Installing GRUB boot Loader freezes when Running "grub-install dummy"

Question

When installing Ubuntu 12.04 server from a disc, my system freezes up after the installation comes to Installing GRUB boot loader, with a 50% completion bar and the command

"Running "grub-install dummy"... 

below that.

I've tried this installation in both advanced and simple mode and the installation has frozen at this same spot for at least the past 10 attempts.

I am partitioning the entire disk and have only selected the SQL software to install. I have tried both installing security updates automatically and not.

I am using the following machine:

HP P2-1033W
Processor:  AMD Fusion E-300 (1.3GHz)
Processor Core: Dual-Core   
Memory: 3GB 3GB
Max Memory: 16GB    
Memory Slots:   2 (occupied)    
Graphics:   ATI Radeon HD 6310  
Hard Drive: 500GB SATA (7200rpm)    
Optical Drive:  SuperMulti DVD±RW   
Sound:  Realtek ALC662  Realtek ALC662
Network:    10/100 Base-T

Is there a method to getting to the GRUB to install, without freezing?

---

Log Files:

These were found together

May 22 02:20:13 ubuntu kernel: [ 2107.477308] NTFS driver 2.1.30 [Flags: R/O MODULE].  
May 22 02:20:13 ubuntu kernel: [ 2107.533946] QNX4 filesystem 0.2.3 registered.  
May 22 02:20:13 ubuntu os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sda1  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: mounted using GRUB fat filesystem driver  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: running subtest /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/10freedos  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 10freedos: debug: /dev/sda1 is a FAT partition (mounted by GRUB)  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: running subtest /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/10qnx  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 10qnx: debug: /dev/sda1 is not a QNX4 partition: exiting  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: running subtest /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/20macosx  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu macosx-prober: debug: /dev/sda1 is not an HFS+ partition: exiting  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: running subtest /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/20microsoft  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 20microsoft: debug: /dev/sda1 is a FAT partition (mounted by GRUB)  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 50mounted-tests: debug: running subtest /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/30utility  
May 22 02:20:14 ubuntu 30utility: debug: /dev/sda1 is a FAT partition (mounted by GRUB) 

This is all one segmenet here:

May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]: Traceback (most recent call last):  
May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]:   File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/misc.py", line 151, in grub_options  
May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]:     for disk in p.disks():  
May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]:   File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/parted_server.py", line 156, in disks  
May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]:     return sorted(os.listdir(devices))  
May 22 02:23:26 ubuntu ubiquity[4062]: OSError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/var/lib/partman/devices'

Solution

This is not an answer, but rather a request for more information. I'm using the answer format to make the request easier to read.

I (still) can not determine from the log messages you added to your question what is happening.

Could you please copy the entire contents of /var/log/syslog to a pastebin, for example paste.ubuntu.com, so we can look it over?

One way to do this is to

1. Boot your 12.04 Live CD or USB and select Try Ubuntu
2. Use the file manager to open the (root) folder of the partition into which you are attempting to install Ubuntu.
3. Open var/log/syslog on your install drive in a text editor. Select and copy all the text in the log file to the clipboard.
4. Open Firefox and go to http://paste.ubuntu.com and paste the text of the syslog file into the Content: box. Then click the Paste! button.
5. The page will refresh and the URL of the page will change to something similar to http://paste.ubuntu.com/1001713/ Save this URL! Add it to your question by editing/updating it so that we can look at your syslog entries.

---

Below is another way to accomplish the same thing as above. The only difference is that the method below installs and uses a utility named pastebinit. I suppose the above method might be considered easier. But I rationalized that there may be some slight educational value to showing how to do the above with pastebinit.

1. Boot your 12.04 Live CD or USB and select Try Ubuntu
2. Open a terminal window.
   (Note: you can use the keyboard shortcut CtrlAlt+T to do this.)
3. Run the command gksudo software-properties-gtk to open the Software Sources window. Make sure universe is checked as a source. (See example screenshot below). Then close the window.
   
   
   
   

4. Run the command sudo apt-get update

5. Run the command sudo apt-get install pastebinit to install the pastebinit tool.

6. Enter the text pastebinit -i into the terminal window, but do NOT press Enter.
7. Use the file manager to open the (root) folder of the partition into which you are attempting to install Ubuntu. Navigate to the var/log folder. Select the file syslog.
8. Use your mouse to "drag and drop" the syslog file from the file manager window to your terminal window. You should end up with a command on the command line in the terminal window similar to the one below.
   
   pastebinit -i '/media/0fbd8146-bba5-4754-b7e6-c3e63f415566/var/log/syslog'
   
   If the command looks correct, then press Enter
9. The output from the command should be the URL of the pastebin. It should look similar to this: http://paste.ubuntu.com/1001713/
   Add the URL to your question by editing/updating it so that we can look at your syslog entries.

Comments

[irrational John]

I am not sure if it is relevant but Launchpad Bug #993460 appears similiar. But that bug results due to an error while installing grub-efi. Do you know if your system has a UEFI BIOS?

[Steven]

The model certainly does, but during the installation, I removed all partitions so I'm not sure if its still present. That bug report indicates "Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)" and I'm using 20120424.1. Is it possible the error is linked to the installation disk? The disk check does not show any errors.

[irrational John]

I am not certain what you are saying. Removing partitions would have no effect on whether the BIOS is UEFI or not. Was a bug logged when your install failed? Are there any GRUB messages in /var/log/syslog on the drive you were installing to?

[Steven]

I'm finding it very challenging to check those logs when the install is frozen, will it help if I retrieve the logs prior to installing the GRUB boot loader?

[irrational John]

I think the logs will persist if you don't attempt to install again. Try booting the Live CD/USB with Try Ubuntu and then opening the file manger. Your install drive should be available and you should be able to mount it and read the logs. (I'm not positive this will work, but it seems worth suggesting.)

[Steven]

Indeed, the above does work, however I can't seem to locate where the log files are stored on the disc. Any hints? :-)

[irrational John]

I am not familiar with all the logs, but start with /var/log/syslog. Open it in a text editor and search for grub and see if you find anything. If you do find anything interesting the Live CD should allow you to connect to your network. You could use Firefox to edit your question here and use copy and paste to add log messages of possible interest. (see cdn.sstatic.net/img/faq/faq-edit.png)

[Steven]

I made the edits in the question to show the log files.

[Steven]

If those are not related to the server installation, it may be related to an attempt at trying to install Ubuntu desktop and partition it separately from the server (which failed, but that's not important :-p)