Comment 0 for bug 495096

I did a server install of 20091209 CD on an Inspiron 531. After install, system is not reachable via network.
The display has a flashing '.' on first console, switching to other consoles displays a '.' in a different location, and hitting return moves the '.'.

Adding the command line option 'nomodeset' fixes the problem.

lspci -v shows the following video card:
00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
        Subsystem: Dell Device 020e
        Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel, IRQ 10
        I/O ports at fc00 [size=64]
        I/O ports at 1c00 [size=64]
        I/O ports at 1c40 [size=64]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: nForce2_smbus
        Kernel modules: i2c-nforce2

ProblemType: Bug
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
AplayDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/by-path', '/dev/snd/controlC0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D2c', '/dev/snd/hwC0D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.values: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Date: Thu Dec 10 10:33:45 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=a8eb9050-7a92-4163-ab1e-788b06491b5f
InstallationMedia: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/installer/media-info'
IwConfig: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Lsusb:
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0930:6545 Toshiba Corp. Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 Stick (4GB) / PNY Attache 4GB Stick
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 04f3:0103 Elan Microelectronics Corp.
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 531
Package: linux-image-2.6.32-7-server 2.6.32-7.10
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=//vmlinuz-2.6.32-7-server root=/dev/mapper/hostname-root ro nomodeset
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-7.10-server
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.27
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
SourcePackage: linux
Tags: lucid needs-upstream-testing regression-potential
TestedUpstream: No
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-7-server x86_64
dmi.bios.date: 06/15/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1.0.3
dmi.board.name: 0RY206
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: ���
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.0.3:bd06/15/2007:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron531:pvr00:rvnDellInc.:rn0RY206:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: Inspiron 531
dmi.product.version: 00
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.