Installing Kubuntu: The Beginning

I am overwriting the Debian install on my main machine, Pigling. I have concluded that I should keep a record of exactly what I do to the machine, in order to be able to see what happens if things go wrong. This blog/journal/thing seems a handy place to do it.

So far, I have:

1. Inserted the disk and booted the machine,
2. Chosen to do an overwrite install, with default partitioning,
3. Chosen a username, password and machinename.

Now it is installing. Let's see what happens ...

Installing Kubuntu: the first thing goes wrong.

Chug chug chug, Pigling went, installing.

"Installation complete!" he declares, "You must now restart the computer! Click restart!"

I clicked restart.

Chug chug chug. DVD drawer opens. Quoth the screen: "Remove the media from the tray, close the tray (if appropriate), and press enter."

I remove the DVD, close the tray, and press enter.

Chug chug chug. Black screen. Flashing cursor at top left. Sit. Sit a bit longer. Wait. Wait more. Nothing happens.

Turn off using On switch. Turn back on.

Normal BIOS-offerings and HD detection and all that jazz. And back to ... the black screen with the flashing cursor.

Repeat.

This time I'm going to wait 10 minutes - as timed by this entry - just in case I'm missing something obvious. Then I'll put the disc back in and reboot again.

(no subject)

Re-insert disk. Restart computer. This time, select "Try Kubuntu" instead of "Install" - clearly the overwriting has worked, as my data is all gone (yes, it's backed up onto this laptop - I hope!) but it doesn't look as if new user accounts had been created. On the other hand, now I think about it, I didn't check for that correctly before restarting the install process.

Installation restarted, as clean reinstall rather than an "alongside current operating system" option.

Let's see what happens this time ...

ETA: interesting first thing - last time it picked up that the keyboard was UK; this time it thinks it's American. Curiouser and curiouser ...

Username, etc., chosen, and off we go again ...

Installing Kubuntu: Attempt the Third?

Advice To Those Creating Operating Systems: don't have a screensaver of blackness kick in during install! I failed to realise that that was what had happened and took the disk out instead of trying moving the mouse ... Fortunately it doesn't seem to have stopped the install, but ...

Oh, maybe it did. Who can tell? Finished up at the screen that was identical to the one given when I did "try Kubuntu" - but as soon as I clicked, it black-screened and unresponsive.

Rebooting without the disk in gets back to the "flashing cursor", so back to the drawing board, try again, this time without removing disk mid-install.

(no subject)

Next thing to cunningly try, actually - there are two HDs in here. I was assuming I was installing Kubuntu on the one that is first in the BIOS ... Trying booting from the one that's slaved, just in case.

That didn't work. So. This time, try making sure I install to the master SATA drive? (Which, for reference, I hope to be able to identify as the "not maxtor labelled one".)

Le sigh, this does not appear to be the problem; it's already installing itself on the right drive. I think. However. I took the disk out mid-install last time, so I'll try again. This time it's picked up the keyboard correctly again ...

If this doesn't work, has the same failure as last time, I shall try a fourth attempt with the "don't install the closed source stuff" and "don't download stuff from the internet" version, just in case it's that that's causing problems. It should at least be quicker. But what then, if not? Burn an Ubuntu iso?

Chug, chug, chug. "Installation complete; you need to restart." Restarting. DVD tray opens; "remove media and press enter". Media removed, enter pressed. Boot process begins.

And .... back at the frigging black screen with cursor flashing at top left!!!

Gaaaaaah!!

Installing Ubuntu: Netboot

So. On reflection, what difference can asking it not to download stuff make? Very little.

It was clear, if I booted to the LiveCD version, that /home/flopsie/ had been created as appropriate. Manifestly, there was a problem with the bootloader not being installed, not with the install itself.

So, following a recommendation, I'm installing Ubuntu using the net-boot-thingummy.

I've chosen the GUI expert install options.

I've told it I'm in the UK, with no additional locales.

I've set up the correct keyboard.

I've told it I'm happy having the usb-storage module installed.

I'm not specifying a PCMCIA hardware option.

The network can configure via DHCP. I bloody hope, anyway.

The hostname is pigling.

I'm a bit perturbed by its asking for a domain name. I wonder if it's going to sulk when I leave it blank.

I've asked it to use http, and a mirror in the UK.

No http proxy should be necessary.

Now it's downloading installer components, with nothing additional selected because it doesn't look as if I need them.

The timezone is set correctly.

It has scanned for disks, and is now setting up partitioning ... this could be where it gets hairy.

Having established that the larger disk is sdb, I've asked it to resize that and use the freed space.

I've written changes and am moving on to partition sizes. It tells me what min (10.2GB) and max (484.8GB) are permitted, but not what's a good idea. I wonder what I should do ... Arbitrarily using 247.5GB.

Requesting seperate /home, /usr, /var, and /tmp partitions.

It is now formatting the partitions.

Now it's installing the base system. This appears to be a slow process.

In fact, it's so slow I'm afraid of losing this post, so I'm going to post it.

Installing Ubuntu: Continued

So, now I have to choose a kernel.

Choosing linux-general-pae.

Choosing the targeted initrd.

Shadow passwords enabled.

Login as rout disallowed.

User created.

No encryption of home directory. (Want to be able to use winSCP from this laptop; assume that would be hard if encrypted.)

Yes, I want to use restricted software.

Yes, I want access to "universe" components.

Yes, I want access to "multiverse" packages.

Yes, I want access to backported software.

Yes, I want security, partner and extra services. (I think.)

I'll manage upgrades myself. (Asking for trouble?)

I'm installing no additional software at this point; just want a working system with a working package manager.

Then I paused for a two-hour chat with my mother.

I've asked it to install Grub. This, it's thinking about ... I hope it isn't dismayed by the long pause. Ah, there it goes.

And yes, it may install itself on (from? Now I can't remember exactly what it said) the master boot record.

Finish the Installation, it says.

Is the system time set to UTC? Haven't got a clue, dear machine! I'll assume so!

Time to reboot - and to post this post. Watch this space!

Installation Continues ...

Well. That didn't work. As in, it reverted to the "black screen with flashing cursor". Tried removing all USB cables, just in case it was getting confused. No joy.

Grub is clearly broken somehow. Again.

I've re-run the Ubuntu installer in Rescue Mode and am about to try reinstall Grub, as soon as I've worked out where I'm meant to put it.

Trying /dev/sdb.

Appears to work. Rebooting system.

Appears to have successfully booted Kubuntu.

That's ... not the operating system I was expecting. I am disinclined to complain ...

Configuring Kubuntu

So. After five hours - seven, but that included two talking to my mother - I had a Kubuntu install that booted. Woot!

Time to add software!

Install XChat. Start using it. System crashes. As in, GUI stays as is, mouse moves, clicking doesn't do anything, anywhere, and ctrl-alt-f1 doesn't bring up a VT. Nothing except the power button does anything.

Reboot.

Install GIMP, Firefox, Pidgin. At some point, it crashes again, in the same way.

Reboot. Establish that a VT is accessible in the normal way when not crashed.

Start configuring Kopete and trying to get XChat to beep when it's meant to, etc. Another, identical, crash. Definitely, VTs not accessible at this point.

Reboot. No sign of errors in /var/log/Xorg.0.log or ~/.xsession-errors.

Check the IP, so I can try from here to see if it pings, if it happens again.

Look in Additional Drivers. Activate a current version NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver.

Establish that Kopete is horrible, and keeps giving Mike multiple messages; revert to Pidgin.

Faff a bit more. Another crash.

It pings, but I can't ssh into it. Reboot, therefore.

This is ... a long way from funny. XChat's been running each time this has happened ... possibly also Firefox.

Upon recommendation, I've checked which kernel I'm using. 2.6.35-28-generic-pae - the latest long-term stable. So that probably shouldn't be it ...

Perhaps I should install and/or start running an sshd thing so I can try sshing in again? If it's an X problem, which seems likely, it might be possible to tell.

I'll do that when I've finished downloading and installling all the necessaries for KPhotoAlbum and LaTeX, which are currently in progress.

Time to post this entry, as it's been ages.