Ubuntu install keeps failing

[Dynamike06]

I am brand new to the Linux world. I don't know the first thing about writing code or understanding it,but I'm not afraid to try. I decided to download a copy of Ubuntu 8.10 and load it onto an old machine i had lying around but the install isn't going quite right.
I downloaded a live cd iso and burned it to cd but i've tried 10 times to load it and repeatedly get to the same point where the install just stops. At one point it actually did install, the process asked me about partition size so I chose the entire disk since I have plenty of windows puters around my house, I didn't need a dual boot system. However the install seemed to complete normally but Ubunto just loaded into a plain brown screen and hung there forever. I thought the install didn't like my partitioning for some reason since i didn't create a swap partition, so I decided to try again only this time I would create 3 partitions only I can't get to that point again. I just wanted a dedicated Linux box I could play with. The dos screen it stops at is as follows...



Loading Please wait...
Busybox v1.10.2 (ubuntu 1:1.10.2-1ubuntu6) built-in shell (ash)
enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands
(initramfs)_ _ _ _ _ _ .....



The system i'm loading onto, or attempting to do so is...
Compaq Presario6350us
80 Gig hdd
512 ram pc2100

I have cleaned the harddrive with a free version of
Lsoft technologies free Active@Killdisk before loading again so I know the drive is squeeky clean.

Any and all suggestions welcome...

[cariboo]

It sounds like the one time you got it to work, you had graphics adapter problems. What type of video card does your computer have?

Jim

[Dynamike06]

Thanks for the quick reply Cariboo,

The fact that i may have a graphics card issue may very well be, but that doesn't explain to me why it continually fails. Can the Graphics card prevent an install?
The one time it did install I can't even tell you what I may have done to actually get it to install, since i've tried so many times.
My specs are attached and the graph card is intigrated


Compaq Presario 6350US
6000 Series Internet Desktop PC
October 2002
Model COMPAQ PRESARIO 6350US

Product Number : DA204A
Standard Features
Dimensions & Weights

(L x W x H) PC: 16.55" x 6.88" x 14.5" (23.8 lbs)

Package: 22.25" x 20.0" x 11.5" (35.0 lbs)
Processor Intel ® Pentium ® 4 processor - 2.4GHz
System Bus 400MHz System Bus
Cache • 8KB data cache with 12,000 Micro-Ops trace cache

• 512KB L2 (secondary-on chip) cache
System Memory 512MB 133MHz DDR SDRAM

• 2 Total DIMM Slots

• Upgradeable to 1.0GB (DDR SDRAM DIMM required)
Hard Drive 80.0 GB UltraDMA Hard Drive
Optical Drive(s) • CD-RW (40x max write/10x max re-write/40x max read)

• 16x max speed DVD-ROM
Communications 56K ITU V.90 Modem and 10/100 Fast Ethernet Networking
Diskette Drive 3.5" 1.44 MB Diskette drive
Graphics Integrated Intel Extreme graphics

• Up to 64MB shared video memory
Audio/Speakers
Mouse Internet Scroll Mouse
Keyboard(s) Compaq PS/2 Internet Keyboard
Power Requirements 100-127V - 4.0A (50/60Hz)
Drive Bays • One (1) 3.5" internal for hard drive

• One (1) 3.5" external for 1.44 MB diskette drive

• One (1) 3.5" external open for expansion

• Two (2) 5.25" external for optical drives
Expansion Slots • One (1) PCI slot with modem installed

• Two (2) PCI slots open for expansion
I/O Interfaces • Six (6) USB 2.0 ports (2 front, 4 back)

• One (1) Serial RS-232C compatible, DB9 connector (16550)

• One (1) Parallel EPP/ECP standard centronics-compatible interface (DB + B3225 connector)

• Two (2) PS/2 ports (mouse, keyboard)

• Two (2) RJ-11 phone jacks (1 input, 1 output)

• One (1) RJ45 Ethernet Port

• One (1) VGA monitor connection

• Three (3) Audio ports (1 line-in, 1 line-out, 1 microphone-in)