Unable to boot - clean install

[Chris H.]

Binary package hint: grub

Hello, I should start by saying that I'm not entirely sure whether or not this is a grub issue, so please walk me through this. This is the best package to file the bug under that I could think of, though.

I'm on a Dell E1505 laptop from about three and a half years ago. Core Duo CPU, ATI X1400 Mobility graphics, 2 GB RAM, etc. Up until this point, clean installs of Ubuntu have worked flawlessly.

Initially, I upgraded to Ubuntu 9.10 via an upgrade, but did not like the result. I went back and did a clean install, so my issue occurs on a CLEAN INSTALL.

When selecting "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" after a successful install (yes, the computer boots to a live CD or flash drive successfully), the computer does not do anything at all. I get a blinking cursor for a few moments, then a blank screen. No hard drive activity (can't hear anything, indicator light not blinking.) However, "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" DOES work.

Here is the thing, though - I can't boot to Ubuntu with the default grub options. I can boot successfully after making the following changes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original grub entry for "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic":

menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Original grub entry for "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)":
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro single
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modified grub entry for "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" (this boots, whereas the unmodified grub entry fails to boot):
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I noticed that the entry for the recovery mode did not have "set quiet=1" or "quiet splash", so I removed those, and what do you know? It boots!

Anyway, because I did a clean install, I can't believe I'm the only one to have this problem. I'm reporting this bug because a clean install with all stock/default options FAILED TO BOOT. Had I not looked at the grub entries, I would not have been able to boot. I imagine some other people would give up on Ubuntu for this reason.

I realize that I will need to post more information; my problems probably involve the specific hardware I have. Please walk me through posting further information, whether that be the output of commands, logs, or just information about my hardware.

Thanks for taking the time to look!

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The bootloader in karmic is grub2; reassigning to the correct package.

Does the system boot if you remove *only* the 'quiet splash' options from the end of the kernel command line? Does it boot if you remove *only* the 'set quiet=1' option? (One is an option to grub, the others are options to kernels, so this will help us narrow down where the bug lies.)

[Chris H. (ahmshaegar)]

Thanks for moving the bug to the correct place -- I knew I had it under the wrong package.

I will check and get back to you on that in a few minutes.

[Chris H. (ahmshaegar)]

Removing "set quiet=1" DOES NOT solve the issue.
Removing "splash" alone DOES solve the issue -- I am able to boot. I will check further by removing only "quiet".

[Chris H. (ahmshaegar)]

I guess this means it has something to do with the kernel and my hardware (graphics?), and grub2 itself is fine.

[Chris H. (ahmshaegar)]

Just tried two more variations, which both fail.
------------------------------------------------
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
------------------------------------------------
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
------------------------------------------------
The first one keeps setquiet=1. Only quiet from the kernel line is removed. The second removes both setquiet=1 and quiet from the kernel line. I think I can safely conclude that the splash option is causing my problem.

This is with a fresh install onto a brand new 10 GB ext3 partition (with the rest being dedicated to /home).

However, I find this very strange. I've booted to 9.10 live CDs and live USB several times, and those were okay. I've seen the glowing white Ubuntu logo when I booted using those disks, so I'm assuming that's what the splash is all about. How come it worked off a live CD and not off a totally clean install?

[Chris H. (ahmshaegar)]

I installed startupmanager and set the resolution (in the boot options tab and advanced tab) to 1024x768, and I set the color depth to 24 bits. I also unchecked show text during boot (so in the boot options tab under misc, nothing is checked.)

I now see the glowing white Ubuntu logo, and Ubuntu boots successfully. The grub entry in grub.cfg now looks like this:
----------------------------------------------------------------
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-14-generic" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
 set quiet=1
 insmod ext2
 set root=(hd0,4)
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=b7d0b17b-7c0e-4f3f-ac99-dd54922ebd93 ro vga=792 quiet quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
----------------------------------------------------------------
"### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###" may have also been modified, but I haven't paid attention to that part. I'm sorry I can't provide more information about that.

[Fredrik Jansson (fjansson)]

I have the same problem.
Also for me the machine does not boot with the default boot options,
but does boot if I remove "splash" from the kernel command line
or if I set the resolution to 1024x768 in startUp-manager.

Fresh install of 64 bit Karmic
GNU GRUB version 1.97~Beta 4 (i.e. grub 2)
kernel: 2.6.31-20-generic #58-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 12 04:38:19 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Hardware:
ASUS P5B mainboard, Intel Core 2 6300
VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV370 5B60 [Radeon X300 (PCIE)]
The screen has the native resolution 1280x1024.

On a second, identical machine a similar installation boots fine with the default options.
For what its worth, this second machine is connected to a different model of monitor (with the same native resolution).

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for grub2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]