Ubuntu Server 12.04LTS install

[ReleaseRoderick]

Ubuntu Server 12.04LTS Canonical disc.

ASRock A55M-HVS AMD + Samsung HD. All new Kit.

 

Install went off just fine as far as I can see.

On boot up there is the ASRock spash screen then a black screen showing `Read Error`

This is both with and without the install disc present.

Any advice please?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Personally., if I got an error like this right after installing a Linux distro, I'd reformat the partitions and reinstall the Linux. Occasionally, an install does go bad.

 

Unfortunately though, I understand that this mobo has some sort of instant start feature and is also a UEFI corrupted BIOS. I'm not at all familiar with UEFI. There is a lengthy thread around here somewhere about it.

 

Stand by for others who may actually have some advice for you.

 

In the meantime, you can use the Board Search to search all the forums here for "UEFI"... there is lots of info about it here.

[raymac46]

I am not sure I understand the problem completely, but when I formatted disks as GPT and installed Linux Mint manually using EFI support I ran into problems with finding the bootloader. When I didn't try to do any fancy partitioning and just let the LM installer take over the SSD and install it using defaults, it worked just fine. I am not sure if Ubuntu has the same issues.

The only issue I had after the install was getting rid of a swap partition on the SSD I didn't want, but some work with Gparted live and a rewrite of /etc/fstab to access a swap partition on a large standard hard drive fixed things. I haven't had any problems with booting since then.

It's probably a good idea to format your SSD as a legacy device and change the BIOS to avoid EFI/UEFI completely.

 

Here is more than you'll ever want to know about the topic:

 

http://www.rodsbooks...fi-bootloaders/

Edited November 25, 2013 by raymac46

[V.T. Eric Layton]

There you go. See? I told you others with more worthwhile advice, info, and tips would show up eventually.

[ReleaseRoderick]

it appears you are installing ubuntu as the only operating system on you machine, yes?

if so, you do not need the uefi carp to begin with -

go into bios and grouse around for "secure boot" and set that to "disabled"

Yes, Ubuntu Server 12.04LTS will be the sole OpSys. This machine will host a small web-site consisting of around 12 static pages.

From the manual I know this ASRock A55M-HVS mobo has "Instant Boot" facility and it would be the default. I have tried to locate it and set it to disabled. I can't find it. Is this the same thing you refer to with "Secure Boot"? Because I cannot find that either.

I can give a link to the .pdf of the manual.

 

@raymac46 Thank you for the rodsbooks link. Lots there for me to study. I've also recently found Dedoimedo too.

As for UEFI.....My peace of mind is suffering. The jury is still out and will be till this Boot anomaly is resolved. I'm not a particularly computer-savvy dude.

So, back to the UEFI page.....Secure/Instant Boot...come out, come out...wherever you are!!

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Instant Boot and UEFI Secure boot have nothing to do with one another. They are two totally different things. To disable the Instant Boot feature watch the video -->

 

I get the impression that the application to turn Instant Boot on or off is on the CD/DVD that came with the mother board. You have to boot using that CD/DVD, then turn the Instant Boot on/off.

[sunrat]

I would suggest using Ubuntu Server 13.10. As UEFI is still fairly new, I would think its support would be much better in 13.10.

A helpful post over at Debian User Forums on UEFI:

http://forums.debian...=109264#p519664

This particularly mentions dual boot but contains relevant info on GPT and EFI boot partition.

[ReleaseRoderick]

Well Guy's

I am working my way through all the links to the info and indeed reading all your every words!

But please realise it is a slow process for me but I'll get there in the end.

Had I known of Secure Boot/Instant Boot/EUFI etc. I would have taken care to avoid them and purchased an older modal of MoBo.

This ASRock baby is really for those who think Microsoft was born with the world...although to be truthfull I am a newbie convert to the world of Linux.

Edited November 26, 2013 by ReleaseRoderick

[ReleaseRoderick]

Personally., if I got an error like this right after installing a Linux distro, I'd reformat the partitions and reinstall the Linux. Occasionally, an install does go bad

I cannot reinstall...It wont recognise either the Ubuntu Server 12.04LTS or even an Ubuntu 12.10 Desktop Ed disc now.

go into bios and grouse around for "secure boot" and set that to "disabled"

Secure Boot is not there to be found...and I did grouse for a long time.

Instant Boot and UEFI Secure boot have nothing to do with one another. They are two totally different things. To disable the Instant Boot feature watch the video -->

I get the impression that the application to turn Instant Boot on or off is on the CD/DVD that came with the mother board. You have to boot using that CD/DVD, then turn the Instant Boot on/off.

I believe that the MoBo disc is for a Windows install.

I would suggest using Ubuntu Server 13.10. As UEFI is still fairly new, I would think its support would be much better in 13.10.

Ubuntu Server 12.04LTS is the newest Canonical disc available and that's the one I bought. I doubt if I am up to the skills needed to Download and Burn a disc.

Thank you for the Debian link.

 

 

All in all, I should not have attempted this exercise alone with my extremely mediocre skills.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel bearing in mind that the Quick Install Guide book, CD and the downloaded Install Manual are all for Windows, because I have an old faithfull machine in the office that I would like to upgrade so this ASRock kit can find a home there with a Win Vista or 8 or some such and I can take the whole caboddle to the 16yr old lad in the local computer shop. He does'nt even speak English!

 

Here is how you kind guy's can help....suggest to me a suitable AMD MoBo I can purchase without all the troublesome crap like EUFI Instant Secure etc.

It does'nt need all the bells and whistles, no gaming etc, just needs to be the online server for a small company web-site.

 

Thank you, ian

[raymac46]

It's no big deal to download and burn a DVD. Nowadays you can even use Windows based programs like ImgBurn to do it, or LiLi USB Creator to put the image on a USB disk.

As far as an AMD motherboard is concerned, maybe this will do it for you. I'm assuming you want an FM1 socket.

 

http://www.newegg.ca...N82E16813128530

 

There's no mention of UEFI Bios here but you never know.

Edited November 26, 2013 by raymac46

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Ian, the CD/DVD that comes with a motherboard is usually not operating system dependent. It is a self-loading informational/driver data disk. You should just be able to boot with it and then navigate to the Instant Boot menu that you saw in that video.

 

Also, I have a question for you....

 

Why are you busting your 'nads to set up a server for a 12 or so page static website? Why don't you just pay for a small hosting account from 1and1 or someone else and create/upload your website pages to that account. It's ever so much easier than running your own server, particulary in places where the ISP companies monopolize the Internet access. They don't like you running websites from your home/office, and when you do, they CHARGE you for that feature. Yes, they do.

 

Anyway, I was just wondering...

[raymac46]

Although GPT disk formatting and UEFI are still relatively new technology Linux does support it, and the newest distros will use it fairly effectively. Some installers still have a few problems putting the bootloader in the right place in custom configs but if you use the defaults they'll likely work fine.

Personally I don't think we need to avoid either protocol (unless we are installing an older distro) and it'll be harder to do so with each new generation of kernel, distro or motherboard. The UEFI control panel is quite a lovely interface compared to the clunky old BIOS we have used in the past. There can be problems if you mix up the old MBR and GPT technology, so in my view it's better to learn the new approach and stick with it - especially if you go with the latest releases like Linux Mint 16.

Edited November 26, 2013 by raymac46

[burninbush]

Instant Boot and UEFI Secure boot have nothing to do with one another. They are two totally different things. To disable the Instant Boot feature watch the video -->

 

I get the impression that the application to turn Instant Boot on or off is on the CD/DVD that came with the mother board. You have to boot using that CD/DVD, then turn the Instant Boot on/off.

 

 

As a happy user of a couple ASRock mobos, I'll just add that the mobo cd that comes with it -- to add all those Instant Boot and such -- is windows only. No problem, they are all software addons, have nothing to do with hardware. I would say that here they are perfectly happy with PCLinuxOS -- every mobo hardware item works just fine. So, for running linux, put away the mobo cd, it's useless.

 

I just discovered a quirk in cmos setup on one of them today; added a new SATA disk, and idly checked to use 'AHCI' to access it, then discovered that my SATA optical drives would no longer read when I booted to a msdos disk [to run Ghost]. I'll have to do some searching to find out what it means. Works fine though when set to "IDE/SATA" mode.

 

I believe that 'Instant Boot' is the functional equivalent of Win7 'sleep' and as well the 'sleep' shutdown option seen in linux distros lately; think both are just suspend to ram, much faster up/down than hibernate.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Ah! Well, there's some more accurate information direct from an actual Asrock mobo user. Very good.

[ReleaseRoderick]

Remembering that last year I replaced a failed mobo with an ASRock N68 VS3-UCC, which does not feature UEFI and noting that another person did the WinXP install before I did the Ub 12.10 Desktop Ed install straight over the top and that it's been sound ever since. If I give the settings from the Boot screen which I believe are Defaults from the A55M-HVS would you please tell me if something is wrong and what is causing the failure to read any install or driver CD that I now try to use.

I have been thinking of using an old WinXP disc and then using the Ub Server 12.04LTS. Only thinking....I stand to be corrected.

Thank you.

 

Why don't you just pay for a small hosting account from 1and1 or someone else and create/upload your website pages to that account. It's ever so much easier than running your own server, particulary in places where the ISP companies monopolize the Internet access. They don't like you running websites from your home/office, and when you do, they CHARGE you for that feature. Yes, they do.

This will be in Bulgaria, Eric. Right now I pay Zen Internet in England £4.79 per month to host though they do have a fair and honest invoice and info system and indeed a human being does actually own the outfit.

All we had to do in BG was stroll from my office to the local Internet provider and say what I wanted to do.

 

By all means correct me if I'm out of synch. I lost a very good Admin girl over those problems with uploading to the site and all that trouble, not Zen's fault I know, but it took JayLac to get the whole caboddle working and that was a one-off as he's very busy. No, we just want it In-House, in the office, we can upload, alter, redesign at will. Advertising is our biggest anomaly, we either solve it or go bust - And the two employee's don't deserve that.

Edited November 28, 2013 by ReleaseRoderick

[ReleaseRoderick]

Boot Option Priorities

Boot Option #1 : SATA Samsung HD161HJ Default for Boot\Hard Drive BBS Priorities

Boot Option #2 : SATA TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-224DB Default for Boot\CD/DVD ROM Drive BBS Priorities

Boot Option #3 : EUFI Built-in EFI Shell

 

Boot up NUm-Lock: On

PCI ROM Priority: Legacy ROM

Full SCreen Logo: Enabled

Add on ROM Display: Enabled

Boot From OnBoard Lan: Disabled

Boot Failure Guard: Enabled

Boot Failutre Guard Count: 3

--------------------------------------------

[V.T. Eric Layton]

This is going to be difficult to troubleshoot for you via Internet exchange, Ian. Particularly when no one assisting you has physical access to the system and knows very little about the mobo from first hand experience.

 

I do not understand why you cannot even boot from a CD/DVD. I don't envy you. I'd be warming up my sledgehammer about now.

 

[raymac46]

Can you not change the Boot options to boot up from the DVD-ROM first. Then at least you should be able to boot from a CD/DVD. I would then use GParted Live to take a look at your hard disk, make sure it was formatted with the old style MBR and then try a reinstall of the O/S. But it's really hard to do this second hand as Eric said.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Most mobo BIOSes have a hot key you can press to bring up the boot menu during the initial post at power up. My most recent MSI board used F11. ASUS seems to like F1, I think. It's different for each manufacturer. If you pay attention, you can see the option advertised at boot up. I always set my primary hdd to be the first boot device to facilitate speedy start up. I can always boot something else using the hot key if I have to.

[ReleaseRoderick]

Part of raymac 46 post:

Can you not change the Boot options to boot up from the DVD-ROM first. Then at least you should be able to boot from a CD/DVD.

I have now got her to boot from the Ub 12.04LTS disc. I had tried to get that to happen a while back, this time I've succeeded.

 

The first screen is the Language choice, defaulted to English. At the base of screen is: F1 Help. F2 Language. F3 Keymap. F4 Modes. F5 Accessibility. F6 Other Options.

And there its going to stay.......Until I get advised......?

My Guess: Press Enter after short prayer.

Scott's ATL advice:

Edited November 29, 2013 by ReleaseRoderick

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Yes. Just press Enter.

 

When I was speaking of F1 and F11 above, I was talking about options for booting the system hardware that are active at the system POST (the scrolling memory check and drives check, etc. when you first turn on the power button), not the options on the Ubuntu CD.

[ReleaseRoderick]

I fully understood you on that Eric. It's F2 on the Splash Screen and up comes the UEFI options.

What I meant was that now I have her reading the Ub Install disc again that's where I am.

 

OK, Pressed Enter..now I have:

Install Ubuntu Server

Multiple server install with MAAS

Check disk for defects

Test Memory

Boot from first hard disk

Rescue a broken system

 

(Those F1 to F6 options also show)

My Guess: Install Ubuntu Server. That's what I did the first time. But I think I made a mistake further on in.

Scott's ATL Advice:

[raymac46]

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server/install-ubuntu-server

[raymac46]

 

You are going to get a console interface at the end but I'm sure you know that. No GUI.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

I would Install Ubuntu Server. That's what you're there for, after all. 'Course, I don't know anything about Ubuntu Server or how it's set up or works, so....

[ReleaseRoderick]

Ok. I'm working on it.

[ReleaseRoderick]

I have Ub 12.10 Desktop Edition installed and it is running fine. It'll do while I study the Server install info that you have been kind enough to post up.

Then I'll have a another crack at it.

 

One Q, if I may please:

During install I have to give a Hostname, I understand that this needs to be asigned by the ISP if it's for a web server or if for a home-server I could use any name.

My install being web, am I correct in my understanding.

[raymac46]

That is good news. At least you know you don't have a hardware problem.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Some reading for you, Ian...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostname

 

That should make things clear as chocolate pudding for you.

[securitybreach]

Some reading for you, Ian...

 

No, I believe his name is Mark. Your thinking of ichase