Installing Ubuntu

In suggestion of my coleague and friend JaviScript (or JJ), I write this article about my problems with the Ubuntu installation.

First problem is that it stop at the graphic LiveCD enviroment start. The solution was boot without the Power Management services:

apm=off acpi=off mce=off

The next problem: this action deactivate some process for BIOS automatic detection, like de Serial ATA devices detection, where I went to install my Ubuntu system. Th esolution: Installing in Text Mode with the Ubuntu Alternate CD.

Th einstallation was exceptional, quick and clean. It is based on the father distro of Ubuntu: Debian.

But initiallizing the graphic enviroment, once installed, the graphics got blocked another time.

At this time, the solution was: delete from the boot some services (vbesave y powernowd). To make this, boot the system with “Recovery Mode” GRUB option, and type the following commands:

cd /etc/rc2.d

The reason for this directory is that the Ubuntu system initialize in level 2 (you can see this with runlevel command, or directly in de file /etc/event.d/rc-default).

Deactivate theese ugly services, keeping the symbolic links:

ln -s /etc/init.d/vbesave K05vbesave
ln -s /etc/init.d/powernowd.early K10powernowd.early

Delete the liks which activate the services at the boot:

rm S05vbesave
rm S10powernowd.early

Referencing the link http://www.ubuntu-es.org/index.php?q=node/43592, Theese services are:

  1. powernowd is a daeon which controls the cpu frequency according to the working level.
  2. vbesave (Saves VESA state) used qhen the computer is suspended or hibernated.

Then the diagnosis is that my motherboard (Gyga-Byte GA-K8NS) does not run well. I think the BIOS is not correctly programmed to manage the Power Management facilities of the operating system.

Another note: in Windows XP I never could to hibernate correctly.

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