Can't Install Ubuntu 12.04 on New Machine

Question

I built a new system with the intent of using Ubuntu 12.04 as my primary OS, but I am unable to install it. Every time I boot, the splash screen with the options to try or install Ubuntu appears as it should. When I make a selection, regardless of which option I select, the system freezes. The above mentioned splash screen with my option highlighted remains on the screen and a hard reset is the only way out.

I am currently running Windows 8 RP without any major issues. I have been trying to install Ubuntu from a USB flash drive with little success. I do not have an optical drive and would really like to avoid having to use one.

I tried two flash drives (a 4GB Sandisk and a generic 2GB one from a eBay seller in Hong Kong). I've used both UFDs to successfully install various distributions of Linux in the past and the Sandisk to install Windows. I tried UNetbootin and the Windows command prompt to prepare the drives and I tried these methods with the 64-bit and 32-bit versions of both Ubuntu 12.04 and Ubuntu Studio 12.04. The result is always the same: a frozen screen shortly after boot.

The relevant specs on my system are listed below:

Intel i5-3570K Processor, MSI Z77A-G45 (Fintek F71889AD) Motherboard, Patriot G2 DDR3 1600 Ram (4GBx2), Intel 330 Series SSD 60GB, EVGA Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 SC

Answer 1

It sounds like a video problem, but lets start at the beginning with the download. The alternate iso will sometimes avoid some video problems, so try that if the below suggestions fail.

1) Did you md5sum check the downloaded iso? See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM Check the number against the listing in the link for your release listed at http://releases.ubuntu.com under the MD5SUMS link. 2) If using a CD, did you burn the CD as slowly as possible? See https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto 3) Did you select the media check before trying to install? https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/CDIntegrityCheck 4) Did you ever do a "memory check" (another live-media menu choice) on your PC?

Doing the above can save you a lot of time struggling with a bad install media.

When booting, at the first screen with the little person and keyboard icons, type return, then select your language. This may also skip some video problems.

At the Try/Install/Test menu screen, read the bottom line and under the kernel options (F6 I think), select nomodeset. This hopefully will let things run, like the memory test or the Try option.

If the Try option works, getting you to a desktop, then you can install from there, or select the "install" choice next time.

Still problems, try the alternate iso.