.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, DVDRW, AMD HD 7480D, Windows 8.1.

Basically I can't install Ubuntu on it or run Ubuntu from a boot USB for more than a few seconds/minutes (yesterday it was minutes, today it is seconds). Here's the problems and what I have tried so far (I'm trying not to miss anything out just in case it gives anyone an idea):

  1. IMPORTANT: The new machine had been running Windows 8 without issue before I tried to install Ubuntu. There were never any problems when running Windows 8, hardware or otherwise.
  2. As a result of the following problems with Ubuntu installations yesterday the machine reboots during install have damaged the windows 8 partition beyond repair/recovery. I was hoping to make the machine dual boot.
  3. Although not an Ubuntu expert, I have set up lots of Ubuntu installations in the past (from about Ubuntu 6 - it was so long ago I'm not quite sure what the number was), mostly dual boots with windows but some just Ubuntu. I have set up and installed Ubuntu desktop machines, laptops and servers. I am used to having to work hard to get things like wireless drivers etc. working on laptops so I am familiar with difficult installations and setups.
  4. I have spent over 14 hours so far trying to get Ubuntu to install on this machine.
  5. I have tried the following using 2 different USB drives
  6. I have recreated the USB image on the USB drives several times.
  7. I have run "Check disk for defects".
  8. Yesterday I couldn't run Ubuntu from the USB ("Try Ubuntu without installation") for more than than a few minutes before the machine reboots itself.
  9. Today I only get to see the "Try Ubuntu" desktop for a few seconds before the machine reboots. When the machine reboots today I briefly get to see the number "92" in the bottom right hand corner for a few seconds then another number (too quick to see) then D7 (on a black screen, white text nothing else on the screen). I have no idea what this means or why I am seeing it. Following this auto reboot I find that when it gets to the Ubuntu boot menu again that the mouse and keyboard have stopped working (both are USB). I have to power the machine down and restart before they will work again.
  10. Yesterday I was able to boot to the "Try Ubuntu" desktop and start installation from there. However, after progressing down the Ubuntu install options the machine would eventually auto reboot at different places each time, sometimes when I was selecting install options, sometimes after Ubuntu had started installing/formatting.
  11. If I choose to install Ubuntu now from the boot menu I see the ubuntu logo briefly then the screen goes black and after several seconds the machine reboots itself
  12. I have tried with the Windows 8 part of the BIOS turned on and I have tried with all the Windows 8 boot features turned off (this includes turning off Fast Boot).
  13. I have tried 3 different hard drives.

Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions of what else I could try or what other information may help?

Thanks.

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  • Just tried 12.04.05. Running from live CD I see the same problem. Have played around with BIOS settings (Widows 8, Fast Boot etc). I can now get to a EFI shell but that hasn't helped.
    – MikeyBunny
    Oct 26, 2014 at 10:48
  • I just made a little progress. I plugged the HD (one of the 3 I have tried) to serial port 1 (was in 2). I can now get back to try ubuntu from live CD. I can then selection install, choose language, choose to install updates then about 30 seconds later the machine reboots again.
    – MikeyBunny
    Oct 26, 2014 at 10:59
  • Trying 14.04.01 again. Check disk for defects works fine.
    – MikeyBunny
    Oct 26, 2014 at 11:04
  • Trying the option to install ubuntu from Boot menu. Ubuntu logo appears, red/white dots cycle, get to see the choose language option for a few seconds, screen goes bland and eventually machine reboots with the number "92" in bottom right hand corner of a black screen.
    – MikeyBunny
    Oct 26, 2014 at 11:06

1 Answer 1

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I finally got Ubuntu to install on the Zoostorm by adding nomodeset to the Live USB boot menu options as follows:

  1. On the startup boot screen press e
  2. Find the line ending quiet splash and add nodemodeset just before it.
  3. Press F10 to boot (for me I have try before install selected before I pressed e)
  4. Choose install Ubuntu from the desktop. (This will probably also work if you choose install Ubuntu from the startup menu, but I haven't tried it).
  5. Wait for this install then choose "restart now". (NOTE: During the install my screen went black but pressing "any key" refreshed the screen - looks like a screen saver blank screen or something).
  6. The machine then restarted and I saw the Ubuntu loading logo. Shortly after this the machine rebooted again. Restart the machine by turning it on and off again and hold down shift to ensure that you see the grub boot menu.
  7. At the Ubuntu boot menu press e again and repeat steps 2. and 3.
  8. You should then boot in to your Ubuntu install.
  9. You will now need to permanently modify your kernel boot parameters (unless you are going to try and find the right video driver). To do this I installed Grub Customizer following these instructions. From Grub Customizer choose the "General settings" tab and enter "nomodeset" in the kernel parameters before "quiet splash". Then hit the "Save" button.
  10. Next reboot and check that you log in to Ubuntu without the machine rebooting itself.

    I got the above idea when looking at Ubuntu forums this post. According to this article:

    Adding the nomodeset parameter instructs the kernel to not load video drivers and use BIOS modes instead until X is loaded.

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