I'm trying to install mythbuntu on a new machine which has a Gigabyte GA-73PVM-S2H moboard which includes Geforce 7100 graphics. The graphics chip is not recognized and I'm dumped to terminal no matter what settings I choose in the configuration panel that comes up. Even the "failsafe" options.

I have gotten the hardware working with a different linux distro and comared the xorg.conf that works to the xorg.conf that is in use when mythbuntu fails. The only significant difference I can find is a missing modules section.

The working xorg.conf includes:
Load "glx"
Load "GLcore"
Load "v4l"
whereas mythbuntu's failsafe doesn't have a modules section. If I manually add that section to the failing xorg.conf and restart gdm, I get to a log in screen but am stuck there too. So I'm stymied.

Any suggestions on how to get around this? I'm fairly famiar with linux on servers, but am new to myth and have only a little X experience.

Thanks.

What driver does the xorg.conf file have listed? If it says "nv", then that would be the correct driver for an initial install. If it says "nvidia", it most likely won't work because the nVidia proprietary driver is not installed yet. Change "nvidia" to "nv" and see if the xserver will start.

If the driver listed is "nv", change it to "vesa". This is a generic driver that will give you a very low resolution, but at least it will work. You can then go to the menu and select:
System --> Administration --> Restricted Drivers Manager

There should be an entry for "NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver". Put a check in the box in the "Enabled" column. Now restart the xserver.

The xorg.conf file lists vesa as the driver when it fails.

Section "Device" contains
Identifier "Failsafe Device"
Boardname "vesa"
Busid "PCI:0:16:0"
Driver "vesa"
Screen 0

No mention of NV or Nvidia in xorg.conf as the install is just getting going. Nothing specific has been installed. After the CD loads linux, it ends with a panel that says "ubuntu is running in low-graphics mode", graphics card and screen not detected. I then gives the option to continue, configure or shutdown. Continue and configure both end in a terminal window. I've tried to select an Nvidia driver when taking the configure path, but it ends in terminal too. So I've been focusing on generic vesa in order to get to the graphical installer.

That same device definition 'work' under another linux distro, and if I make the following addition to xorg after being dumped into terminal, I get to an X screen that looks clean and seems to be the mythubuntu logon. (I make the addition then type gdm at the prompt).

i.e. If I add a Modules section:

Section "Modules"
Load "glx"
Load "GLcore"
EndSection

I don't know if both lines are needed but that comes from the other distro's config file.

Maybe there is an other incantation that will get the install CD past the road block so that I can get myth going?

Thanks for your reply and any further help would be appreciated.

It sounds as if you have Mythbuntu installed, but the x-server is not starting. You can install the package that has the nvidia driver in it from the terminal, without the x-server running.

First you need to know the kernel version that you are running, so enter this command.uname -r

For me, I get this answer.2.6.22-14-generic
So, to install the package I would enter this command.
apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-generic
Now you should try again to configure the xserver, by entering this command.
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
If you are not logged in as root, enter the sudo command before the other commands.
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
Try to use the nvidia driver, but you may need to enable it first (as I explained before). Otherwise tell it to use the nv driver.

I'll give that a try, but in addition to getting x running, I need to start or restart the mythbunty installation script(s) to get mythbuntu onto the hard drive. Yes, linux is running and if I can get X going I should be able to continue.

Do you know the name of the install script and where it is located?

Any root/sudo issues with restarting the install?

Thanks again.

Oh, are you are running off of the live CD? I don't know if you can "install" on a live system, but you can give it a try.

When you first boot the CD, aren't there any options to install? I would do this and skip trying to install after booting the live version.

I'm not sure I understand. Yes, I'm booting and trying to install from a CD (iso image) I downloaded from mythbuntu site. The first item on its splash screen is run and install (or something like that).

That splash screen allows one to press f6 to add or delete install parameters. "Splash" and "Quiet" are the default parameters. Not other otpional parameters are listed.

The splash screen also allows one to select "vga" (f4) and a resolution, but I get the same problem that route.

Most Ubuntu disks can be booted up directly from the disk ("live"), without actually installing anything. You said this:
I need to start or restart the mythbunty installation script(s) to get mythbuntu onto the hard drive.
Which I took as meaning that it is running "live" but not installed . If you are having trouble installing in graphical mode, try installing in the safe graphics mode.

Hi and thanks again for helping.

Yes, I'm running 'live', but not I think the normal "live' mode. No software has been installed on the machine. The live boot process fails at the point X should be started and I end up with a terminal screen. By manually tweaking the xorg.conf at that point, and then typeing "gdm" I can get to a graphical "log in page". The login page is probably Myth's as I've not seen it before (has a big yellow flower) but I don't have id/pw to log in.

I think I can get myth installed if I can get back into the install process that was to be run by the 'live' system. I don't know the right terminal command to get back into the install sequence after tweaking xorg.conf.

Does that make sense?

It has occurred to me that maybe the iso image I downloaded is bad though I've never had that problem before.

If the Mythbuntu liveCD has the Safe Graphics Mode option at boot, you should be able to use that then use the sticky thread driver install procedure using the latest Envy. I don't recall if Mythbuntu gives you the bootup menu with the Safe Graphics Mode option.

If that doesn't work, try using regular Ubuntu 7.10. Boot the liveCD and select "safe graphics mode" using the procedure in the sticky thread re: Nvidia driver installation.

Then install MythBuntu from Synaptic.

That helped.

Mythbuntu does have a safe graphics mode, and I tried it again. My problem was that the safe settings are not liked by the NEC Multisync that I'm using to get myth running. It over/underscans and puts a warning in the middle of the screen. Between the two of them it is nearly impossible to read text to complete the setup. When I previously encountered this, I gave up. This time I continued and accepted all the defaults. When I got through, myth was installed and after a reboot it was running. But, monitor was still unusable. I exited myth and using the settings panel change the resolution and over scan cleared up. Screen is now usable so I'll go back and set up myth the way I want and install the Nvidia driver.

Greatly appreciate the help. Thanks.

That helped.

Greatly appreciate the help. Thanks.

Your welcome.

I haven't figured out why all the *buntu's and their derivatives (Mint, etc) don't simply use Safe Graphics Mode as the *only* option- this is how Win 9x and early XP releases worked- then you installed the driver from Nvidia or ATI after the base OS was installed and running at the desktop.

That's why I wrote the procedure in the sticky thread- it is consistent with OS installs-from-scratch I've been doing for about 20 years on hundreds of PC's starting with Win3.0.

Hi,
Can I ask I stupid question.
I just brought a GA-73PVM-S2H board with SATA disk and SATA CDROM
I try to install Ubuntu 8.04 and after the inital screen it just kicks me to busybox with a initramfs prompt.
Do you know what I am doing wrong ?

Thanks

OK...I've had problems installing with my 8500GT (solved), but I haven't tried the new version yet. I'll check it out tomorrow (Sunday, 27th), post results, and, if necessary, I'll post instructions, as well. Plus, I'll have sentences with plenty of commas in them, etc.

Cheers. :D