Im hoping that i dont have a bad image, but my unit wont boot from the disc. I've tried the iso which didnt work, then i stripped the files from the iso and burned them to disc, and that still didnt work. im an advanced user but this is makin me feel like a novice all over again. Is it a step that im missing or sumthing??? Im totally new to linux but im an esteemed veteran when it comes to windows. i know its kind of different but from what i heard not 2 far from each other. i really dont think its the image because i can still access the files n windows. I know i dont have 2 make a fat 32 partition for it 2 boot from tha drive, but rite now im willing 2 try jus about anything. Any advice from any1 out there???

Here's two things that could be happening:

1) you're burning the image incorrectly to the CD/DVD. What you need to do is "Burn Disc from Image" (or something like that depending on what program you're burning with) and then select the iso as the image. DO NOT open the iso and remove files!!! when you're done, you should be able to open the CD and browse the files. If you see only the *.iso file, you did it incorrectly.

2) The second thing that could be happening is that your laptop is really old (I didn't google the model number) and the BIOS doesn't support booting isolinux images. Really old BIOS require the initial boot image to fit inside a 1.44MB floppy. Newer BIOS don't have this restriction. If this is a problem, you're probably going to have to install something like Debian or use Damn Small Linux (download the syslinux image).

Hope that helps.

ahhhhhh ok. i forgot all about "burning a disc from an image". im gunna try that. i wasnt tha person who originally burned tha disc so im hoping that he jus screwed that part up an i can jus burn another 1. I'll reply an let u kno wha happens. oh an tha laptop is about 1 and a half years old, but it packs a punch. AMD 64 3400, 1G Ram, 80G HD, so i know its not the laptop its self. I even ran Vista x64 on already so i kno it can handle linux with no prob. Thanx for the input.

You could always burn itself from the improperly burned disc you have.

Juts copy the iso to your computer, then burn the iso as an *.iso... problem solved.

i like that signature. I think he shouldve created that on tha first day. What would we do without google!!!