Ubuntu 7.10 fails to install on ThinkPad T61p

[MountainX]

Attempting to install Ubuntu 7.10 on a ThinkPad T61p

Machine specs:
6459CTO THINKPAD T61 WIDESCREEN-1Y
INTEL CORE 2 DUO
15.4 WUXGA TFT
NVIDIAQUAD FX 570M W/WWAN

Live CD fails to install even in safe graphics mode. Setting kernel options such as "noapic nolapic acpi=off" doesn't help.

Alternate CD (text install) installs Ubuntu on HDD, but even after using tips here:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Install_Ubuntu_Gutsy_Gibbon_on_a_T61p and here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=4147414#post4147414
I am unable to get a working GUI, even with vesa drivers.

When booting up I get a blank screen. Ctrl-Alt-F1 or Ctrl-Alt-Backspace and other keys I have tried do not do anything.

I have previously had very bad experiences trying unsuccessfully to install Ubuntu 7.10 on 4 different computers. I thought the ThinkPad T61p would be better. So far it isn't. I have only had success installing Ubuntu in VMWare so far.

PC-BSD installs on my ThinkPad T61p without any trouble (using vesa driver). I sure would like to get Ubuntu working with a GUI.

[zpon (zpon-dk)]

I have a T61 (nvidia 140M), and I also get a black screen when booting the live cd, but after a _long_ wait I finally get the live desktop, and can install. The problem with black screen during boot is also present after installation of ubuntu, the first thing i see (after grub) is the nvidia logo. More on the matter here http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Talk:Installing_Ubuntu_7.10_%28Gutsy_Gibbon%29_on_a_ThinkPad_T61#Black_screen_at_boot

[MountainX (dave-mountain)]

I finally got Ubuntu to install on my Thinkpad T61p -- but only using the Alternate CD. I have read about the long wait, but no one seems to say exactly how long is long. Several times I waited over two hours for the black screen to go away and it never did. The text-based install is so quick and easy that this is all I use now.

Now that I have the issues figured out, I can install Ubuntu from the Alternate CD on my ThinkPad T61p very easily. I updated the wiki here with comments based on my experiences:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Install_Ubuntu_Gutsy_Gibbon_on_a_T61p

[unggnu (unggnu)]

Have you checked your CD for errors?

[MountainX (dave-mountain)]

The CD has been checked. It is error-free.

On 2/2/08, unggnu <email address hidden> wrote:
> Have you checked your CD for errors?
>
> ** Changed in: ubuntu
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
> ** Changed in: xserver-xorg-video-nv (Ubuntu)
> Sourcepackagename: None => xserver-xorg-video-nv
>
> --
> Ubuntu 7.10 fails to install on ThinkPad T61p
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/183582
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Christopher (cantormath)]

if you use a separate monitor with the T61p and ubuntu, it will install and then after reboot, things will work fine....

[reliable-robin-22 (nicolasdiogo)]

i have installed gutsy on my t61p without a problem.
but i have used the alternate CD and after reboot i have alterned the xorg.conf by:
going into a new console <CTRL>+<ALT>+F2 login into the system then
nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf and changing the default driver from vesa to nv.

later from gnome i installed nvidia proprietary.

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

You didn't mention if you were using the 64bit version, but since the symptoms would suggest so I'll mark this as a dupe of another bug that is now fixed.