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I am trying to install Ubuntu 15.10 on a Dell Precision M6800 notebook. I am not having any success.

I downloaded the iso and burned it to a DVD. When I boot from the DVD there is a message that flashes very quickly that I cannot see what it is because it flashes so fast. I am then presented with the GRUB screen and installation options.

I once got some success by selecting "Try Ubuntu without installing" but when the desktop is displayed the computer hangs and requires a hard reset. The result is also not consistent as sometimes the process just hangs on the purple Ubuntu install screen where the dots are highlighted during install.

When I select "Install Ubuntu" there is a quick flash of the following messages:

6. 159825] mmc0: Unknown controller version (3). You may experience problems
7. 133570] usb 3-1.6: device descriptor read/64, error -32
9. 069387] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] wait for idle timeout

The Ubuntu install screen then comes up with the word Ubuntu in the middle and the 5 dots highlighted below that. The process stops after this and does not go any further.

I would appreciate assistance with getting the installation done. I have some knowledge about Ubuntu but I am not an advanced user. I got Ubuntu installations right on other systems but not on this one.

My system specs are:

Dell Precision M6800
Intel Core i7-4940MX CPU @ 3.10GHz
32GB memory
Dell ControlVault w/Fingerprint Touch Sensor
Samsung SSD SM841N mSATA 512GB (primary HDD)
2 x ST1000LM014-1EJ164 HDD drives (secondary drives)
Intel HD Graphics 4600
Nvidia Quadro K5100M
BayHubTech/O2Micro Integrated MMC/SD controller
Intel Chipset SATA RAID Controller
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  • @Dooley_labs That doesn't do anything in the 5 dots, and in the boot screen it only shows up GRUB.
    – Star OS
    Nov 23, 2015 at 17:19

1 Answer 1

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I had the same problem: Dell M6800, nvidia graphics, and 512 GB SSD, but 16GB RAM, and no extra hard disks.

I have tried booting ubuntu 14.04.03 and kubuntu 15.10. I have found that if I use CTRL-ALT-F1 to switch to the text console at the right moment, the system will survive for however long. As soon as I let it get to Gnome or KDE desktop, the system hangs.

Once I managed to switch back to text console, and the console was displaying error messages about CPU stalls.

What helped was this: When you boot from the CD (or USB key, same procedure), first press shift to interrupt the automatic boot.

You get asked to choose language, then you are at the screen where you can choose "try without installing", "install", etc.

Use arrow keys to move to "try without installing", press F6, you get a list of kernel options.

Press escape, this closes the list, but now you have the boot line listed.

Move to the end of the line, erase the "quiet splash --" part.

Add the words "nomodeset nouveau.noaccel=1".

Press enter, and the system should now boot and the GUI will work.

Note that you will need to go into settings->Software & updates -> Additional drivers and enable the broadcom driver to get the wireless working.

You will need to use the proprietary Nvidia driver to get accelerated graphics. Nouveau opensource driver causes CPU stall when it is accelerated. If you insist on using the opensource driver, you will have to permanently use noaccel=1, and I assume that will slow everything down.

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