[00:19] <AndroUser> Hello
[00:22] <AndroUser> Anyone around who might be able to lend a hand to a first time user attempting an install?
[00:32] <Bashing-om> AndroUser: Depends - what is holding you up ?
[00:37] <AndroUser> I'm using a bootable USB, on a 32-bit system and Xubuntu 18.04. I get a screen saying some ACPI errors of things not found, but it moves on to the loading screen (says Xubuntu and has dots going across), then it goes to a screen that says OK for a bunch of starting services and they're all saying OK. That's when it seems to stall and go to a black screen with a blinking cursor but it won't allow me to type anything
[00:39] <AndroUser> Tried Alt+Fkeys, and Ctrl+alt+Fkeys... I'm wondering if it's still just installing things and I just need to give it more time or if it's actually having some kind of issue
[00:40] <AndroUser> Been on this screen for about 20 min
[00:43] <AndroUser> USB LED isn't showing any activity but the Ethernet port is blinking quite a bit
[00:56] <Edenaluuk> Hi
[00:57] <Edenaluuk> I think my Nickname was AndroUser or something, but I had asked about my attempt at an Xubuntu installation
[00:59] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, if using a 'live' system, did you verify your write to media? or are you running from an installed system on thumb-drive?
[01:02] <Edenaluuk> I have a blank HDD and the Xubuntu (I believe it's the install iso, not a full OS) on the USB - but I haven't been able to get to a command prompt to do any type of verifications
[01:04] <Edenaluuk> I don't want to be that annoying guy who doesn't Google things first, but most of what I've found on Google involves entering commands which I haven't figured out
[01:09] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, when you first boot up, the menu includes a "Check disc for defects" (see https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/CDIntegrityCheck) but note on most boxes you'll see a keys-in-box & person-in-circle type symbols, press a key when you see that to see the menu; applies to all flavors
[01:09] <guiverc> your other alternative if you're running it, is ctrl+alt+F4 and login to TTY terminal..  (does that work)
[01:10] <guiverc> my guess from your description is you have squashfs errors (bad write to media), or video/gpu issues (nomodeset required maybe)
[01:10] <Bashing-om> Edenaluuk: Set in bios to boot the USB - at the splash screen depress the escape key -> language screen; escape key again -> boot options screen, Here see what "check disk for defects' relates. will take a bit of time for the check to run.
[01:13] <Edenaluuk> Awesome, will give it a try, thank you!
[01:13] <Edenaluuk> Also doing some digging because it's an old VIA C7 processor and it might be something to do with the CPU instruction sets
[01:15] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, 18.04 does require a i686 grade cpu I believe (Debian & Ubuntu both call all x86/32bit i386, linux kernel makes distinctions), but you get a clear kernel message saying kernel needed is 686, you hav i586 for example
[01:18] <Edenaluuk> Got it, I'll do some more googling on that. Thank you!
[01:20] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, I don't think you'll need to, whilst I don't know/remember your via c7 cpu (I do recall problems with via video having security flaws & thus being dropped from later linux, and all windows), the message is clear in my opinion, or any time I've seen it
[01:32] <Edenaluuk> Yeah I haven't seen a kernel error, or any errors. Did some further digging and it's Pentium M equivalent (using the P6/i686 microarchitecture), and includes MMX, SSE, SSE2, and SSE3 instruction sets
[01:35] <Edenaluuk> I think I'll just keep tinkering for a bit lol
[01:37] <Bashing-om> guiverc: Edenaluuk In 18.04 do we still need to "force" PAE ? https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PAE .
[01:38] <guiverc> I have tested pentium M & pentium 4 machines, most do NOT need to force PAE, however a thinkpad r50p I have DOES require `forcepae --forcepae`  (it's an older pentium M)
[01:39] <Unit193> Some Pentium M systems might, but regardless Xubuntu isn't really the system to look at for i386.
[01:39] <guiverc> ^ was referring to 18.04, most required forcepae for 16.04 GA kernel
[01:49] <Edenaluuk> When the screen with keyboard and man in a circle shows up I'm spamming buttons on my keyboard but it doesn't do anything
[01:51] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, you have to be pretty quick, too slow & the keystrokes are ignored..
[01:51] <Bashing-om> Edenaluuk: USB or ps2 keyboard ? maybe check in bios for " enable USB" ?
[01:52] <Edenaluuk> So I'm not able to even get to the check disk for defects or other suggestions. USB keyboard...but I can use the keyboard on the BIOS screens
[01:53]  * guiverc just tested a xubuntu 18.04.4 i386 ISO on pentium 4 box nearby, I used space-bar (out-of-habit); but boxes can be unique & act different on the same ISO/media due to different firmware
[01:55] <guiverc> if the menu doesn't occur, normally I'd try it on another box with intention of running 'check disc for defects' there.. if it fails on both boxes (or I can't get it to appear/run), I assume it's a bad write & return to ISO validation & re-write to media
[01:58] <guiverc> the other option I alluded to before was trying to switch to term (TTY) and look for squashfs errors (`dmesg|grep squashfs` or equiv) assuming that is possible, if it's not I'd blame bad write to media anyway)
[01:59] <Edenaluuk> Good call, I'll see if I can get it working on my main PC. Couldn't get to the terminal. Thank you so much for all the help
[01:59]  * guiverc adds the dmesg|grep will result in what I think of as copyright/version messages, that is good & expcted, errors are not
[02:25] <Edenaluuk> So the USB is working great on my main PC, checked for disk defects and no errors, so I'm thinking the keyboard just isn't registering, time to play with the BIOS (the mobo has like 40 different jumpers so I'll look through those too...ok so it's more like 10 jumpers, but still a lot more than I'm used to seeing)
[04:23] <Edenaluuk> Also for posterity, Xubuntu 18.04 has a 32-bit download available, but it appears it was only 64-bit when it was released. I am very open to other distro recommendations for 32-bit systems (and/or if anyone knows of distros known to play nice with via c7-d CPU integrated in a via cx700 chipset mobo)
[04:39] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, I didn't understand your last, Xubuntu provided 32bit ISOs for 18.04, 18.10 (and into the alpha cycle of 19.04); I know as I tested & used them  (x86 was fully supported till end of 19.04 life)
[04:41] <Edenaluuk> Maybe I misunderstood/misinterpreted your earlier message that "Xubuntu isn't really the system to look at for i386"
[04:42] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, that was an opinion, XFCE has now fully upgraded from GTK2 (lighter) to GTK3 and thus uses more resources.. Just like MATE got slower on pentium M laptops, XFCE slowed as it made that move as well... ie progress means things change, older CPUs are limited & can struggle.
[04:43] <guiverc> You can still use them (I still have a thinkpad t43 on here running 18.04) , but I use it for things it can do, am careful with my software choices, what co-exists in ram (it only has 1.5gb ram)
[04:44] <guiverc> Edenaluuk, I think you're referring to a message from a developer, not me
[04:46]  * guiverc clarifies, the slow down of MATE & XFCE as they moved from GTK2 to GTK3 was rather noticable on pentium M, but on higher-grade c2d cpus it was almost undetectable & maybe just because I was expecting it... ie. cpu limitations on really old cpus
[07:37] <kattalinux> hello all