[Discuss] Boot issues on Thjinkpad W520 with SSD -- resolved

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

After I discovered at a BLU meeting I could not boot (any of the 3
installed kernels or repair mode), I subsequently reinstalled from DVD
and reproduced the problem. I also did a complete memory check. I then
emailed IBM store support, and they sent me an RMA. I fully documented
the symptoms, reinstalled Fedora created a dummy user and returned the
laptop to them. The only flaw in the new laptop is that it has the
Windows 7 logo and had Windows 7 installed. I installed Fedora 21 as the
only OS, and ran some tests. So far the problem has not recurred.

On 05/09/2015 03:02 PM, Jerry Feldman wrote:
> No. I removed Windows completely. I prefer Linux as my native OS, and if
> I want to run Windows I do it in a VM.
>
> On 05/09/2015 11:39 AM, A. Richard Miller wrote:
>> Hi, Jerry and All:
>>
>> Went bad in March, you say?? Was it a Windows dual-boot installation,
>> perhaps?
>>
>> If so, I have another possible theory. We have had a few client
>> computers fail to boot Ubuntu, following a recent Windows update that
>> disorganized their /GRUB/ boot order and more.
>>
>> While we use Ubuntu, I believe that this latest gift from Microsoft
>> has affected other Linux versions, as well. Our solution was to
>> install Red Smith's /rEFInd/:
>> http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/index.html
>>
>> If you're using "Vivid" (Ubuntu 15.04, the Vivid Vervet, released on
>> April 23rd), there's another Catch-22, and it's an interesting one.
>> The install of /rEFInd/ (and of various other apps) advises that it
>> failed to install some files. They are from within one repository
>> directory, extras.ubuntu.com - which just went obsolete with Ubuntu
>> 15.04! Okay, what's THAT about? Well, it was obsoleted because
>> developers wanted its files moved into normal directories, instead.
>> And that just happened - except, Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and 14.04 LTS have
>> that long-term support commitment to stay viable for five years. So
>> extras.ubuntu.com lingers on for them (and, or the time being, for
>> 14.10) while confusing the hell out of other users and developers for
>> a while to come.
>>
>> The solution to THAT vivid extras extra (until they straighten out and
>> fly right) is to edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file on your Ubuntu
>> 15.04 installation. In a Terminal window, enter sudo nautilus
>> /etc/apt/sources.list and Delete or comment out any lines containing
>> "extras.ubuntu.com" and then Save. Now enter sudo apt-get update and,
>> when it's done, Reboot. NOW your /rEFIind/ install will work.
>>
>> I just explained this at our FOSS User Group meeting, Thursday
>> afternoon. Congratulations, Jerry, on your good timing! :-)
>>
>> Cheers from
>> --Dick Miller, Partner, MMS <TheMillers at millermicro.com
>> <mailto:TheMillers at millermicro.com>>
>>    	Co-Leader, FOSS User Group at Natick Community-Senior Center
>> <http://millermicro.com/FOSSUserGroupNatick.html>
>>
>> -- 
>> *| A. Richard & Jill A. Miller            | MILLER MICROCOMPUTER
>> SERVICES |
>> | Mailto:TheMillers at millermicro.com      | 61 Lake Shore Road            |
>> | Web: http://www.millermicro.com/       | Natick, MA 01760-2099, USA    |
>> | Voice: 508/653-6136, 9AM-9PM -0400(EDT)| NMEA N 42.29993?, W
>> 71.36558? |*
>>
>>
>> On 05/09/2015 10:34 AM, Jerry Feldman wrote:
>>> Since this was well within the warranty period I sent the unit back.
>>>
>>> On 05/09/2015 10:19 AM, John Abreau wrote:
>>>> I've seen similar intermittent behavior on four separate systems over
>>>> the years. Two I just gave up on and replaced, and for the other two,
>>>> I found that one had a cracked motherboard and the other had a cracked
>>>> solder joint.
>>>>
>>>> I was able to fix the bad solder joint, but I replaced the laptop with
>>>> the cracked motherboard. If it has still been within its warranty
>>>> period, I would have had the motherboard replaced, but eBay purchases
>>>> typically don't come with extended warranties.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, May 9, 2015 at 7:39 AM, Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org
>>>> <mailto:gaf at blu.org>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>     Back in March I bought a refurb Lenovo Thinkpad W520. After installing
>>>>     Linux, I performed an update. Went to the installfest, worked
>>>>     fine. But
>>>>     at the following BLU meeting it would not boot. I repeated the
>>>>     proceedure a few times, and over a short period of time, the kernel
>>>>     would load but would not complete the boot. I had 1 additional issue
>>>>     where there was a vertical green line on my display (that was
>>>>     intermittent). So, I returned the unit. They sent me a new unit as a
>>>>     replacement that works perfectly. So, it appears that the issue was a
>>>>     hardware issue. The replacement unit is now running Fedora 21 with the
>>>>     latest Fedora kernel. (3.19.5-200.fc21.x86_64.
>>>>
>>>>     --
>>>>     Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org <mailto:gaf at blu.org>>
>>>>     Boston Linux and Unix
>>>>     PGP key id:B7F14F2F
>>>>     PGP Key fingerprint: D937 A424 4836 E052 2E1B  8DC6 24D7 000F B7F1
>>>>     4F2F
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     _______________________________________________
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>>>>     Discuss at blu.org <mailto:Discuss at blu.org>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> John Abreau / Executive Director, Boston Linux & Unix
>>>> Email jabr at blu.org <mailto:jabr at blu.org> / WWW http://www.abreau.net /
>>>> PGP-Key-ID 0x920063C6
>>>> PGP-Key-Fingerprint A5AD 6BE1 FEFE 8E4F 5C23  C2D0 E885 E17C 9200 63C6
>>>>

-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id:B7F14F2F
PGP Key fingerprint: D937 A424 4836 E052 2E1B  8DC6 24D7 000F B7F1 4F2F