Installing Ubuntu via USB Flash drive

[bratman91]

I am attempting to install Ubuntu 12.04 to replace XP on a desktop. I have made a bootable USB flash drive as detailed in the Ubuntu download page and this seems to work well using the "boot from flash drive" option. However, if trying to install to replace XP on the hard drive, either direct from the flash drive or from the option once booted up from the flash drive, I get as far as choosing a name and password but then all I get is a small white rotating cursor wheel. The install process doesn't seem to get beyond this. I have waited over an hour for something to happen but without success. Any suggestions as to what is going wrong?

[C.S.Cameron]

Your iso download may be corrupt.
You can check it's MD5SUM to find out for sure.

[bratman91]

Your iso download may be corrupt.
You can check it's MD5SUM to find out for sure.

I downloaded Ubuntu again and made a new bootable flashdrive. The install seemed to go OK until just after entering in user name and password, and then the screen went black and eventually showed the message:

speech-dispatcher disabled
saned disabled
*checking battery state [OK]


and nothing more

[C.S.Cameron]

Sorry, I have not run into this.
Does the computer meet spec's for the current Ubuntu?