Installing Ubuntu 7.10

[shavital]

A first attempt to install 7.10, either from an .iso image or from a real CD, failed. Same failure as already reported by other users in this forum.
6.0.6 installed without problems, running fine, downloaded and installed 170 updates.
Tried to work my way up to 6.10, all downloads and installation went fine, but reboot did not complete. The progression bar stopped a few lines from its end. I have let it stand for hours, nothing is changed. Used DiskWarrior 4.0 to rebuild the computer's HD directory (just in case), didn't help.
I plan to erase unfinished 6.10 and attempt a fresh install of 7.04.
In the meantime I welcome suggestions and tips. This is my first contact with Linux. I have already installed Windows X Pro, and it runs just fine.
Sorry for the long post, it's my first one to the forum.
Parallels 3.0 for Mac build 5160

 

[beta_frj]

More than 512MB causes abnormal exit from modprobe?

Apparantly I cannot create a thread so I'm going to polute this one instead ;-)

I need to be able to give an Ubuntu Desktop image at least 1.5GB of RAM so that our developers/supporters can use it for their java enterprise dev environment.

However, when I try to run either Ubuntu 7.04, Ubuntu 7.10 or Fedora Core 6 with more than 512MB of RAM - I get this error (the process id changes of course):

udevd-event[3132]: run_program: '/sbin/modprobe' abnormal exit

And the VM hangs.

If i configure the very same image to use only 512MB of RAM it boots without any problem. However, 512MB is not enough for smooth operation in our environment - so that is a showstopper for us purchasing Parallels. For now I'm testing on a trial of Parallels 3 build 5160.

Is there a fix for this behavior? Both Ubuntu and Fedora Core 6 runs without a problem under VMWare Fusion, so if parallels is not working on a fix we will have to go for Fusion instead.

 

[beta_frj]

Re: First contact with Linux - Ubuntu 6.0.6. to 6.10

#1 - I had the same problem installing Ubuntu 7.10 with the desktop ISO. All I did was to download the alternate ISO from Ubuntu and I had no problems installing under Parallels Desktop 3 build 5160. Go for the "ubuntu-7.10-alternate-i386.iso" ISO to avoid the display problems.

--update: One thing to watch out for though. Do not attempt to give the VM more than 512MB - you do this, you will get the samme error during boot as I have written about in my previous posting (#2) in this thread.

//flemming

 

[shavital]

Thanks for your prompt and complete answer.

[Go for the "ubuntu-7.10-alternate-i386.iso" ISO to avoid the display problems.]

I am following your advice, and started downloading the file. I had just completed the download of 7.04 Desktop CD, which I'm keeping just in case.

[--update: Do not attempt to give the VM more than 512MB - you do this, you will get the samme error during boot as I have written about in my previous posting (#9) in this thread.] //flemming

The VM I had created for 6.0.6 -> 6.10 had 512MB memory. Is there a way to "restart" a virtual system that has not completed reboot, like in the case I described?

 

[beta_frj]

#11:

The VM I had created for 6.0.6 -> 6.10 had 512MB memory. Is there a way to "restart" a virtual system that has not completed reboot, like in the case I described?

Have you tried restarting in recovery mode?

What about paralllels tools - have you reinstalled those on the VM?
I believe that when you upgrade ubuntu, you sometimes get a newer kernel version - and that might cause a mismatch between the parallels tools kernel drivers installed on an earlier kernel. But that is just a guess, I do not know for sure.

I think I would just reinstall a newer version of Ubuntu - it took me about half an hour to do so.

 

[shavital]

#11:
[Have you tried restarting in recovery mode? ]
I have no access to the "stuck" (uncompleted restart) of the system. The display shows an Ubuntu splash screen (plus a garbled narrow line of graphics) and an unfinished progression line (less than a mm from its end...). When I click the mouse, the pointer (that's still in Parallels) disappears, instead of becoming the pointer of Ubuntu.

[What about paralllels tools - have you reinstalled those on the VM?]
I did, immediately after I completed the installation of 6.0.6. Since I have no access to the current "stuck" (sorry, I can't find a better description) Ubuntu, I have no access to its Terminal, or to any of its contents. I tried to reinstall Tools, but there's no access.

[I believe that when you upgrade ubuntu, you sometimes get a newer kernel version - and that might cause a mismatch between the parallels tools kernel drivers installed on an earlier kernel. But that is just a guess, I do not know for sure.]

It makes sense, I'll try to find out.

[I think I would just reinstall a newer version of Ubuntu - it took me about half an hour to do so.

That's what I intend to do, as soon as I complete dowloading 7.10 alternate. My question about restarting was intended to learn some more about Linux, which I did.

Thanks again.

 

[beta_frj]

That's what I intend to do, as soon as I complete dowloading 7.10 alternate. My question about restarting was intended to learn some more about Linux, which I did.

Thanks again.

You're welcome.

To boot Ubuntu in recovery mode you need to access the boot manager - GRUB. This you do already at boot time - before seeing the Ubuntu progress screen - just after BIOS POST.

In Ubuntu 7.10 I need to hit the escape key within 3 seconds after the BIOS POST and the memory count screen appears.
It prints the countdown on the screen including the info that I have to press Esc to see the options. Maybe you can boot into recovery mode in 6.x in the same way?

//flemming

 

[shavital]

I can't access any utility, application or anything inside the blocked [wannabe] 6.10. Hope to have more luck with 7.10 alternate, or with 7.04 Desktop, whichever succeeds. When 6.0.6 was active (before I attempted to upgrade it to 6.10), I was very much impressed by its performance and offerings. I have been a Mac user since MacOS 6.x (circa 1994), my "interest" in running Windows derives only from the need to access three web sites that have been designed to work only under Micrisoft's IE and Windows. My interest in running Linux is to learn (I am a 75 years old non-power-user).

 

[beta_frj]

I can't access any utility, application or anything inside the blocked [wannabe] 6.10.

It has to be done almost as soon as you press the play button and turns the VM on. You cannot do it if you just resume - you have to power off the VM and then turn it back on - then you will be able to access the boot menu.

Hope to have more luck with 7.10 alternate, or with 7.04 Desktop, whichever succeeds. When 6.0.6 was active (before I attempted to upgrade it to 6.10), I was very much impressed by its performance and offerings.

Yes I also like Ubuntu quite a bit - for the price there is not much out there that does it better.

I have been a Mac user since MacOS 6.x (circa 1994), my "interest" in running Windows derives only from the need to access three web sites that have been designed to work only under Micrisoft's IE and Windows. My interest in running Linux is to learn (I am a 75 years old non-power-user).

Ok, I am a developer - but quite new to OSX - I got my MacBookPro last thursday and have never used OSX before that - but I like it already although it takes some getting used to.

If all else fails and you still would like to try out Ubuntu - try out the free tool called VirtualBox - I have been running Ubuntu under that with no problems earlier this year - I think it was probably a 7.04 install I did back then.

My main reason for using Parallels is to have just one virtualization product on my macbook pro. Right now I have both VMWare Fusion, Virtual Box and Parallels. Most of the guys in my workplace use VMWare server or player under Windows and Linux so most of our existing virtual machines are in VMWare format - which both VirtualBox and Parallels supposedly can import.

 

[shavital]

7.10 alternate failed at the end of the whole installation process (OEM mode) with the already known warning "Display server has been shut down about 6 times in the last 90 seconds....etc". Rebooted in recovery mode, but couldn't do anything to remedy. I am familiar with CLI (MacOS X Terminal) but in this case, I couldn't do anything. So now I am attempting to install 7.04 Desktop. Thanks for your attention.

 

[shavital]

Finally it worked. Installed 7.04 Desktop, smoothly. Had a bit of trouble to have shared networking enabled. Now I can start exploring, and wait for Parallels to look into the 7.10 issue. They are aware of it, and working on it. But I reckon they have their own priorities, e.g. releasing an update for Parallels/Mac that will be totally compatible with Leopard. Build 5160, that is supposed to be compatible, had not been tested with Leopard's final release. Thanks for your support.

 

[beta_frj]

7.10 alternate failed at the end of the whole installation process (OEM mode) with the already known warning "Display server has been shut down about 6 times in the last 90 seconds....etc". Rebooted in recovery mode, but couldn't do anything to remedy. I am familiar with CLI (MacOS X Terminal) but in this case, I couldn't do anything. So now I am attempting to install 7.04 Desktop. Thanks for your attention.

Very strange - I just clicked OK for every question I was asked when installing the 7.10 alternate and I had no problems. However I did start up in recovery mode the first time around and tried installing parallels tools - but failed doing so. Then I rebooted in normal desktop mode and I got no warnings or failures during this boot. Finally I proceeded to install parallels tools and I have had no problems since.

Maybe I was just lucky then ;-)

Good to hear that you got the 7.04 running - I have been running 7.04 on my laptop from April until mid-October so I'm familiar with this release and found it to be very stable - so I think it is an excellent base to start exploring Ubuntu.

I have just finished upgrading to Leopard, so I'm having fun with all the new features the next couple of hours. I did not know that Parallels 5160 had not yet been tested with Leopard final but so far it seems to run my Ubuntu 7.10 just fine.

 

[shavital]

I also answered every question and got on with the process. I didn't try, though, to boot in recovery mode, which I should have done. A short while ago, after installing 139 (gosh) updates on 7.04, and restarting, I got again a frozen Ubuntu screen. But fortunately, the Parallels forum page was open in Firefox in MacOS, and I could read with better attention your advice about how to carry out recovery booting. I did it this time right, I believe, because the Terminal displayed a long list of actions and corrections that were being carried out. When the Terminal went back to the prompt, I just stopped and started the VM, everything went back to work. Again some trouble reconfiguring Shared Network, got it working. I quit for today, I am going to crash ;-) Tomorrow I'll try to copy my GnuPG keyrings from a USB memory stick, This is, all things considered, fun, but I'm still beat. Thank you for your advice, reading it with attention saved the day.

 

[jiclark]

What's the best way for us to find out when Parallels releases an update that supports Ubuntu 7.10???

 

[beta_frj]

What's the best way for us to find out when Parallels releases an update that supports Ubuntu 7.10???

I have no idea - as I wrote earlier 7.10 is running smooth in Parallels 3 build 5160 on my MacBook Pro - both under Tiger and Leopard which I upgraded to yesterday. The only problem I have left with Parallels is that I have to keep memory assigned to the VM at a maximum of 512MB for Ubuntu/Fedora etc. to boot.

So my only problem is to assign more than 512MB of memory to Linux based VMs.

//flemming

 

[shavital]

I have read in versiontracker that Parallels has released build 5540 (qualified as beta). The first comments by a few users, mainly Windows, are not encouraging. It might be better to go easy on this build, and see what happens.

 

[shavital]

I have just upgraded from 7.04 to 7.10, using the Upgrade Manager. I was searching for updates to 7.04, and Upgrade Manager indicated that 7.10 was available. So I followed the prompts. Downloading the files to upgrade to 7.10 (1348 files) was extremely fast (I have a broadband connection). Installing the updates files took some more time. A word of caution, it's better not to leave the upgrading process unattended, there were a couple of modal dialog boxes where I was requested to choose between two options. I am still running Parallels for Mac 3.0, build 5160.

 

[beta_frj]

I have just upgraded from 7.04 to 7.10, using the Upgrade Manager. I was searching for updates to 7.04, and Upgrade Manager indicated that 7.10 was available. So I followed the prompts. Downloading the files to upgrade to 7.10 (1348 files) was extremely fast (I have a broadband connection). Installing the updates files took some more time. A word of caution, it's better not to leave the upgrading process unattended, there were a couple of modal dialog boxes where I was requested to choose between two options. I am still running Parallels for Mac 3.0, build 5160.

Ok, just to verify my problem - could you try to assign the VM more than 512MB - e.g. 768MB and see what happens when booting the VM?

Personally I get this error:
udevd-event[3132]: run_program: '/sbin/modprobe' abnormal exit

But if it works for you then I will try and debug the issue further.

If you get the error you can just set the amount of memory back to 512MB or less and reboot the VM - then everything works as earlier.

 

[MaximS]

Ok, just to verify my problem - could you try to assign the VM more than 512MB - e.g. 768MB and see what happens when booting the VM?

Personally I get this error:
udevd-event[3132]: run_program: '/sbin/modprobe' abnormal exit

But if it works for you then I will try and debug the issue further.

If you get the error you can just set the amount of memory back to 512MB or less and reboot the VM - then everything works as earlier.

This is known issue.

You need to manually upgrade your kernel up to 2.6.23.

 

[shavital]

I suppose you have seen MaximS's post about upgrading to kernel 2.6.23 (ai am running 2.6.22.-14-generic)
Right now, the linux-kernel ftp directory indicates that the current stable version is 2.6.23.1. I am trying to download the file, it's very slow, I'm not in a hurry (there is a patch, how do one apply it, and what can one expect to happen after applying the patch?).
As a very newbie to Linux, I'd appreciate your feedback on this kernel issue. Isn't the kernel version related to the host processor chip? Since I am running a i386 computer, is kernel 2.6.23.1 compatible.? I apologize if these questions seem silly, I have a stable Ubuntu 7.10 running now under Parallels Mac build 5160, with 512MB RAM assisgned. I am ready to experiment, and eventually rock the boat, but I'd like to get the opinion of people who know what they are doing.