Can't Install Linux On Gateway DX4720-03. Please Help.

nevets04 · 10-01-2009, 09:49 PM

I cant install Linux (Any distro) on my computer. I'm on a gateway DX4720-03.
When I try to install, I get the BSOD and If I try to use it with the cd in,My computer
just freezes at the desktop. I googled it and people have had similar problems, but I cant find a solution.

TB0ne · 10-01-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets04

I cant install Linux (Any distro) on my computer. I'm on a gateway DX4720-03.
When I try to install, I get the BSOD and If I try to use it with the cd in,My computer
just freezes at the desktop. I googled it and people have had similar problems, but I cant find a solution.

Sorry, going to have to provide more information than that.

The 'BSOD' is a Windows error, not Linux. To install Linux, you download the .ISO image for whatever distro you want, burn it to a CD or DVD, put it in your optical drive, and reboot from it. After it's booted, you'll see the installation menu.

Linux isn't a program you can install under Windows...it's a replacement FOR Windows.

yancek · 10-01-2009, 10:15 PM

In addition to suggestions above, you download an iso image file, do the md5 checksum (should have instructins on download site), burn the file as an image at a low speed. You also have to have the CD as first boot priority in BIOS and have the CD in the drive when you reboot. Are you trying to run the CD while in windows? That won't work.

AwesomeMachine · 10-02-2009, 04:04 AM

Go into your BIOS setup program (F1 key or F2 key on boot up), and set the boot device to CDROM. Disable all other boot devices. Boot from the linux install disk, and you shouldn't have any more problems.

If you still have problems, do the same as above, and just verify the CDROM is the only configured boot device, and boot the knoppix 5.1 live CD. This next step will cause the total loss of all data on the hard drive, so if you want to back anything up, do it before you do this next step:

OK, you've backed up everything you want to keep, after you have backed up your important files:

launch a terminal window in knoppix, and type:

su
enter

Then type:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda count=5000
enter

Hit the up arrow to bring the dd command back, and run the command several times. This will get rid of whatever is preventing installation of linux, but it has the undesirable side effect of erasing the hard drive partition table, causing the loss of all data. That's why I say, before you do this step, back up onto CD any important files.

nevets04 · 10-02-2009, 04:27 PM

I now have it installed, however my mouse and key baord dont work.