Failed install from Official Ubuntu Book DVD
 

On my first attempt to install Dapper Drake from the DVD included with The Official ubuntu Book on my IBM T41 laptop, I got a message about GRUB loading failed, Error 18 . On my second attempt there was a message that the install had failed and telling me what to report but it didn't tell me how to do that. Seems as if it was asking me to look up lines of code. I couldn't figure out a way to copy what it was asking me to look up other than writing it out longhand. Since this is my 1st foray into anything Linux I need the help of a user more savvy than me. The only way to use my computer now is to run it off the DVD. I can't boot into either Linux or Windows.
:scratch: What do you mean "Dapper Drake" or "dapper 6.06" does not exist in Ubuntu? That's the message I got when I tried to file the bug report as requested by the error message.

Try the alternate install
 

Try installing with the alternate method. You can go to http://ubuntu-releases.cs.umn.edu//6.06/, scroll down until you see "PC (Intel x86) alternate install CD". Click on this link to download the alternate install iso. Burn it to a cd and use it to boot your laptop. It will be a very easy and straight forward install. You will be up and running in less than an hour. I am assuming you have access to a computer with a cd burner. Hope so anyway.

I have a T43 and couldn't get the standard (live) cd to install at all. I even had trouble using it on other laptops. I finally gave up and went with the alternate install and everything worked great.

Are you sure you partitioned the drive correctly? When I was getting Grub errors with Fedora, it would hang for about 30sec, then continue on and boot Windows. Try this and see if it fixes your problem and at least gets you into Windows.

Note, I guess if this doesn't work, you won't be any worse off than you are(only able to use a Live CD, so you may end up reinstalling Windows/Linux anyways.

Reboot with your Windows CD in the DVD drive, at the end, do the "Repair" install. After choosing your Windows installation, It should take you to a DOS command. Type FixMbr then enter, it'll give you some warnings. type Y to accept the command. Type FixBoot, then enter... warnings, Type Y to accept the command. Type Exit and remove the Windows CD.

This should allow Windows to re-write the Master Boot Record, and more or less, erase Grub. When I kept getting that Grub 17 Error with my Fedora Installs, thats what I ended up doing on several occasions before finally getting it right, and it always got me back to Windows.

Good luck
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