trying to put linux on a dell

[kb2crk]

Hey all
I have been trying for a few days to get Ubuntu loaded on my dell latitude c640 laptop without success. It moves through the install slowly and then just stops when configuring the boot loader. I have tried an ubuntu v 9.?? and 12.04 and similar issues at different points. Any ideas? is there something else I might try? I am not overly familiar with linux and not very good with the software end of these machines.

Thanks
Paul

[KA9MOT]

Boot to your Ubuntu CD. As soon as it starts to boot, hit ESC. It will ask you what language (I presume you want English) it assumes you want English and it pre-selects it for you. Hit ENTER. The next screen you see gives you some choices. Select the one that says (more or less) Run Memtest.... maybe not those exact words but you'll figure it out easily.

Most every install problem I have ever had was because of Memory issues. It is a good place to start.

[n2ize]

Can you provide some more information. Are you installing from a CD or DVD ? If so check the disc for errors. Most of the time when I've had freeze-ups during installs it had to do with a defective cd or dvd. Also, how is the machine configured ? I assume since it is a laptop you are installing to a single internal hard drive ? Any error message, like does it say, "bootloader installation failed ?". Or does it just freeze ?

[kb2crk]

Installing from a CD and I have run both a disk check and a memory check. I will take a look around and see if I have some other memory To try in it. the laptop is put together from a few laptops that the kids have killed i have messed up. I have enough parts for one more if I can find the last motherboard. Being home and not able to do a lot is driving me nuts and I have been working on small stuff like this....

To answer your last question John , it is just freezing up either during bootloader installation or grub installation.
It is a single internal hard drive that I have gone back and formatted the hard drive with a windows disk and then tried to install again.

[ad4mg]

Installing from a CD and I have run both a disk check and a memory check. I will take a look around and see if I have some other memory To try in it. the laptop is put together from a few laptops that the kids have killed i have messed up. I have enough parts for one more if I can find the last motherboard. Being home and not able to do a lot is driving me nuts and I have been working on small stuff like this....

To answer your last question John , it is just freezing up either during bootloader installation or grub installation.
It is a single internal hard drive that I have gone back and formatted the hard drive with a windows disk and then tried to install again.

Check the system (CMOS / BIOS) setup. It may have a setting that won't allow the MBR to be altered as an anti-virus measure. That was a common practice in older machines...

[kb2crk]

Check the system (CMOS / BIOS) setup. It may have a setting that won't allow the MBR to be altered as an anti-virus measure. That was a common practice in older machines...

Now here is where I run into a problem. I have no idea how to get into the cos or bios. I do know I had put an earlier version of ubuntu on a dell Lattitude c-840 about a year ago without issue. I would still have that one if the oldest child didn't fry their old laptop at college. I ended up loaded windows xp pro back on that one and letter her kill it also...

I guess a little research on how to get into the bios wont kill me...

[ad4mg]

Now here is where I run into a problem. I have no idea how to get into the cos or bios. I do know I had put an earlier version of ubuntu on a dell Lattitude c-840 about a year ago without issue. I would still have that one if the oldest child didn't fry their old laptop at college. I ended up loaded windows xp pro back on that one and letter her kill it also...

I guess a little research on how to get into the bios wont kill me...

Dell used several keys to get into setup. From memory, the most common ones I've seen:

F2
DEL
F1
F3
F12 (seems to be most used to get into a boot option menu)

in that order. There was one bastardized laptop that required holding down the Fn key, but I don't recall which one that was.

[N1LAF]

Hey all
I have been trying for a few days to get Ubuntu loaded on my dell latitude c640 laptop without success. It moves through the install slowly and then just stops when configuring the boot loader. I have tried an ubuntu v 9.?? and 12.04 and similar issues at different points. Any ideas? is there something else I might try? I am not overly familiar with linux and not very good with the software end of these machines.

Thanks
Paul

This is a wild shot in the dark, but I have read issues with SATA mode of operation. Just for haha's, look for a setting for SATA, selectable between AHCA and ATA. If in AHCA, change to ATA, save and try again. Worth a try.

[N1LAF]

Looks like the Dell c640 uses the [ F2 ] key to go into BIOS.

[kb2crk]

The set up screen I have been on and it is f2 on my laptop. I guess what I am saying is I dont know what to change once there. The laptop uses a ide ATA drive So I dont know if it has a SATA setting.

[N1LAF]

The set up screen I have been on and it is f2 on my laptop. I guess what I am saying is I dont know what to change once there. The laptop uses a ide ATA drive So I dont know if it has a SATA setting.

It was a shot in the dark anyways, so this is not an issue. Next would be Luke's suggestion....

[kb2crk]

Just went through the setup pages and did not see anything out of the ordinary. I pulled one memory card out of the secondary slot as I know i have had some bad memory floating around. The computer was seeing it but I figured let try to reduce any possibilities. Its down to 256 mg of ram now so it might take a bit...lol

[kb2crk]

Well it is trying again. the second memory chip is good. (tried it in another computer that was down as parts) I now have a second c-640 to put together and this one is a little faster. The one I ham having problem with was a 1.6ghz P4 that I swapped a 2Ghz P4 into. The second one is a 2.4Ghz machine that I dumped a glass of water into over a year ago. I had robbed parts off of it and the offending part (keeping it from running) must have been one of them. It now boots to bios so now it is time to scrounge the parts boxes for a hard drive and some more memory.. oh yeah a wireless card too.... I now know why I kept getting these laptops off ebay. 1. they were cheap 2. if they did not work they had the parts to fix the one I had that crapped out...lol. If I count the carcasses I have probably had 10 of these over the past seven or eight years...

[ad4mg]

Well it is trying again. the second memory chip is good. (tried it in another computer that was down as parts) I now have a second c-640 to put together and this one is a little faster. The one I ham having problem with was a 1.6ghz P4 that I swapped a 2Ghz P4 into. The second one is a 2.4Ghz machine that I dumped a glass of water into over a year ago. I had robbed parts off of it and the offending part (keeping it from running) must have been one of them. It now boots to bios so now it is time to scrounge the parts boxes for a hard drive and some more memory.. oh yeah a wireless card too.... I now know why I kept getting these laptops off ebay. 1. they were cheap 2. if they did not work they had the parts to fix the one I had that crapped out...lol. If I count the carcasses I have probably had 10 of these over the past seven or eight years...

Wireless card drivers - especially Broadcom chipsets, try to install Ubuntu with the laptop hard-wired to an internet connection so it can grab the appropriate wireless driver during the install. Most certainly the least painless way to do this. It can be a dogfight after the fact. Ubuntu will ask if you want to grab updates and proprietary drivers during the installation if it detects an internet connection. The only way to provide that before the wireless drivers are installed is a cabled (CAT5) connection.

[kb2crk]

Wireless card drivers - especially Broadcom chipsets, try to install Ubuntu with the laptop hard-wired to an internet connection so it can grab the appropriate wireless driver during the install. Most certainly the least painless way to do this. It can be a dogfight after the fact. Ubuntu will ask if you want to grab updates and proprietary drivers during the installation if it detects an internet connection. The only way to provide that before the wireless drivers are installed is a cabled (CAT5) connection.

it is hardwired to the network and I did have a hell of a time when I did this with the 840 last year. and yes they are broadcom cards.

[kb2crk]

I now have 2 going.....I am trying the problematic one again with the ver 9. the other one now has the 12.04 disk in it although it is still half apart...lol.
Time to see what happens

[kb2crk]

Ok running the version nine it comes up to a partition screen that i can't get past. It wont let me add a partition nor does it recognize the drive. If I go back and run it from the cd it see the hard drive as media even though it has been formatted. The other partially apart one is running along just fine.

[kb2crk]

Here a a couple pics. I have to get this done soon as Have taken over my wife's project desk with the computer parts...lol. My shack is on the other wall....




58975898

[kb2crk]

Ok running the version nine it comes up to a partition screen that i can't get past. It wont let me add a partition nor does it recognize the drive. If I go back and run it from the cd it see the hard drive as media even though it has been formatted. The other partially apart one is running along just fine.

Spoke too soon. the partially apart one shut down unexpectedly. Turns out I was using a 65 w power supply and the 2.4 ghz dell needs the 90. the power supply shut down on thermal protection. It is up and going again this time with the proper supply..

[kb2crk]

Number two pile of parts is loaded and downloading google chrome at this time. #1 PIA is running on the install disk doing online tests to see what the hell is going on.

[NQ6U]

Every time I see the title of this thread, for the first second I think it reads "trying to put linux on a deli" .

[kb2crk]

I miss a good Deli.....

[kb2crk]

going to try again.
The program is on the hard drive but its not booting from it or recognizing it on install. I am a little confuddled. the other one I threw together from part today is loaded and working. Time to finish putting it together...lol

[KA9MOT]

Try swapping drives.......

[KA9MOT]

I miss a good Deli.....

I'd like to do Adele.... I've always had a thing for fat girls

[kb2crk]

swapped out 2 hard drives and those 2 were dead. it sees this one and has loaded stuff up on it including the wireless drivers.

[ad4mg]

swapped out 2 hard drives and those 2 were dead. it sees this one and has loaded stuff up on it including the wireless drivers.

Progress! I've had troublesome Linux installations in the past. It's still a mild learning curve, but improving with every update. I was just fighting with Firefox on a machine running 11.04. Ever since the last Firefox update, the spell check dictionary is using "English (GB)". I've disabled two language packs that I did not install, and added the English (US) dictionary, which finally fixed it. Why it had the British dictionary as the default is a mystery to me...

[kb2crk]

Two steps forward and one back. the one laptop will work from the disk but it wont install on the hard drive. the other one installed fine but no wireless driver. I have some figuring left to do....

[ad4mg]

Two steps forward and one back. the one laptop will work from the disk but it wont install on the hard drive. the other one installed fine but no wireless driver. I have some figuring left to do....

The one that installed OK, try going to System -> Administration -> Additional Drivers, with an active internet connection and see if anything for the wireless is available.

[kb2crk]

The one that installed OK, try going to System -> Administration -> Additional Drivers, with an active internet connection and see if anything for the wireless is available.
I tried that and it did not find anything. Just swapped out the wireless card and going to try again. Building from used parts is so much fun...

[kb2crk]

Well I am off the linux machines while trying to figure out what my daughter did to her new to her laptop. Windows seven and keeps crashing. found the antivirus turned off so needless to say I am a little annoyed. Runnig AVG in safe mode trying to find what the hell she downloaded.

[kb2crk]

well the one latitude now has ubuntu and linux mint maya on it. the mint will recognize the wireless card (dell broadcom) but I have not gotten it to start using it as of yet. The latitude that did not want to accept the linux has gotten XP sp 1b and is upgrading the long way. It will be going to the ten year old to mess with as soon as it is done....

[kb2crk]

Ok I have a question. I have the broadcom drivers downloaded and the computer sees the Dell true mobile 1400 wireless card (broadcom). I just need to figure out how to install the driver so that it works.
Does this have to be done in the terminal? and what code would I need to get it to go? These are new things to me being a windows user for so many years...

[KA9MOT]

When it comes to Ubuntu, I always get my best advice here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/index.php

I searched for Broadcom and came up with this:

http://ubuntuforums.org/search.php?searchid=86676719

I hope it helps.