9.10 iso won't boot

[msbohn]

I downloaded the 9.10 iso to my Mac and checked the md5 checksum before popping out the cd. It checked fine.

I then put the cd into my Dell XP laptop and use FCIV to check the md5 again. It also checks fine but the Dell won't boot off the iso. It accesses the CD drive but reports to a black screen: "no bootable xxx found" (can't recall the exact wording just now). I tried several dozen times but no joy.

I've seen a couple of similar threads on this forum and was wondering how can the disk be faulty if the md5 checks on the target machine? While the md5 checksum is not perfectly collision resistant it only repeats once out of 2^64 times (1 second out of 584 billion years!) so it is hard to believe two of us on this forum would have the same problem.

[Subbu_09]

I downloaded the 9.10 iso to my Mac and checked the md5 checksum before popping out the cd. It checked fine.

I then put the cd into my Dell XP laptop and use FCIV to check the md5 again. It also checks fine but the Dell won't boot off the iso. It accesses the CD drive but reports to a black screen: "no bootable xxx found" (can't recall the exact wording just now). I tried several dozen times but no joy.

I've seen a couple of similar threads on this forum and was wondering how can the disk be faulty if the md5 checks on the target machine? While the md5 checksum is not perfectly collision resistant it only repeats once out of 2^64 times (1 second out of 584 billion years!) so it is hard to believe two of us on this forum would have the same problem.

Hi,

I am not sure if you are referring to the thread that I posted on the same issue a week back. However, I have got my issue resolved and I am able to successfully boot into the Ubuntu 9.10 desktop with my LIVE CD.

You may try any of the followig options to rule out where exactly the issue may be:
1. Try using the Live CD in another computer, if possible and see if it loads there.
(If it loads there, because it MD5 checksummed without any issues, then the hardware in your Dell lapto may not like this version of Ubuntu OR booting into it thru' the LIVE CD).

2. Burn the ISO image using a different brand of CD-ROM and try.

3. Burn the ISO image using a different ISO image burning software and also with a different, preferably lower at 4X or 8X speeds and try.

and finally,

4. Try burning the same ISO image from a different computer - not from your MAC -
which will obviously have a different CD-RW drive. Because, there is a possibility of
the LENS being corrupted - only for the purpose of burning LIVE ISO images and boot CD's with your MAC and that would have caused the issue.

That is what I found out from my experience, though I used Windows XP to burn my
LIVE CD first, which failed forever until I got it burnt from another computer.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

[audiomick]

good advice from subbo.
What it boils down to is that either the CD is "broken", or your drive is "broken", whereby broken can mean anything that causes the operation not to be performed, and is not to be taken too literally ;)

You just have to systematically eliminate possible errors by substitution and comparison

[msbohn]

Forgot to mention that my 9.04 iso boots fine. Could I install from that and then upgrade online to 9.10?

And thanks for the replies so far.

[phillw]

Yes, you can upgrade to 9.10 from 9.04 - however, because of Grub2 and ext4 it is recommened to do a 'clean' install.

You can use the same upgrade path as me 9.04 --9.10 and Grub-Grub2 That's good to run, but you won't get the faster ext4 partition.

Regards,

Phill.

[audiomick]

Forgot to mention that my 9.04 iso boots fine.

It really sounds like the CD has a problem, even if it does check ok.
I'd try burning another one, taking heed of Subbu_09's advice.

[phillw]

Hi,

I am not sure if you are referring to the thread that I posted on the same issue a week back. However, I have got my issue resolved and I am able to successfully boot into the Ubuntu 9.10 desktop with my LIVE CD.

You may try any of the followig options to rule out where exactly the issue may be:
1. Try using the Live CD in another computer, if possible and see if it loads there.
(If it loads there, because it MD5 checksummed without any issues, then the hardware in your Dell lapto may not like this version of Ubuntu OR booting into it thru' the LIVE CD).

2. Burn the ISO image using a different brand of CD-ROM and try.

3. Burn the ISO image using a different ISO image burning software and also with a different, preferably lower at 4X or 8X speeds and try.

and finally,

4. Try burning the same ISO image from a different computer - not from your MAC -
which will obviously have a different CD-RW drive. Because, there is a possibility of
the LENS being corrupted - only for the purpose of burning LIVE ISO images and boot CD's with your MAC and that would have caused the issue.

That is what I found out from my experience, though I used Windows XP to burn my
LIVE CD first, which failed forever until I got it burnt from another computer.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,


It is also worth looking into the possibility of a USB stick boot. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick has details of to achieve this - even if you cannot actually select a usb stick as a boot drive from your BIOS.

regards,

Phill.

[msbohn]

It is also worth looking into the possibility of a USB stick boot. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick has details of to achieve this - even if you cannot actually select a usb stick as a boot drive from your BIOS.

regards,

Phill.

Yes that is an option I had to resort to in order to run Clonezilla. I tried the CD route several times and finally went to the USB method which worked first time.

It also sounds like there are benefits sticking with the 9.10 install route rather than the 9.04/upgrade route.

I'll try one more CD burn and then start looking into the USB method.

I'm a little surprised it is so difficult with CDs.

[phillw]

Yes that is an option I had to resort to in order to run Clonezilla. I tried the CD route several times and finally went to the USB method which worked first time.

It also sounds like there are benefits sticking with the 9.10 install route rather than the 9.04/upgrade route.

I'll try one more CD burn and then start looking into the USB method.

I'm a little surprised it is so difficult with CDs.


This may sound a bit crazy, but el-cheapo CD-R's seem to give less problems than the expensive ones --> I'm only repeating anecdotal evidence from one of the sites I use for support issues.

I've never had problems with CD installs - but I burn them REAL slow (2X speed)

The 4GB USB Stick from canonical is pretty kewl - comes with 9.10 on it :D Mine only took a few days to arrive.

http://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=577

[msbohn]

This may sound a bit crazy, but el-cheapo CD-R's seem to give less problems than the expensive ones --> I'm only repeating anecdotal evidence from one of the sites I use for support issues.

I've never had problems with CD installs - but I burn them REAL slow (2X speed)

The 4GB USB Stick from canonical is pretty kewl - comes with 9.10 on it :D Mine only took a few days to arrive.

http://shop.canonical.com/product_info.php?products_id=577

Good grief! The US store has the CD for $10 for 5 copies. I've already wasted a lot more than $10 of my time.

[phillw]

Good grief! The US store has the CD for $10 for 5 copies. I've already wasted a lot more than $10 of my time.


CD's were running late on delivery times. I think the demand for them was a lot higher than anticipated ;-)

Phill.

[msbohn]

CD's were running late on delivery times. I think the demand for them was a lot higher than anticipated ;-)

Phill.

I can wait for sure.

Thanks!

[phillw]

I can wait for sure.

Thanks!


You can download ubuntu images from here --> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PoweredBy

Phill.

[msbohn]

CD's were running late on delivery times. I think the demand for them was a lot higher than anticipated ;-)

Phill.

You were correct. I just got a backorder notice. Delivery is scheduled for 12/20.

[mkvnmtr]

Just a cation. Make sure you have the correct release for your computer. Using the wrong disk will give the same result you are getting.

[msbohn]

Just a cation. Make sure you have the correct release for your computer. Using the wrong disk will give the same result you are getting.Yes, I'm using the i386 desktop iso for my Mac/OSX and my Dell XP.

Let's not forget anions!

[msbohn]

I tried again to download and burn the 9.10 iso and this time it worked!

Didn't really change a thing. But I did download it from the "Canada" site and it came over really fast.

Onward and Upward!

Thanks for everyone's help.

[phillw]

I tried again to download and burn the 9.10 iso and this time it worked!

Didn't really change a thing. But I did download it from the "Canada" site and it came over really fast.

Onward and Upward!

Thanks for everyone's help.
Excellent news - Welcome to Ubuntu !!

Regards,

Phill.

[presence1960]

Yes that is an option I had to resort to in order to run Clonezilla. I tried the CD route several times and finally went to the USB method which worked first time.

It also sounds like there are benefits sticking with the 9.10 install route rather than the 9.04/upgrade route.

I'll try one more CD burn and then start looking into the USB method.

I'm a little surprised it is so difficult with CDs.

Sounds like you have had problems with CDs. I would look into that!

[msbohn]

delete