Can't seem to get gentoo.iso or any other os to load on my laptop

**pr0t3g3** · May 31st, 2010

Originally Posted by cariboo907

On the Dell boot screen it may tell you what to press to change the boot order, if not press the key to enter the bios setup, and change the boot order there.

It still doesnt seem to want to let me boot from the boot screen... it doesn't give me a button... I'll just search the net to find it.

**jocko** · May 31st, 2010

Originally Posted by pr0t3g3

ok.. did you see my last post? take a look at it again... I uploaded a screen shot
That's a very good assessment... what DO I press to boot a bio's??

According to your screenshot it looks like you have burned the cd the correct way.

As I said, I can't tell you which key to press to get into the bios setup, since I don't have access to an identical computer, and I don't have your computer's manual.
You need to reboot your computer and look at the bios splash screen (this shows within the first few seconds after the computer starts to boot, and often shows the logo of your motherboard's manufacturer or whichever OEM (DELL, IBM, Lenovo ...) put your computer together. It should also tell you something similar to "press <some key> to enter setup", and if you are lucky "press <some other key> to enter boot device menu".

If the splash screen flashes by too quickly for you to read, try pressing the Pause/Break key on your keyboard to freeze it, or find your motherboard/computer manual.
The keys I have seen on different computers are Del, F2, Esc or F8 (Think an old dell used F2 for setup and F8 for boot menu).

**pr0t3g3** · May 31st, 2010

Originally Posted by jocko

According to your screenshot it looks like you have burned the cd the correct way.

As I said, I can't tell you which key to press to get into the bios setup, since I don't have access to an identical computer, and I don't have your computer's manual.
You need to reboot your computer and look at the bios splash screen (this shows within the first few seconds after the computer starts to boot, and often shows the logo of your motherboard's manufacturer or whichever OEM (DELL, IBM, Lenovo ...) put your computer together. It should also tell you something similar to "press <some key> to enter setup", and if you are lucky "press <some other key> to enter boot device menu".

If the splash screen flashes by too quickly for you to read, try pressing the Pause/Break key on your keyboard to freeze it, or find your motherboard/computer manual.
The keys I have seen on different computers are Del, F2, Esc or F8 (Think an old dell used F2 for setup and F8 for boot menu).

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Doesnt seem to working; I pressed the boot button and it won't load it... it makes as though it will and just loads ubuntu... i don't understand why it's doing this... i really want this to work... help?

**Hman242** · May 31st, 2010

Turn your computer off with the Gentoo disc still in the disc drive. Power on your computer and when you manufacturer's logo shows up(Dell, HP, ASUS, etc) there should be some options at the bottom of the screen. Look for one that is similar to BIOS MENU, BOOT OPTIONS, or PRESS ESC FOR MORE OPTIONS. All of those options except the third will show the key you need to press to select that option. It should list the key to the left of said option.

If you choose the BOOT OPTIONS(or similar) option, then skip this paragraph. There should be a menu now that list several things. Look for one that says something along the lines of BOOT OPTIONS. It should say the key next to the option to select it.

Now you will use the arrow keys to select what you want to boot from. You will need to select you disc drive. After doing so, it will boot from the disc and you will go about the install.

**pr0t3g3** · May 31st, 2010

Originally Posted by Hman242

Turn your computer off with the Gentoo disc still in the disc drive. Power on your computer and when you manufacturer's logo shows up(Dell, HP, ASUS, etc) there should be some options at the bottom of the screen. Look for one that is similar to BIOS MENU, BOOT OPTIONS, or PRESS ESC FOR MORE OPTIONS. All of those options except the third will show the key you need to press to select that option. It should list the key to the left of said option.

If you choose the BOOT OPTIONS(or similar) option, then skip this paragraph. There should be a menu now that list several things. Look for one that says something along the lines of BOOT OPTIONS. It should say the key next to the option to select it.

Now you will use the arrow keys to select what you want to boot from. You will need to select you disc drive. After doing so, it will boot from the disc and you will go about the install.

^_^ that's what I did... and it merely booted ubuntu.

I pressed the boot button (f12 for my dell) and then selected boot from cd/dvd etc... and then let it load.. instead of loading the install or anything like that.. it loaded ubuntu with a little disk shape on my desktop... but when I clicked it there was nothing new or special.. same as screen shot on page 1... then I got angry and selected the options for boot one by one. a couple times it booted ubuntu like normal.. others it either crashed or said: cannot find hardware..

**jocko** · June 1st, 2010

Originally Posted by pr0t3g3

^_^ that's what I did... and it merely booted ubuntu.

I pressed the boot button (f12 for my dell) and then selected boot from cd/dvd etc... and then let it load.. instead of loading the install or anything like that.. it loaded ubuntu with a little disk shape on my desktop... but when I clicked it there was nothing new or special.. same as screen shot on page 1... then I got angry and selected the options for boot one by one. a couple times it booted ubuntu like normal.. others it either crashed or said: cannot find hardware..

Exactly what do you get when you press F12? A simple boot menu that only gives you some options for what to boot from? If that does not work you have to go into the actual bios setup and set the boot order there.
Can't give you the specific details for your system, but in one of the sub-menus in the bios setup you should find a list of devices that your computer can boot from. You need to change it so that your cd drive comes first in that list, and your hard drive second, and then save the changes before you exit setup and reboot.

**Hman242** · June 1st, 2010

Make sure you don't choose Internal Hard Disc Drive, and choose CD/DVD ROM Drive.

**pr0t3g3** · June 1st, 2010

Originally Posted by Hman242

Make sure you don't choose Internal Hard Disc Drive, and choose CD/DVD ROM Drive.

lol... of course I'm going to choose the cd drive.... that's not the problem here... I figured out that NO disk including my official windows xp install disk will work... which is disturbing...

**jocko** · June 2nd, 2010

Originally Posted by pr0t3g3

lol... of course I'm going to choose the cd drive.... that's not the problem here... I figured out that NO disk including my official windows xp install disk will work... which is disturbing...

...but you still haven't said if you have managed to change the boot order in bios, or if you have only managed to get the boot device selection menu, or if you have tried both.

**pr0t3g3** · June 2nd, 2010

Originally Posted by jocko

...but you still haven't said if you have managed to change the boot order in bios, or if you have only managed to get the boot device selection menu, or if you have tried both.

But I have now... and it still didn't work.. which makes me less suspicous of ubuntu trapping me and more of a problem within my own pc...