Can't run/install Ubuntu from USB: "Error setting up gfxboot"

Question

My installation of Kubuntu 16.04 has become unusable after trying to plug in an external monitor - it now renders a black screen every time I log in - so I've decided to just reformat and install Ubuntu (laptop is a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 carbon).

I am trying to install Ubuntu from a usb drive, and after trying 3 different USB drives, 3 separate downloads of Ubuntu (2 of 16.04 and 1 of 14.04), and 3 different USB creators, I always get error messages when I try to boot from the drives like this:

Loading Bootlogo
bootlogo: invalid file format
Error setting up gfxboot
boot:

And this error screen:

I tried a solution from another question that said to type 'help' at the boot prompt and then press enter, and this either gives me the message "uncompression error --system halted" or "could not allocate memory" and I have to hold the power button to switch the laptop off.

I am able to get into the root shell by holding down shift during boot up and entering the GRUB options, but I have no idea what to try. At this point I just want the laptop to work, I don't care about losing all my data.

If you solved your problem yourself, please answer your own question and accept it. Don’t put the answer in your question or the comments! Send me a message in the comments if you want my up-vote. :-) — David Foerster, Mar 30 '17 at 10:37

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 31 '17 at 11:24

1

I solved this issue by actually changing the boot order in the BIOS rather than just trying to temporarily boot from the USB. I now have Ubuntu 16.04 successfully installed.

edited Mar 31 '17 at 11:24

Zanna

70,465

answered Mar 31 '17 at 09:52

cltweedie

191

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 30 '17 at 08:16

0

I had the same issue on thinkpad x230 with 16.10 USB stick created through boot disk creator on 16.10. What did the trick for you, didn't work for me. However, undocking did the trick for me.

answered Mar 30 '17 at 08:16

leevanoetz

1

Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! Would you please expand this answer a bit? How did you go about undocking, and what were the results exactly? – anonymous2 Mar 30 '17 at 11:36
I've tried changing the boot order in BIOS as suggested in the accepted answer. That did not work for me. After I removed my laptop from the docking station and tried again, the installation went through without issues. – leevanoetz Apr 04 '17 at 14:35

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 20 '17 at 09:00

0

Unplug any HDMI or VGA cable if you are using them. It worked for me.

answered Oct 20 '17 at 09:00

Israel Varea

1,183
2
8
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Can't run/install Ubuntu from USB: "Error setting up gfxboot"

3 Answers3

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