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equalsP · 2010-09-09, 07:46

I've been trying to figure out why i can't install XBMC on my computer.

I have the XBMC Dharma Beta 1 LiveCD and can run it (from USB or CD) and it runs beautifully. All the proper drivers are there because I can do 5.1 digital out with 1080HD video outputing on a 720p resolution screen(it down scales the 1080 obviously, but it can handle it, sometimes on my XP machine the same kind of video would stutter) and the remote works flawlessly.

First I just used the USB to install (made with both Unetbootin and Universal USB installer. I tried Grub4dos too, but had errors during installation) and the setup would proceed normally and then at ~74% it would tell me to remove media because it was done. Then the progress bar would say something like "setting up liveuser" and then the computer would turn off. Then during reboot I would get my bios screen, then black where the OS should start loading.

I assumed that the USB wasn't being made properly, hence the other methods for creating it. So then I burnt a CD (i don't really have access to cd drives anymore, so this was some fun) and tried installing it. Was much slower, but it actually got past the 74% screen (making me think it would work) but then during reboot I got a black screen.

I am new to linux, I probably could do something like the XBMCuntu guide in the wiki to make a minimal server like setup (which I would like), but the tweaking would really get to me since I never really did this in linux (i tried doing that for Camelot but couldn't get half the hardware working. then i used the LiveCD and everything worked great, except digital output.)

I think its the video drivers, but not 100% sure. I do know that I installed ubuntu 10.04.1 on this computer to just install xbmc and call it a day. It installed the "recommended" nvidia drivers and I could not get the os to boot anymore. X kept saying that the configuration was bad and asked to make a new one.

Also, the computer never initializes the network card, i.e. there is no response from ping, which I think means it never loads linux or it just freezes.

Any help or things I can do to troubleshoot? Thanks for the help.

**lcapriotti** · 2010-09-09, 09:44

To make a correct judgment I'd need you to create a proper bootable flash disk using the script "Bootable Disk Wizard".
Then you could install from it and report your findings (along with your HW specs).

equalsP · (This post was last modified: 2010-09-09, 19:28 by equalsP.)

I can't use BDW. I want to install this on a real HDD (250gb SATA internal). When I make the USB (just to unstall it instead of using a CD) live mode boots fine, also I used a CD to install to the HDD too. I tried using BDW when loading into live mode but it always says there is no acceptable media found.

Hardware specs
-4.3 Pentium 4
-512 Ram
-SATA HDD
-NVidia Geforce 6600

The rest in integrated on the motherboard (its an HP z556 HTPC).

Or are you saying use the CD to make the USB then install on the HDD? That sounds kind of weird, but I'll try it and get back to you.

**lcapriotti** · 2010-09-09, 21:44

BDW needs a removable drive, the text-mode installer you select from the grub menu is the one for fixed HDD.
The process would be to create a proper bootable flash disk by booting the live cd and creating a bootable flash disk with BDW (on any PC that can run XBMC), then use the flash disk to boot your htpc and install to the HDD with the text-mode installer.

equalsP · (This post was last modified: 2010-09-10, 04:46 by equalsP.)

Ok, had a chance to do that.

It seemed to install fine off the BDW USB key to the HDD. The installation when through 100% and all looked well. When I rebooted, I got a screen of errors that flashed really quickly (couldn't read them) and then a black screen.

Is there an easy way to get these errors? I'm guessing I'd have to remove the HDD and read it from another computer. Not undo-able, but really frustrating.

Also a note, When I did BDW with one of these things (not sure what they are, if they are flashbased or not) http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-2-5GB-Pock...B00067Z098 the BDW froze after a few seconds (on the second part of the 6/7 step). If you want me to get data from this, tell me what to get and I'll do it. EDIT: ok i was curious so I did some research and the amazon page says 3600rpm so its a disk)

Thanks for the help.

**Anastrophe** · 2010-09-10, 13:40

it may be a silly question, but how long are you waiting (with the blank screen) before thinking it's failed?

equalsP · (This post was last modified: 2010-09-10, 15:12 by equalsP.)

It stays there for a few minutes. I waited 10 once i think.

EDIT: Something I just noted. the new BDW does not boot in live mode, i get a black screen too. Same as the installation.

equalsP · 2010-09-10, 21:11

I decided to give up and just use the old LiveCD for camelot and install dharma over it. Something about the dharma live CD gives my computer lots of trouble.

**myrison** · 2010-09-11, 02:50

Equals - another solution is to use the XBMCFreak Live CD with Dharma on it. There's a quick start guide in my signature

Meekay · 2010-09-13, 18:22

I'm having the same issue. I cannot boot to the install on a HDD. XBMC boots fine from the LIVE USB or a CD and runs great but when installed to the HDD it boots to a black screen that appears to enable/disable the video signal every 5 seconds.
I have tried it on a Zotac Z-box and the install works fine.
The system it fails on is an MSI P6NGM-FIH using HDMI output. I was previously running v: 9.11 since it's release.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

**Nolan** · 2010-09-13, 21:32

I had a similar issue (blank screen with flashing cursor) and I fixed it by doing a grub-setup from another bootable Linux distro.

1) Create a bootable USB install on a USB key (if you use UNetbootin just pick the latest 32 bit Ubuntu from the dropdown menu)
2) Use F12 to boot from your new bootable distro

You can find some handy instructions to doing the actual GRUB2 reinstall here:
http://members.iinet.net/~herman546/p20/...stall_GRUB

Hope this helps!

equalsP · 2010-09-15, 03:27

Thanks for the hint. I fell back to my 9.11 Live CD and updated to Beta 1. I'm experimenting with my network setup, but when I'm finished with that, I'll try the grub setup.

Meekay · 2010-09-18, 18:15

I still have the same issue. I have also tried to install Dharma Beta 2. Both systems appear to boot identically.

Bios
XBMC ..... Screen
User Log In Prompt - Stays on screen for a couple seconds.
Screen goes black.
Then things are different:
Zotac Loads XBMC and works.
MSI gets a Black screen that appears to cycle the HDMI video out. And Does NOT work.

Is anybody else still having this issue? And does anyone know of a fix.

cscoppa · 2010-09-22, 19:54

Meekay Wrote:I still have the same issue. I have also tried to install Dharma Beta 2. Both systems appear to boot identically.

Bios
XBMC ..... Screen
User Log In Prompt - Stays on screen for a couple seconds.
Screen goes black.
Then things are different:
Zotac Loads XBMC and works.
MSI gets a Black screen that appears to cycle the HDMI video out. And Does NOT work.

Is anybody else still having this issue? And does anyone know of a fix.

I have the exact same problem. If I ssh into the machine from another PC I can see that xbmc.bin is not running if I do a top or ps -ef | grep xbmc

Interesting thing is if I kill all instances of X I can do a xinit fluxbox and get to a desktop, and then launch xbmc that way. There's something broken in the way xbmc is trying to autostart.

geziech · 2010-09-25, 09:43

equalsP Wrote:Ok, had a chance to do that.

It seemed to install fine off the BDW USB key to the HDD. The installation when through 100% and all looked well. When I rebooted, I got a screen of errors that flashed really quickly (couldn't read them) and then a black screen.

Is there an easy way to get these errors? I'm guessing I'd have to remove the HDD and read it from another computer. Not undo-able, but really frustrating.

Also a note, When I did BDW with one of these things (not sure what they are, if they are flashbased or not) http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-2-5GB-Pock...B00067Z098 the BDW froze after a few seconds (on the second part of the 6/7 step). If you want me to get data from this, tell me what to get and I'll do it. EDIT: ok i was curious so I did some research and the amazon page says 3600rpm so its a disk)
Thanks for the help.

EqualsP, I have exact the same issue. 9.11 works fine, but I also have blackscreen just after some quick errormessages since Dharma 10. Problem is related to our graphical card. I also have the Geforce 6600LE but I replaced it yesterday with a Geforce 8600GS to test and problem was solved.

I don't know why it now doesn't work anymore with the 6600. I will buy myself a new Nvidia G210 so I also have the benefits of the VPDAU. It only costs around 50 euro over here...

Ciao