Operating system not found - liveCD failure

[QLee]

Well, MG did state that his Windows disk wouldn't boot either, presumably, it is a professionally created disk.

[QLee]

@QLee I'm certain that the CD Drive is being checked on powerup. It lights up, the disk spins, everything seems normal before I get the OSNF. Plus, the boot order in the BIOS is set to check the CD-ROM first/
...

It's a conundrum isn't it?

At this point, it looks a lot like a hardware problem, were you inside the case at all, are all the connections inside good?

[Metal Giant]

Hang on, I've just taken out the Kubuntu disk to check it on another PC again (it checks fine) I've put it back in the drive again, this time to carefully watch the lights on powerup as QLee suggests. Other than that, I've done nothing different.

I've just powered up again and for no reason whatsoever it seems to be working! I'm in the text-based install mode (I can live with that) but it's reading and trying to install. I mean, how weird is this?

I'll keep you posted as to how the install goes, I'm not confident. I think maybe she's haunted?

[QLee]

I'll keep you posted as to how the install goes, I'm not confident. I think maybe she's haunted?

Yeah, haunted, or maybe a flaky laser or dirty lens, you did say it was an old system.

[Metal Giant]

...just while its working in the background partitioning the drive, I'll just say that yes the case was opened, I had been checking all the connections and they all seemed just fine. I'm worried that it is a hardware glitch somewhere. In fact, it probably has to be that? It's a good job it's only a spare machine. I'd just love to know whats making it so temperamental. Haunted theory looks the strongest one so far.

[ST3ALTHPSYCH0]

I think that your optical drive is working on a "Dear John" letter! From the sounds of things, I'd start looking into a new drive if I were you.

[Metal Giant]

Agreed. In fact, as I remember, the place I picked it up from had it in the corner of a room with a wireless LAN connection. They had an aerial with a heavy magnetic base stuck to the top of the metal case over the CD-Drive. I remarked at the time that that probably wasnt a good idea. I wonder if that's the cause of my woes? But the drive worked before, so I'm clueless.

Anyway, 40% installed, which is a great result so far...

[Metal Giant]

Well, success! It finally decided to behave itself, I'm going to put it down to hardware glitchyness in the CD-ROM. So I guess this thread can be listed as [SOLVED] now?

Thanks you guys, for your assistance and ideas, what a thoroughly good bunch you are!