[thechat] installing Ubuntu on an old Sony Vaio; it never finishes

[Stéphane Deschamps]

<quote who='Joel D Canfield' when='21/01/2011 22:55'>
> Downloaded Ubuntu from the site, burned the ISO to disk. I can start the
> install, but it reaches the point that all the config is done and it's
> copying files, and then, all the info disappears from the screen, the Ubuntu
> desktop (apparently) is there, but nothing does nothing. No mouse. Can't
> click or type. No menus.
>
> Restarting, it's clear that there's no OS on the box. Tried a second time,
> no joy.
>
> Thoughts? Suggestions?

Yeah. Buy a new laptop. hehe.

No, seriously, I've got a vaio with Ubuntu on it, and you may have 
trouble with the video card (notoriously troublesome).

Try installing and when it says it's found a driver for your video card, 
decline the offer and use the plain, sad video driver.

You won't have acceleration this and that, but it could work.

Or I'm completely mistaken.

There's a few doc pages on vaio (which does not sound like the best 
computer for Ubuntu), it may help look it up: 
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCcQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D1356673&rct=j&q=vaio%20ubuntu%20compatibility&ei=swk6TdOUC4WI4gbyg4GjCg&usg=AFQjCNF2AxFR2wgdFtR--D-UVo_X9uXOlw&cad=rja

(this is how I learnt that I should not use the nvidia driver, for instance)