Natty (and meerkat) amd64 desktop live CD/USB fail to boot grub correctly: error:prefix is not set

[sachit]

The Live CD or Live USB for Desktop Amd64 when booted flash the error "prefix is not set" an then Display the menu ("try without installing/install/check disk"). Selecting any option just results in a black screen. The purple splash doesn't appear for the grub menu or after selection.

This bug seems to affect some Sandy bridge laptops. the 32 bit version works fine on them.

Workaround:
installing grub onto the live USB manually fixes it.
See http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1841496

Laptops affected
IdeaPad Z570, Acer 4755(workround confirmed on this)

[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 851958

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.

[sachit (staticd-growthecommons)]

apport collect fails to run from the terminal:

$ apport-collect 851958
ERROR: connecting to Launchpad failed: Unable to find the server at launchpad.net
You can reset the credentials by removing the file "/home/user/.cache/apport/launchpad.credentials"
$ rm /home/user/.cache/apport/launchpad.credentials
rm: cannot remove `/home/user/.cache/apport/launchpad.credentials': No such file or directory

However the issue is reproducible, so I hope its OK to mark it as confirmed.

[Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure)]

This should still be Incomplete for now, to indicate that more information is still needed before a developer can begin work on the bug. I'll try to provide assistance in https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+question/171870 with your apport-collect problem.

[sachit (staticd-growthecommons)]

The Oneiric version as of 25 sept has the issue partially resolved. It boots fine but doesn't show the purple splash for the grub menu and while the kernel is being loaded( before the moving dots on a purple background there should be a flat purple background right?). How can I get more information as to why this is occurring? some grub commands / substituting files etc?

[Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure)]

While the problem accessing Launchpad, which is being worked on in https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/apport/+question/171870, is worth pursuing further, the necessary information here can be provided by reporting a new bug using Apport. This bug can then be marked as a duplicate of the new bug (which is *not* the same thing as the new bug being marked as a duplicate of this bug). Provided that the original workaround (reinstalling GRUB2 to the boot record manually) is still effective at eliminating the new problem with the boot splash, the new bug can be reported by booting from the Oneiric daily-live (provided that the problem occurs for it) or from a fully updated installed Oneiric system on which the bug occurs and on which the workaround has not been applied, and running:

ubuntu-bug grub-pc

Before doing, this, if you have not done so already, please read https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ReportingBugs carefully, and make sure the new bug report contains complete information (it should not be necessary for developers to refer to this bug report), then mark this bug report as a duplicate of the new one.

[sachit (staticd-growthecommons)]

Deleting the EFI folder seems to cause the boot splash to appear though the menu then doesnt. Might be buggy EFI on the machine.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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