well i recently got a ubuntu disk in the mail and was super excited. i have been useing a windows pc all my life and have always wanted to learn linux and when a friend referred me to ubuntu as a good way to learn i was excited, especially since i have been useing Windows vista and having problems with it. so i found a computer from a friend that they were not useing and they let me have it.

so i cleaned the hard drive, it was running windows 95. deleted the partitions and all the good stuff like that. then i put the ubuntu disk in. the main screen loads up and i am excited. then i click install and it loads and does its thing. it boots for about 2 minutes on the ubuntu "loading" bar then the screen goes blank and i get a whole mess of messages that look similar to this

"[173.52263] Buffer I/O error on device hdc, Logical block 0 (sometimes its a 1 or a 2)
hdc: error code: 0x70 sense_key: -x-3 asc: 0x11 ascq: 0x00"

it does a whole heap of those messages with number variations in the begining... then i get this message after about 4 or 5 minutes of thos emessages that says

"Busy Box v1.1.3 ( Debian 1:1.1.3-3ubuntu3) Built in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built in commands

/bin/sh: can't access tty; Job control turned off

(initramfs)_ "

it prompts me to type commands from "(initramfs)" what is that? why wont it install?

so i tried to boot without any disks in my drives and i get this

"3com pxe, version 0.99j.03
Compright blablabla..............

PXE-E61: Media Test Failure, check cable.
PXE-MOF: Exiting PXE"

would that have anything to do with why i cant install linux? what does it mean? any help with this would begreatly appreciated... i want to break free from the chains of microsoft and the horrible vista.

Here is all the info i can get from this pc:

System: Dell Optiplex GX1 450MTbr+

Pentium III Processor- 450 mhz
Level 2 cache: 512 kb Intigrated
System Memory: 256mb ECC SDRAM
almost a 10gb HD
CD Drive
Floppy Drive
USB ports

Please help this noob

Either Your cdrom is faulty or ubuntu disk is damaged.