I've got hold of a second PC and am trying to install Linux on itdo you have any knowledge I can tap?
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:21,
archived)
WellI'm going to get something up to date tomorrow, but tonight I'm just playing with an old Ubuntu 6.10 disk (from 2006). I thought it would be nice if I could format my drive and look around Ubuntu a bit tonight. Booting from the CD takes me to a blank tan-coloured desktop, with a mouse pointer (and after a while it even goes into some kind of screen saving mode), but nothing else.
I have just this minute learnt that ctrl-alt-F1 does something, and on that screen I get regular messages about the CD drive, saying "the drive appears confused". I think possibly the problem is that none of my available CD drives are any good. (I have three spare, this is the oldest, the newest one fucks up loading from CD and a DVD drive doesn't seem to work at all. Stupid second-hand bits.)
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:39,
archived)
I have just this minute learnt that ctrl-alt-F1 does something, and on that screen I get regular messages about the CD drive, saying "the drive appears confused". I think possibly the problem is that none of my available CD drives are any good. (I have three spare, this is the oldest, the newest one fucks up loading from CD and a DVD drive doesn't seem to work at all. Stupid second-hand bits.)
the ctrl-alt-f# allows you to select your session (ie you can have multiple logins)When you boot on the live cd it should offer you the option of testing your cd (and by proxy your cd drive) I suggest you try running that diagnostic test, something sounds fucked
the tan background with a pointer and nothing else sounds like it's hanging. Unless it's stuffed up your graphics...try alt+f2 and see if you get a run application box
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:47,
archived)
the tan background with a pointer and nothing else sounds like it's hanging. Unless it's stuffed up your graphics...try alt+f2 and see if you get a run application box
How do I exit from these sessionsand perhaps return to my crippled desktop?
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:49,
archived)
just try all the f numbers and see if you get back to your desktopif i recall correctly f7 is the default one with the gnome desktop
edit: yep ctrl+alt+f7
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:50,
archived)
edit: yep ctrl+alt+f7
ed: soz misread your post...ok, seems as though gnome hasn't loaded and the startup is hanging...can you move your cursor? is your cursor a traditional arrow or an X?
is the live cd good? If you got a menu (offering to install linux, try it out, test cd, boot from first hdd), you can try testing the cd, if you don't know.
otherwise, it's looking like a hardware/driver problem and tahkcalb probably knows far more than i do.
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:59,
archived)
is the live cd good? If you got a menu (offering to install linux, try it out, test cd, boot from first hdd), you can try testing the cd, if you don't know.
otherwise, it's looking like a hardware/driver problem and tahkcalb probably knows far more than i do.
No, I mean it doesn't bring up a run application box.alt+ctrl+f2 launches another session like all the rest.
I did actually run the test CD option earlier, and it came out OK, but that was on the previous drive I was trying, which in fact ironically appeared to be no good ("I/O error on device hdb, SQUASHFS error: sb_bread failed reading block..." etc) and wouldn't get as far as a desktop.
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Sat 9 May 2009, 3:02,
archived)
I did actually run the test CD option earlier, and it came out OK, but that was on the previous drive I was trying, which in fact ironically appeared to be no good ("I/O error on device hdb, SQUASHFS error: sb_bread failed reading block..." etc) and wouldn't get as far as a desktop.
Heh.Well, I'm going to shut this PC down now and re-arrange my drives in a futile manner. Probably the correct thing to do at this point is give up until tomorrow, but it keeps me entertained.
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Sat 9 May 2009, 3:11,
archived)
Hahaha! Bits box fun and games.Sounds like BIOS and the drives are mismatching.
Motherboard may have issues with the drive and
or the CD. Might try downloading and burning a
more recent base install disk. But if it got that far
it should have started the installer already...There
maybe a conflicting driver loaded from the older
CD and a newer install CD may avoid that misstep.
From the sounds of it that is the most likely
scenario in your case.
(Motherboard may have issues with the drive and
or the CD. Might try downloading and burning a
more recent base install disk. But if it got that far
it should have started the installer already...There
maybe a conflicting driver loaded from the older
CD and a newer install CD may avoid that misstep.
From the sounds of it that is the most likely
scenario in your case.
Tahkcalb ω∞ for sigs,
Sat 9 May 2009, 2:48,
archived)
A driver loaded where?I don't think it's got as far as looking at my (brand new) hard drive yet, it does exactly the same thing if I take the HD out.
I might look into updating this relatively ancient CD drive's firmware. Never tried doing that before.
Edit: sorry, re-read what you wrote. Yes, I guess an up-to-date install CD might have a wider range of drivers, and one that works better, even though this CD drive was made in 1999. Perhaps I'll steal it a CD drive from out of my current PC, just to be going on with.
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Sat 9 May 2009, 2:52,
archived)
I might look into updating this relatively ancient CD drive's firmware. Never tried doing that before.
Edit: sorry, re-read what you wrote. Yes, I guess an up-to-date install CD might have a wider range of drivers, and one that works better, even though this CD drive was made in 1999. Perhaps I'll steal it a CD drive from out of my current PC, just to be going on with.
Boot up off the CD usually has a minimal driver loadingvia BIOS then starts trying a more advanced driver
once that part is done. It is likely the 2006 CD
is thinks the drive is something it is not. Or/also
trying to do something with other hardware ahead.
edit on edit:
Might be other hardware hitting the wall ahead.
Some motherboards can have odd features that
may conflict before the drivers get happy. New CD
is a good bet. ie. CD drive might not even be the
issue, even though the report says it is. HAHAHA etc.
(once that part is done. It is likely the 2006 CD
is thinks the drive is something it is not. Or/also
trying to do something with other hardware ahead.
edit on edit:
Might be other hardware hitting the wall ahead.
Some motherboards can have odd features that
may conflict before the drivers get happy. New CD
is a good bet. ie. CD drive might not even be the
issue, even though the report says it is. HAHAHA etc.
Tahkcalb ω∞ for sigs,
Sat 9 May 2009, 3:05,
archived)