Linux won't let me install Linux

[webcoded612]

I'm desperate to get away from Windows XP. I downloaded the Ubuntu 8.04 Alternate CD (Ubuntu installer doesn't play nice with my video card, I guess) and burned it (at slow speeds since Ubuntu doesn't install from a disc burnt at 40x).

When I pop it in an reboot, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor: _

It sits. I went to smoke, read a little, made a few phone calls...came back twenty minutes later and it's still sitting there.

What do I do?

I'm running an e-Machines W3502...Windows XP Home...2Ghz AMD64 CPU with 1600Mhz FSB...1.5GB DDR RAM...80Gb HDD...ATI Radeon X1300 PCI-E vid card 256Mb.

My system is plenty fast enough to run Linux, and I've been able to install 8.04 before...I just can't remember how. Nothing has changed with the hardware in the PC, and Windows loads and runs everything fine (I'm using Win XP now) so it's not broken hardware.

Bad disc maybe? I only have one blank one left, and I hate to waste it on Ubuntu if it's not going to work.

Any constructive help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

P.S. I also burned Linux Mint and tried to install it. I know it's a derivative of Ubuntu, and it did the exact same thing. The odds of burning two bad discs are a lot greater than burning one bad one, and since they both use the Ubuntu structure, I'm thinking program issue here. Thought I'd toss that in in case it ruled out the "bad disc" theory.

[webcoded612]

Nobody knows?

[Xappe]

Make sure you didn't burn the disc as a data disc with the iso on it. You have to use the "Burn image" (or similar) option in the burning software that you use.

If you pop in the disc in windows, what do you see when you browse the contents?

[webcoded612]

I burned it as "Disc from Image". It's not just a data disk.

As for what I get when I browse in Windows...it freezes explorer lol.

What are the odds of two disks being burned badly? I'll try the instructions I found on burning disks...if that doesn't work I guess it's not meant for me to run Linux.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious lol!

[Xappe]

If you don't get your discs up and running you could try this application I stumbled upon yesterday:


http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Haven't tried it myself yet, but it sure looks like a nice little tool.

[spectrevk]

I had a similar problem trying to install Ubuntu on my laptop. The solution I found was to burn the iso normally, but to use a DVD instead of a CD.

I can't tell you why, but the damn thing worked immediately.

[wpshooter]

1) Have you check the integrity of the Ubuntu CD by running the verification function that is found on the initial Ubuntu boot screen menu ?

2) Suggest that you get yourself a few CD-RW media, so that you can write and erase them over & over & over again.

3) Have you tried booting in the Safe video mode ?

P. S. - Are you burning the CDs at 4X or less ?

Good luck.

[webcoded612]

Lowest the burning program I'm using goes is 16x. I can't check integrity or boot in safe video mode because it doesn't get that far. I get the gian "e" for emachines, then black screen with blinking cursor.

CD-RW media is a good idea, but it doesn't help me tonight (wife has only car at work), and I want to get this done tonight. It irks me that the .iso is so touchy it won't run when burned under normal burning conditions. Grr.

I found a page on the forums here with burn instructions and a program to use, but I can't find it again.

Thanks!

[wpshooter]

Are you downloading and burning from a Windows machine or from a another Ubuntu/Linux machine ?

P. S. - If you have access to a Ubuntu machine, I would use the k3b program to burn the ISO image.

[webcoded612]

Windows XP