New home server issues - endless reboots

[polar]

Right, new PC home server build issues:

Server built and I wanted to install ubuntu 14.04 server I boot from usb the install completes and I just get endless reboots (I re-downloaded the iso - same issue) I have taken it out of the case and booted same issued so no shorts. I assumed it was faulty RAM or PSU or cooling - I replaced PSU, RAM and re-applied TIM and bought a new cooler.
I thought I would try Debian again and it installed fine and booted fine. I thought problem solved.

Tonight I decided I would rather use Ubuntu Server, downloaded the iso and set about installing it, it completed fine - then endless re-boots. So its still not fixed. So its currently installing Debian again - so far OK not up to first boot yet though.

I'm thinking the only thing it can be is the motherboard? Or could it be a driver issue? BIOS issue? CPU? PSU not providing enough power?

Components

AMD A6-6400K- from a friend after he upgraded
MSI A88XM-E35
500gb Hitachi 2.5" HDD
BeQuiet 350w PSU - now changed to some no-name 500w - known working on another old PC
Arctic Apline 64 GT - upgraded from stock cooler
Corsair 1600mhz DDR3 1.5v 4gb RAM - upgraded from S/H 4gb 1333mhz RAM


Any ideas anyone?

[polar]

Debian install just finished OK, rebooted OK - failed to load full gnome desktop assume because of closed ATI drivers - still no closer to an answer?

I have installed ubuntu on many PCs and never encountered an issue like this

[peterb]

Not too familiar with debian based distros, but is there a facility for interactive not, so you see what each stage of the boot does?, Or a single user mode? Does it boot OK to a command line interface? (Which would indicate an server problem, which in turn points to driver or xcerver configuration problem).

[polar]

Thanks for your post peterb
Well Ubuntu is based on debian which is kind of strange, the more I think about it, it must be driver related?

it boots to grub boot screen eg: BIOS flash, which OS would you like to boot, enter on ubuntu server, then BIOS flash etc

Debian has been running ok since install this evening - did get a gnome error on first boot, but i think thats because the ATI drivers are restricted. I have never had any issues like this with ubuntu, its really strange

[peterb]

Can you enter a kernel command at the grub stage to boot to a terminal screen, rather than to the GUI?

[peterb]

Just done some Googling. Change quiet splash to single. If that boots to a terminal console, it is an server and/driver problem. You can then edit the server config file give a lower default resolution.

[aidanjt]

I've had problems with 14.04 as well. I just dropped back to 12.04.4. That'd be better for a server anyway, it has most kinks ironed out. Maybe give 14.04 6 months or so and they'll have 14.04.1 out and the release installer bugs should be addressed by then.

[DanceswithUnix]

Couple of thoughts:
* Is there a BIOS update.
* In case this is a video/main shared ram issue, have you tried it with a plug in graphics card.

[polar]

Ok, thanks very much for the replies - so it does appear this is a driver/software conflict rather than a hardware issue as I first assumed,

Debian boots fine and is still running OK. I guess I need to swap the PSU over and see if it boots under Debian without issue, which I guess it will.

Danceswithunix - this shared graphics issue could have something to do with it, the memory showing
under debian is 3gb - so 1gb allocated to graphics. I guess I can change this in the BIOS?

I haven't got a spare graphics card to swap, I hadn't really intended to run any graphics but I do need it to boot! I see that Scan have refurb EVGA for £20ish so I could pick one up as an aside I paid extra for the board as it had HDMI and DVI!

There is a BIOS update but nothing is mentioned in the update description - I guess its an easy thing just to update via usb?

So I guess the thing to do is to re-install ubuntu server, boot under recovery mode and try and sort from there or instal it without a graphical interface and then installing something like XCFE desktop from the command line on first boot or via SSH.

thanks for all the help, I will report back progress!