Mint 12 - New Install

Adyx

Hi, I'm having some problems installing Mint 12. In fact I can't even get the Live CD to boot. The boot menu comes up but after that all I get is a screen of corrupted graphics (kinda like this). I've tried the cover disc from this months Linux Format magazine and I downloaded the iso from the Mint website (and verified the md5). Both have the same result.

I've also tried two different DVD drives, both of which will boot a Windows 7 disc fine. The iso boots fine in VirtualBox and I had no hassle installing it in that. I am completely at a loss here so any help would be great. Thanks.

FSL

As the ISO boots fine in Virtualbox then it must be a dodgy disc or a dodgy drive.

Have you tried running a cleaner disc in the drive. The fact that the windows 7 disc reads and the ubuntu one starts to read would suggest the drive is the problem.

Whenever my drive reads some discs and not others I just run a cleaner disc and so far that has always sorted it.

GreenWolfe

If you have a spare USB data stick you could try running Mint from that too. I use Unetbootin.

Knasher

I'd guess that whatever graphics drivers are on the disks are incompatible with your system. There are probably updated versions that you can use after you get booted, but obviously you have to get that far first. I've never used Mint so I'm not familiar with the install process, but you may have the option for a safe graphics mode, just to get you through the install process before you install the newer drivers.

If that doesn't help, it may be useful to know what graphics card you have?

boomslang

Just a stab in the dark but are you using an ATI gpu?

To boot mint 12 on my ATI Radeon 6970 required me to blacklist the oss driver and nomodeset at boot, then run sudo apt-get install fglrx and restart lightdm to get the desktop from the terminal the boot option throws you to.
(nomodeset blacklist=radeon 3) The ATI afects most current linux distros too.

If it's an nvidia just try adding nomodeset at boot by adding the option to the boot string

Adyx

Thanks everyone for the replies.

FSL wrote: »

As the ISO boots fine in Virtualbox then it must be a dodgy disc or a dodgy drive.

Have you tried running a cleaner disc in the drive. The fact that the windows 7 disc reads and the ubuntu one starts to read would suggest the drive is the problem.

Whenever my drive reads some discs and not others I just run a cleaner disc and so far that has always sorted it.

I've tried 2 drives both with the same result. The disc also boots fine in another computer.

EarthlyPangaea wrote: »

If you have a spare USB data stick you could try running Mint from that too. I use Unetbootin.

I had tried this, (preferred choice generally) but my crappy motherboard won't allow booting from USB.

Knasher wrote: »

I'd guess that whatever graphics drivers are on the disks are incompatible with your system. There are probably updated versions that you can use after you get booted, but obviously you have to get that far first. I've never used Mint so I'm not familiar with the install process, but you may have the option for a safe graphics mode, just to get you through the install process before you install the newer drivers.

If that doesn't help, it may be useful to know what graphics card you have?

ATI HD5770. There is a compatibility mode option but the result is the same.

boomslang wrote: »

Just a stab in the dark but are you using an ATI gpu?

To boot mint 12 on my ATI Radeon 6970 required me to blacklist the oss driver and nomodeset at boot, then run sudo apt-get install fglrx and restart lightdm to get the desktop from the terminal the boot option throws you to.
(nomodeset blacklist=radeon 3) The ATI afects most current linux distros too.

If it's an nvidia just try adding nomodeset at boot by adding the option to the boot string

It is an ATI gpu as above. I'm not completely ok with Linux so just to confirm are you saying I should add nomodeset blacklist=radeon 3 as a boot option? Also what is lightdm and how do I restart it? I understand the apt-get install fglrx bit.

Thanks everyone so much for your help.

boomslang

at the boot of the livecd

add nomodeset blacklist=radeon 3

to the kernel line (tab usually gives the option) this causes the livecd to start to boot but then drops to terminal, if it looks like it stalled hit enter.

At the prompt login if needed then sudo apt-get install fglrx once completed type startx or if that doesnt do it start lightdm. I'm not 100% certain which it was.

/etc/init.d/lightdm start <<might do it too
You also may need to do it again post install.

I gave up in the end and bought an nvidia gpu (550Ti) no issues since!

Adyx

Thanks but still no luck. Still not even getting to a prompt. From reading around Mint 11 seems to work so I might give that a go.

boomslang

i can confirm mint 11 will work with your ati

Unfortunately the open sopurce radeon driver seems to have issues with some of the newer ati cards hense the trouble your experiencing.

as an after thought did you try just using nomodeset ?

Adyx

boomslang wrote: »

i can confirm mint 11 will work with your ati

Unfortunately the open sopurce radeon driver seems to have issues with some of the newer ati cards hense the trouble your experiencing.

as an after thought did you try just using nomodeset ?

Thanks, just started to download it now. I did try using just nomodeset and a myriad of other suggestions from the Mint forums. I think having on-board graphics would have been the easiest solution but I don't unfortunately.

ShooterSF

Adyx wrote: »

I had tried this, (preferred choice generally) but my crappy motherboard won't allow booting from USB.

This might be useful for you so.

Adyx

Thanks for that link. Looks very useful. Unfortunately it's my graphics card that's causing the hassle. No luck with Mint 11 either even with nomodeset and the variations on that. I've given up on installing Mint and I'm just going to use a virtual machine for now.

At least now I wont keep wasting blank discs on distros that won't work - I can just stick them on a USB drive until I find one that works.