Ubuntu not booting and initial ramdisk not loading

[bob466]

Well we seem to be getting nowhere fast especially when the OP says he/she is entering commands in Grub...how do you run commands in the Boot Loader.

OP has an old windoze computer...download the windoze version of Ventoy...install it to a Flash Drive of 8GB or more.
Download the Mint ISO (Mint would be simpler)..then drag the ISO into Ventoy and with secure boot disabled boot to Ventoy and install Linux Mint 22.3.

 

[Condobloke]

Well we seem to be getting nowhere fast

I agree. Posts #15 & 16 headed off in that direction, but then it all goes to hell in post # 17

 

[Trml]

Download the Mint ISO (Mint would be simpler).

The OP already tried it in post #9.

I remember seeing x86_64 in the settings and files I downloaded.

What you download is no indication. The exact processor model is all needed to know for sure. Without doubt it will be shown in one of the first UEFI bios screens, from there googling CPU specifications is quick. If it was 32-bit, the whole issues would suddenly make sense.

 

[bob466]

The OP already tried it in post #9.

Well it's a simple matter to drag the Mint ISO into Ventoy...which hasn't been mentioned except by me.
The windoze version of Ventoy is very easy to install rather than the Linux version.

Condobloke gave a simple command to check if it's 32bit or 64bit but OP isn't sure how to do it...so OP is very new to Linux and should start with baby steps and installing the Distro would be first thing on my list.

 

[bob466]

Speaking of computer information...a few Terminal commands can show this or this software has a nice GUI which shows CPU...Motherboard and more...

but lets get the Distro installed first.

 

[Shrimpoodle]

I checked the processor model and confirmed it's 64bit.

Booting Mint through Ventoze and with secure boot disabled takes me to the grub menu where I encounter the same problem as before (error: you need to load the kernel first).

Well we seem to be getting nowhere fast especially when the OP says he/she is entering commands in Grub...how do you run commands in the Boot Loader.
View attachment 32467

On the bottom of the menu it says "Press enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before booting or 'c' for a command-line." I pressed 'c' and was typing things into there.

 

[bob466]

I checked the processor model and confirmed it's 64bit.

Booting Mint through Ventoze and with secure boot disabled takes me to the grub menu where I encounter the same problem as before (error: you need to load the kernel first).


On the bottom of the menu it says "Press enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before booting or 'c' for a command-line." I pressed 'c' and was typing things into there.

You're in the wrong place...you should be here...

The Distro is highlighted...hit Enter.
It will now boot to the Mint Desktop...from there select Install Linux Mint...
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/install.html

Note...when you get to...Choose an Installation Type...select...Erase Disk and Install Linux Mint. This will install Mint to the whole Drive.

The reason you're getting...error: you need to load the kernel first...is because you haven't installed the Distro which is what the Kernel is.
Hope this helps.

PS...the bottom of the Grub Menu has nothing to do with installing Mint.

 

[Condobloke]

@Shrimpoodle, follow bob466's instructions above.....first

Then, if that gives you no joy, on the Grub Menu that you see first, does it show 'Advanced Options' ??
if it does, click on that. There will be an entry for "enable networking'...select that.....Then choose "Repair Packages".
Repair packages could take quite some time, you should be able to see signs of movement (the installation continuing, sometimes for a couple of hours) ....be patient.