install fails on AMD64

[gratefulfrog]

I am very disappointed to report that the installation of the image:
warty-release-install-amd64.iso
has failed.

The image md5 is valid.
The installation procedure fails at:
"Unable to install the selected kernel, kernel pacakge 'linux-amd64-generic'.

I am installing on the following config:
AMD64 3000+ 939 min
ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard
Maxtor 160G sata disk, no raid,
ATI 9250 AGP graphics card, set to 4x in bios.

I install with full and clean partitioning.
Strangely, the LIVE warty 4.10 works *PERFECTLY* on the machine, much better than
does knoppix & fedora core 3.

I wanted to use Ubuntu since the live Cd worked so well.

I am an IT professional and more than happy to help out in the fixing of this defect.
let me know,
<email address hidden>

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

I meant AMD64 3000+ 939 pin not 'min'

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

Created an attachment (id=1097)
installation logs

I have tried again, with a new CD, but it fails the same. The media check also
fails saying that the packages file is corrupt?

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

The CD image itself checks out fine; this seems like it must be a problem with
the media. Try burning at a lower speed, or with a different batch of media.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

I appreciate your quick reply but am sorry to say that after your reply, I have validated the
checksums on the CD and they are correct, according to the md5sum.txt file int he root
directory of the install disk. Thus, the problem is *NOT* the media, it is the content of
the amd64 installation image which is broken.

May I ask if anyone has managed to install the 64 bit version?

Do you think the 32 bit version would install?
Thanks,
GratefulFrog

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

As explained in response to the private mail you sent me, the problem is not
with the ISO image. In fact, you showed yourself that this was not the case, by
reading the file off of it.

I suggested burning at a lower speed and trying a different batch of media.
Have you tried either of these suggestions?

Another possibility would be that there is a problem with the CD-ROM driver, but
please try the above tests first, to narrow the possibilities.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

I have tried both your suggestions:
- I downloaded 2 other images, which I checked against their md5's.
- I burned them at slow speeds, and tried to install.
- Again the install failed in exactly the same way.
- the install disk media check gives exactly the same error.

As I said on the ubuntu-users mailing list, maybe there is some trick to getting by the media
check, as with Fedora core 3, there is an option:
> linux mediacheck nocddma
Could this have something to do with it?

For info, I am reading the CD on a NEC ND3500 DVD re-writer drive.

I am sorry for my ignorance, but I am ver willing to try to help to make this work for
everyone! I like the Ubuntu live-cd!

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

(In reply to comment #6)
> I have tried both your suggestions:
> - I downloaded 2 other images, which I checked against their md5's.

What other images did you download? There is only one official Ubuntu 4.10
amd64 ISO, found here:

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/4.10/release/

> - I burned them at slow speeds, and tried to install.
> - Again the install failed in exactly the same way.

The next thing I would try would be to switch to console #2 (ctrl+alt+f2) during
the installation process (after the CD-ROM drive has been detected) and try:

hdparm /dev/cdroms/cdrom0

See whether the using_dma flag is set. If it is, try:

hdparm -d1 /dev/cdroms/cdrom0

and continue with the installation on console #1; see if that makes a
difference. If the flag is not set, please try to get the output from 'dmesg'
and attach it to this bug.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

Created an attachment (id=1141)
dmesg output during failed boot, using_dma = 0

This file was requested if the using_dma flag from the hdparm
/dev/cdroms/cdrom0 was set to 0, which it was.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

indeed, the console-2 offers more possiblities! But how do I copy to floppy
(sorry for the newbi question)? ;)

I ran the command:
# hdparm /dev/cdroms/cdrom0
and saw that use_dma is off
but that both
HDIO_GET_MULTICOUNT and HD_IO_GETGEO failed.

I have attached the output of dmesg as requested and remain devoted to
installing this OS!

Also, I am going to try a netinstall using the mini.iso image...
Ciao!

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

For info, the netinstall from the mini.iso image also failed with the message that no volumes
could be found, even though the had disk partitioning was ok.

Cheers!

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

Hello!

I am getting desperate for a way to install Ubuntu... As said below, I can run
the Ubuntu live CD pretty well. In fact I am typing this through that very OS.

I hesitate before re-installing the fedora core 3, which is 64 bit and at least
it installs...

I would be very happy to help debug this problem and help the general community.
Just let me know.
JH

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

You might like to try one of the beta Hoary CDs, available here:

  http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/hoary/array-3/hoary-install-amd64.iso

Shortly after Warty released, we re-fixed the kernel not to attempt DMA on
CD-ROM drives; this may well fix your bug.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

(In reply to comment #12)
> You might like to try one of the beta Hoary CDs, available here:
> http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/hoary/array-3/hoary-install-amd64.iso

Thanks for your help. I have installed from the image above, and indeed this gets
by the md5 problem. The install completes and the Cd is ejected!

Then, just when I was about to open the champagne, I see the screen go blank, and
just one word appears:
 GRUB _

The cursor flashes at the point where the underscore is and that's all. There seems
to be no way to get beyond this point.

This is progress, I feel we're getting close; (previous to your update I had spent
2 hours installing another OS, but scratched it with the hope that Ubuntu Hoary
would work!)

What can we do now?

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

(In reply to comment #13)
> (In reply to comment #12)
> > You might like to try one of the beta Hoary CDs, available here:
> > http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/hoary/array-3/hoary-install-amd64.iso
> Thanks for your help. I have installed from the image above, and indeed this gets
> by the md5 problem. The install completes and the Cd is ejected!
> Then, just when I was about to open the champagne, I see the screen go blank, and
> just one word appears:
> GRUB _

After searching the install forums, I saw some hints about BIOS settings, and none
of them worked.

However, with the new BIOS settings, in particular PNP settings, I was able to
install WARTY!!!!

And after loads of updating from Internet I was again about to get the champagne
out when I saw:

powernow-K8: vid trans failed, vid 0x3, curr 0x4
powernow-k8: transition frequency failed

These messages repeat several times.

I have enabled Cool-n-Quiet as well as CPU and Chassis Q-fan controls in the BIOS.

And then I got a message about it being impossible to start the X server, that
there was probably a configuration problem and when I got is sorted out I should
start GDM as root.

Then I was finally able to login as myself, but am now at a loss as to how to start
X, or why it didn't start.

So, at last we are making progress. To summarize,
- I am using the Warty AMD64,
- I get powernow-k8 errors as above,
- the X-server cannot be started,
- I use an ATI Radeon 9250 AGP card, there is no difference when setting the bios
to AGP 8x or 4x. I selected the 3 lowest screen resolutions which I know to be ok
from previous use with Fedora Core 3.

Any more help would be great, we're almost there! And I'll be able to help loads of
people on the forums with what I've learned!
Cheers,
J

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

Created an attachment (id=1222)
Xfree86 log file

In ref to previous remark, attached is the XFree86 log file written to /var/log
when the X-server failed to start. Maybe this will help?

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

We will need to handle the X server problem as a separate bug. Here, we need to
ensure that Hoary can be installed successfully on your system.

You tried Hoary after adjusting the BIOS, and it still would not install? Were
the symptoms identical? Which CD image did you try? There was a known bug
which caused GRUB not to install correctly on amd64, which was worked around for
the Array 4 release, and fixed properly soon after in the daily CDs.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

(In reply to comment #16)
> We will need to handle the X server problem as a separate bug.
OK, will you file the new bug?

> You tried Hoary after adjusting the BIOS, and it still would not install?
That is correct, after fixing the BIOS, HOARY would not install failed with the
hanging of GRUB.

> Were the symptoms identical?
No, Warty installed ok, but the X-server would not start. The os seems to work ok
otherwise. Hoary did not finish the installation process, due to the hanging of GRUB.
(see my comment #13 above for more details).

> Which CD image did you try?
I used the array-3 cd image, as per your comment #12.

> There was a known bug
> which caused GRUB not to install correctly on amd64, which was worked around for
> the Array 4 release, and fixed properly soon after in the daily CDs.

OK, I will download the latest Hoary, try to install it, and report back. As you know,
I am very determined to help to get Ubuntu to work right. I really appreciate your
help and the work you do.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

Created an attachment (id=1376)
AMD64 Daily of 2005 02 16 installation error logs

(In reply to comment #16)
>There was a known bug
> which caused GRUB not to install correctly on amd64, which was worked around
for
> the Array 4 release, and fixed properly soon after in the daily CDs.

I have just tried to install the Hoary amd64 from the daily cd's of 2005 02 16.

This is a regression, with the same message as per my orignal description of
this bug: unable to install base system, kernel package, etc.

I attach the installation error logs.

Now, what do you suggest? Again, I have no system anymore....

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

(In reply to comment #18)
Further information concerning the HOARY Daily of 2005 02 16:

When I run the default install, it fails on the AMD kernel package. I then run a media-check and
this fails.

However, and very oddly, when I run the expert install (I cannot do this alone since I am not an
expert and all the options are beyond guessing), I run the media-check and it PASSES perfectly!

So, with the same machine, the same installation CD, the media-check would seem to be causing
some confusion?

This strange behaviour may be a clue to what is wrong?

Thanks again,
JH.

[gratefulfrog (gratefulfrog)]

(In reply to comment #16)

Here is the current status on my attempts to install Hoary.

My platform:
CPU: AMD64 3000+ 939 pin,
Motherboard: ASUS A8V Deluxe onboard LAN + Sound
Disk: 160 GB Maxtor SATA
RAM: 1GB
Graphics: ATI Radeon 9250

Live-CDs:
Warty: works fine,sound is fine, but shut down requires hard power-down
Hoary AMD64: works, but sound player+recorder do not seem to work..

Installations:

Warty:
- finally installed, errors on powernow, and could not get X-Server running;
awaiting support.

Hoary:
- daily 2005 02 16: failed to install saying there was a problem with the kernel
package, not authenticated.
- array-5: automatic install failed with same problem, proposes 3 kernelm
packages, all fail, media-check fails, even though CD passes md5 when run
manually from other machine,
- array-5:expert install failed with same problem, unable to install base system,
but passes media-check!
- array-5: expert install: after trying the 3 kernel packages, and failing, I
went on to install the remaining packages on disk anyway, then the installer
again tried to install the base system, and failed. I continued to execute the
installation steps manually, each time the installer making some progress but not
on the amd64 kernel. Finally, cotinuing like that, the installer *DID* install
the last amd64 -generic kernel on the list (the one that is not an "image"). Then
the rest of the installation went on almost ok. Except that it could not access
the hardare clock. In the end, I have a Hoary array-5 running.

Some questions:
- Does Hoary array-5 have the full sw bundle that Warty did? I don't seem to find
emacs, nor the gnome soundsystem executables? Is there a simple way (documented?)
to get+install all the warty sw?
- Do you suggest that I stay with Hoary array-5? if so, is there a way of
automatically upgrading as new versions of Hoary come available?

Again thanks,
JH.

[Paul Mateman (pm-mateman)]

Hi I have the same problem on a shuttle XPC SN85G4V2

AMD64, nforce3 150 chipset, 512MB ram, 160GB Samsung spinpoint SP1614N drive,
ATI 9250 graphics, NEC ND3500 DVD-RW drive.
The install fails when reading package
file:///cdrom/dists/warty/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz Read error - read (5
Input/output error)
and consequently the kernel packages are unknown. I notice that use the same
dvd-drive (NEC ND3500), that might give a clue.

BTW the unzipped package file seems to be present as well. It might also be just
some memory problem, as the file is quite large.

Is there a way to hand install the required debs? Running dpkg (from the freshly
installed target) fails as target directories should be on the harddisk rather
than the RAM disk.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

(In reply to comment #17)
> (In reply to comment #16)
> > We will need to handle the X server problem as a separate bug.
> OK, will you file the new bug?

No; I am not experiencing the bug. Please submit it under your Bugzilla
account. This way, the people working on the bug will contact you as the submitter.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

From your log:

Reading Package Lists...
Building Dependency Tree...
Suggested packages:
  lilo grub linux-doc-2.6.10 linux-source-2.6.10
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  linux-image-2.6.10-3-amd64-generic
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/14.6MB of archives.
After unpacking 51.4MB of additional disk space will be used.
WARNING: The following packages cannot be authenticated!
  linux-image-2.6.10-3-amd64-generic

Colin, wasn't a similar bug fixed recently?

[Vern Ceder (vceder-dogsinmotion)]

(In reply to comment #23)

I'm getting the same bug report as the above, ie, 'packages cannot be
authenticated' on kernel image instal.

FWIW I have virtually the same hardware as Jac Hete -
CPU: AMD64 3400+ 939 pin,
Motherboard: ASUS A8V Deluxe onboard LAN + Sound
Disk: 60 GB Maxtor plain IDE
RAM: 1GB
Video: ASUS V7700 AGP, 32MB

LiveCD works OK, but complains about not finding hardware clock.

[Vern Ceder (vceder-dogsinmotion)]

(In reply to comment #24)

Oops, I forgot to mention that I also have a NEC DVD-RW drive, ND 3520A. I'll
see if I have another CDROM drive that I can stick in and give it a try...

> I'm getting the same bug report as the above, ie, 'packages cannot be
> authenticated' on kernel image instal.
>
> FWIW I have virtually the same hardware as Jac Hete -
> CPU: AMD64 3400+ 939 pin,
> Motherboard: ASUS A8V Deluxe onboard LAN + Sound
> Disk: 60 GB Maxtor plain IDE
> RAM: 1GB
> Video: ASUS V7700 AGP, 32MB
>
> LiveCD works OK, but complains about not finding hardware clock.

[Vern Ceder (vceder-dogsinmotion)]

(In reply to comment #21)

> I notice that use the same
> dvd-drive (NEC ND3500), that might give a clue.
>
Paul is onto something - I just switched to an old Samsung CDRW I had around
instead of the NEC DVD_RW and the install worked perfectly.

[Matt Zimmerman (mdz)]

What is the status of this bug? Many of the symptoms sound like problems reading
the CD, either due to bad media or driver issues.

There have been some other reports of unauthenticated package errors; is this,
too, explained by media problems?

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

I think it's media problems, yes. However, I'm going to disable authentication
checks when installing from CD anyway, as there's no need for them and the
problem is excessively difficult for users to work around.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

This should fix the authentication issues for preview, allowing Ubuntu to
install despite them:

debian-installer-utils (1.08ubuntu6) hoary; urgency=low

  * Disable authentication checks if installing from CD. There's no need,
    and it seems to fail occasionally in ways that are very difficult to
    work around at this stage (e.g. #5723).

 -- Colin Watson <email address hidden> Tue, 8 Mar 2005 14:26:52 +0000

It still sounds like there are issues with the media, but we can't really fix
that in Ubuntu.