Newcomer to Linux (Ubuntu) having issues with install
 

Everything I've read up to this point suggests that Linux forum folks don't have much use for idiots... Well, hope you'll make somewhat of an exception. While I'm not a total idiot, I do feel somewhat overwhelmed.
Just recently "came across" Linux, and what I've seen so far I am really impressed. That being said, I'm having problems installing: I have a Compaq Presario C300 laptop AND an HP a350n desktop, both of which are currently running XP Pro. I did install a second hd on desktop and have "OS Linux" installed on it and know how to boot to either hd. Confused somewhat by that, I purchased book "Ubuntu for Non-Geeks" (3rd ed.) which included a Ubuntu CD.
Trying to install it beside XP on the laptop, the install "windows" were missing; trying to install on the desktop, I end up with "frequency out of range" on the monitor, so I switched monitors AND video cards. Still can't get anywhere.
Can anybody/will anybody step forward and offer any meaningful assistance? I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks.

You've lift out one important piece of information: which version number on Ubuntu did you "come across" that you are trying to install?

It may be an older Ubuntu. You may be better off downloading and burning to cd a newer Ubuntu .iso (with better hardware recognition) and try installing that.

Try booting to a text install mode which should I believe use ncurses . The autodetection for your video card or monitor may be off. Also welcome to Linux and we all started at square 1.

Go to the ubuntu's web site (www.ubuntu.com) and download the iso file for latest 32 bit version, burn it in a CD and boot your computer from it. make sure all your hardware responds to the new OS before install it.

Good luck to you!

If you download a new iso use the 64 bit if your processor supports it. If not you can always update your software afterwords if you don't want to download a new iso

If the specs of your laptop are as follow then 64BIT version is not going to work
If that is the case go with the 32 BIT version that will work for sure

Thanks for all the replies. Let me try to respond and clarify a bit more. I was/am using the CD that came with the book "Ubuntu for Non-Geeks"; sticker on the book indicates "Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron)". On the desktop here is what happened:
1) Tried to install, as the book said "beside" XP, so that I'd have the dual-boot capability. That's when all the video issues came up -- even tried different monitor and different video card; still issues that I couldn't resolve.
2)So, then I swapped out HD, returned to original monitor & video card. Seemed to get a good install, until it up and stated a revision or updated version (sorry didn't write it down), so I proceeded. Left it doing it's thing, came back hours later and had a frozen blank orange screen (blank except for cursor).
3) Turned computer off/back on and now I end up with black screen with following:

"Kernel Panic - Not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unkown - Block (0,0)"

Should I just start all over and not worry about revised update? Is that message Linux's way of telling me I've got a bad hd?

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

Hardy Heron is kind of old! I recommend that you download the latest stable version of Ubuntu and install it from scratch (as mentioned in one of the posts above)

We suggest you to download the newest Ubuntu. In Linux all drivers are loaded into kernel, so when there is problem with something that may point that there is no support for the hardware yet, and Ubuntu 8.04 is very, very old. Try to download 11.04 or 11.10. If you have rather new machine that you could be sure that this old Ubuntu doesen't support this harware.

Okay. Again, thanks all. I'm in process of downloading 11.10 now, and will post results tomorrow.

Okay, rather than waiting 'til AM, I'm back now. Think I got 11.10 installed okay except that when I try to reboot I keep getting the following:

"Grub loading stage 1.5
Grub Loading, please wait...
Error 15"

but am able (though honestly not sure how) to work past it, but pops up each time I boot. My ? though is, "what's wrong?"

You probably have to install grub from a terminal using live-cd.

Edit:

Here you go. I found a solution in ubuntuforums. Take a look at this thread.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1612068

Nonamedotc, I appreciate your input, and I did follow that link you provided, but it's getting to where I'm WAY OVER MY HEAD. This is getting to be too much. I thought/had been led to believe that Linux was "the way to go" but it's starting to look to me like it's a matter of "patching this and patching that" and that is just NOT the way I want to go.

I mean that info from the link:
download the boot script to your DESKTOP and run the script in a terminal using the command given on the first page

might as well be Greek to me.

I am no expert myself but that forum did seem to solve the problem (in a way I had in my mind). May be someone who knows more might be able to suggest an easier solution ... sorry !