Need help installing Linux on second computer

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dardra

Posts: 34   +0
Hello, ive never used linux, but i since i got a second computer now id like to install it on it and try it out, the computer that i will be using is quiet old "has a pentium 3 500mhz". So i installed linux 32bit iso, burned to disk and tried booting from disk on my second computer, it wont boot and it says "no bootable cd detected", and i also checked boot order and Cd-rom was checked for fitst option.

After careful inspection, i realized that this computer has a CD-ROM! and i burned on a dvd, and CD-roms cant read dvd's *face_palm*. so i installed a spare dvd-rom in the drive, hooked it up and the computer seems to not detect it and still says no bootable cd detected, i tired unplugging all the other periphials exect the HD and the Dvd-rom "There was 2 cd-roms". Do computers this old not detect dvd-roms? I dont know what the problem is. The motherboard is a MX6B /EZ "Aopen".

Thanks.
 
Have a good read of my guide in my signature below.

Ubuntu 10.04 is also CD-rom sized, which in your case is important.

As for DVD drive problem: Is BIOS showing the DVD drive? If its connected with the IDE (ribbon) cable it needs to have the correct jumper settings in order to function. Positions of jumper settings vary, but your DVD drive will have its own order for jumpers on the case. Make sure its set as slave if its the 2nd drive connected to the ribbon cable.

With your CPU, I would suggest something very light, or your won't get the best use from Linux. Ubuntu might be too heavy (but its still worth trying for the experience if anything!), and a DVD install would definitely be too heavy.
 
You mean theres a smaller sized ubuntu then 699mb? because all my cd-roms are 650mb :(

And the bios in my second computer is quiet different then the one i have, and the IDE /slave master stuff in the bios is confusing thing is confusing, ill try and look at it some more or see if i can get some screen shots.
 
Oh sweet, i got the computer to detect it, there is a primary ide ribbon and secondary ribbon, i used the primary for the HD and the secondary for the DVD-rom. Although when i boot it says unable to boot from this, you may need to get a bios update. Whats wrong with it?
 
Its likely the boot order.

You should have two IDE channels for disks; Use one channel for hard disks (primary and slave) and the other channel (2nd ribbon cable) for your optical drives.

Is the DVD drive you've connected as slave, got the correct settings for slave? e.g. are the jumpers on the back of the DVD drive set as slave?

If they are, then head into BIOS, and check the boot order of your devices.. You want DVD first, and your windows hard disk second.
 
Alright, but its saying it cant boot from disk, and it said to try and update bios, so i got latest bios update "came with 2 .exe's" , i put them on a floppy drive and i put in second computer, how do i boot into ms DOS so i can execute it and update the bios? thanks
 
You need to make a bootable MS Dos startup disk. You can do that in the format utility in Windows. (put your bios updates on the same disk once its formated as a boot floppy.

You then boot the computer from floppy drive and you just run the bios file names.

Its also possible your optical device needs a firmware update as well.

Something isn't right with the way you've either setup the disks, or with the bios settings. Updating the firmware is a good idea, but I doubt very much it will make a difference. Are you CERTAIN both the primary and slave disks are SET as that?
 
WOHOOO!! im so happy atm :D

i updated the bios, and its isntalling ubuntu atm :D

ty for your help
 
No worries dude. :)

I'm surprised the BIOS update sorted the problem, but its something learnt for me since it did!

Have fun with Ubuntu. If you haven't already, I would refer to my guide below in my signature, as it will also explain ater the install, how to update it so its current, and then install all the codecs, java runtime, MS fonts, flash etc. Ubuntu doesn't ship with full support due to legal reasons. This makes it so much better. :)
 
i got this message when trying to install.

"The installer encountered an unrecoverable error. A desktop session will now be run so that you may investigate the problem or try installing again."
 
For some reason people are getting this a lot with 10.04. The developers are aware, and hopefully it'll be resolved soon.

In the meantime... reboot with the Ubuntu CD inserted, and when prompted, select "try Ubuntu without installing".

Once the desktop has loaded, you'll see an icon on the left top of the screen, "Install"

Double click it, and install through there. It should then install correctly. :)
 
Oh, ive been also having a problem where it like .. freezes mid install sometimes too, i tried that
"try ubuntu without installing" but ill keep trying
 
If that doesn't work, I would recommend re-downloading Ubuntu, and burning the CD at a lower speed.
 
If you haven't got it installed by tonight, boot off the cd again and choose the memtest option, then let that run overnight. Bad RAM can cause random errors and can make the install fail at various points.
 
well, i've gotten a bit further, i clicked "try ubuntu" and about 30 minutes later after it loaded for a bit it says something about "failed to unknown user" or something like that, and now my screen is blank now and nothings happening, i should have taken a screenshot :/
 
I would try checking the RAM as SNGX suggested. If that passes without problems over night, then download and burn another copy of Ubuntu but burn it at the slowest speed and verify it once its burned.

It sounds like something isn't well with the media, or maybe like SNGX suggested, the RAM.
 
my post before this i reburned the DVD on lowest speed x1 cd x1 dvd and how would i check the ram exactly? how do i choose the memtest?
 
Motherboard: MX6B / EZ ( chipset intel 82440 ZX/BX AGpset. )
CPU: Intel pentium 3
hdd: Maxtor model "90871u2" ( is about 10gb )
ram: pc100 64mb SDRAM x 2 ( im not 100% sure both sticks are same, as one doesnt have specs on ram sticker)
PSU: 400w dynex
 
Those specifications are going to struggle to run Ubuntu. Ideally you need 256MB of RAM, and a 1GHZ cpu. I wasn't too concerned with the cpu as it will manage, but the RAM is a problem (and possibly why its failing).

You could try the alternative installer, which uses a text based installer (and doesn't run it in live mode which is probably overwhelming your pc).

Though, I would use another 'buntu Linux install, which is less demanding. You could try xubuntu - http://www.xubuntu.org/news/10.04-release

That will run with lower system specs. The last thing you want is an installation thats so slow its useless.
 
Its basically the same as Ubuntu, but instead of Gnome as the desktop manager (in Ubuntu) its XFCE instead. So it looks slightly differently, and has slightly different software sets, but underneath is pretty much the same.

You can run applications for Gnome and KDE, XFCE and anything else in any 'buntu or linux install - You just need the core of each to enable them to work.

XFCE is lightweight, Gnome/KDE have got somewhat heavy in recent times.

What is it your worried abotu losing?
 
oh was just worrying it was an inferior version which got rid of the core elements or something, and honestley i have no idea what gnome, KDE, XFCE or any of that stuff is to do with linux :p .

im installing it atm :D

im a linux noob
 
That's cool, everyone has to start somewhere. :D

Linux can be run purely from the command line (looks like dos prompt), or it can be run with a graphical user interface. This is where Gnome, KDE, XFCE etc come into it - They're all GUI's that are designed to allow the user to "use" the computer in a graphical environment.

I've always used Ubuntu (with Gnome), but I still use default KDE applications even though I don't really like the KDE GUI. That's the beauty of linux, you have what you want, how you want. :D
 
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