Hi, all.
So, I started to install Ubuntu 6.06, but the installation kept freezing--sometimes at 15%, sometimes at 24%, and sometimes at another percentage I forget. Usually it's 15%, though. When it freezes, the system becomes totally non-responsive. Not even the mouse will move. Although it has sometimes reached the "copying files" (that quote is from memory, and may not be exact) stage, lately it never gets beyond the "creating ext3 file system" (again, that quote may not be exact) at 15%.
Once the installer freezes, everything locks up. I can't move the mouse or even eject the CD. When I tried the "alternate" installation ISO tapping keys on the keyboard would produce nonsensical characters on the display.
I tried installing Kubuntu and Fedora Core, but they both freeze up, too, before the installation gets too far.
A bad hard disk?
Now, my first thought was that it was my hard disk. After all, I am running a super-old 5400RPM PATA 8.4GB pulled from an old Celeron 466 system. However, I performed an extensive diagnostic, including a surface scan for bad sectors, and everything passed with flying colors. I even performed a low-level format, and still no luck.
Bad memory?
I ran memtest for a long, long time, and everything seems fine. I even tried removing one of my DIMMs, but the problem still rears. I will try the other DIMM soon, just to be thorough, but I'm fairly certain the memory is not the issue.
A bad installer CD?
At this point I've tried four different installation CDs--Ubuntu live, Kubuntu live, Ubuntu alternate (text-based) and Fedora Core (a DVD)--and all of them checked out via the self-test diagnostic. I even burned the Ubuntu alternate at 8x, just to be safe. The problem still rears.
So, what the heck is wrong?
That's the question I need answered. If anyone can help, please do!
Thanks in advance!
System specifications:
Athlon XP 1800+ Thoroughbred
MSI KT3 Ultra ARU
256MB (2x128MB) DDR400 @ 333MHz
Samsung 8.4GB Voyager 6 Plus SV0844D
Creative SoundBlaster PCI 128
ATI Rage128 GL AGP (ATI Rage Fury)
Realtek RTL8139 NIC
Lite-on LDW-411S