Freeze at "copying files" stage of install

[Aleksey1977]

Binary package hint: ubiquity

Occurs when trying to install Ubuntu from a LiveCD, for both 8.04.1 and 8.10 Alpha3. Boot from LiveCD, initiate install, choose "use entire disk" option. The installation proceeds as expected, until system freezes (cursor not responding, no noticeable hard-disk or CD activity) at the "Copying Files" stage. Almost always occurs with progress bar at 22-23%, although once I got as far as 34%.

However, the installation of 7.10 from a LiveCD completes with no problems.

The CDs I used were all burned at the lowest speed, and afterwards checked for defects. I have tried booting with acpi=off option, with same results.

A forum thread devoted to a similar problem can be seen at: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=770575

The computer I am using is Averatec 3255 laptop (I needed to modify Monitor section of xorg.conf slightly before I could start X, though)

WORKAROUND: Ubuntu 8.10 livecd:

1) Boot with "break=top" option
2) At BusyBox prompt, execute

echo 'options libata dma=0' >> /etc/modprobe.d/options

3) Ctrl-D, and continue install as usual

The problem was due to my CD drive, QSI SBW-242, causing occasional system freezes, when used with UDMA/33. (Actually, forcing UDMA/25 or 16 makes the freezes occur much more often). So, adding 'options libata force=2.00:pio4' instead, also worked for me.

[Aleksey1977 (aleksey1977)]

Still occurs for 8.10 Alpha5. Occurs when booting with "all_generic_ide" option, as well.

[tarosk (taro)]

Same issue on Acer Aspire 1310 with Via Apollo KN266 chipset.

Probably related to this bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/213639

[PsychoChimp (kavi-89)]

I have the same problem installing Ubuntu on a Sony VAIO FR102 which uses the VIA KN266 chipset also.

I can only install via Wubi and then need to replace the new pata_via modules with the older via82cxxx ones (see here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/213639) in order to make it stable and stop constant freezing.

Is there a way to install from a CD using the older VIA modules?

[Aleksey1977 (aleksey1977)]

I have managed to find a workaround for installation from Ubuntu 8.10 livecd:

1) Boot with "break=top" option
2) At BusyBox prompt, execute

echo 'options libata dma=0' >> /etc/modprobe.d/options

3) Ctrl-D, and continue install as usual

The problem was due to my CD drive, QSI SBW-242, causing occasional system freezes, when used with UDMA/33. (Actually, forcing UDMA/25 or 16 makes the freezes occur much more often). So, adding 'options libata force=2.00:pio4' instead, also worked for me.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Sounds as if this could perhaps be worked around in the kernel - it's unlikely that the installer program itself can do much about this - so reassigning there.

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Hi Guys,

Can you try the latest Jaunty Beta release and confirm if this issue remains? It contains a newer 2.6.28 based kernel.

http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/jaunty/beta

Please let us know your results. Thanks.

[fatlp (i-mehlbox)]

Occurs when trying to install Ubuntu from a LiveCD, for both 9.4 and 9.10. Boot from LiveCD, initiate install, ... . The installation proceeds as expected, until system freezes (cursor not responding, no noticeable hard-disk or CD activity) at the "Copying Files" stage. Almost always occurs with progress bar at 22-23%, although once I got as far as 34%.

KN266 Chipset

I could solve the problem by install ubuntu with the following options:

... splash libata.force=2.00:pio4

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

This bug report was marked as Incomplete and has not had any updated comments for quite some time. As a result this bug is being closed. Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download . Also, please be sure to provide any requested information that may have been missing. To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

[This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Dominik (dominalien)]

This is still true as of Ubuntu 11.04. Installing on an Acer 1310 (VIA KN266) hangs the computer every time any time from partitioning the HDD to copying files.

Adding libata.force=2.00:pio4 to boot options solves the problem and allows the system to be installed. This, I assume, is accompanied by a decrease in performance.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 253321

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Dominik (dominalien)]

For some reason apport-collect isn't working for me in 10.04, which is what is installed on this computer right now. I doubt logs would be useful anyway, since the computer is working now with the libata.force=2.00:pio4 boot option.

To reiterate, this problem is also present on 11.04.

I'm marking this as confirmed. I'm still interested in fixing this problem, as DVDs are unwatchable with the drive operating in PIO4 mode.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Aleksey1977, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. Hardy desktop reached EOL on May 12, 2011.
Please see this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

We were wondering if this is still an issue on a supported release? If so, can you try with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/ .

If it remains an issue, could you run the following command in a supported release from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux <replace-with-bug-number>

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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