i just bought a used computer from my school. it is an IBM desktop with a Pentium D processor. i've been trying to install Ubuntu on this computer for the past week but without any luck. the installation gets to: "Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel." and then it hangs there.

i attempted to receive help from the Ubuntu help forums but they are not very helpful. at one point it went a little farther and got to mounting the root file system and then it hangs there.

i then tried to install Fedora 7. oddly enough i got to the same exact point and then the system hung again. it seems to me that it is a hardware compatibility issue.

actually when it hangs with Fedora 7 for 60 seconds it drops me to a shell so i think i can be instructed to determine the problem from that if i knew a little bit more about what i was doing.

right now there is no OS on the computer. i've already got Windows XP Pro on my laptop which is why i'm interested in putting Linux on my desktop.

thanks in advance for any help.

Have you actually installed, or are you just trying to boot from the CD?

Does it work when running from "live CD"

Specs on the hardware? eg RAM and hard-disk size.

correction on previous post. it's a Pentium 4 processor 2.8GHz. 512MB RAM. 40GB hard drive.

i'm attempting to boot from a minimal boot CD. Linux is not already installed on the computer.

I don't know what you mean by "minimal boot CD". You said you tried Ubuntu and Fedora 7. When booting the CD does either one give you any video options? If so, select the most basic available--eg VGA.

Tell us as much as possible about error messages and other details.

the minimal boot iso image is one of the optional downloads for Fedora. instead of downloading the full package, you just download pretty much the bare minimum to get the OS running, then install other packages once the OS is installed.

when i put in my cd with the ubuntu iso burned to it i am presented with a menu. Start or install Ubuntu, start in graphics safe mode, memory test, etc.

i can also press F1-F6. i've gone through the help thoroughly. F6 allows me to try different boot options. i've tried plenty. all of them leave me with the system hanging.


inserting the cd with the fedora iso image a blue fedora menu appears. i have the options of running from the image, running from RAM, or verify and run from image. pressing tab allows me to edit the boot options. again i have tried several, but not as many as with ubuntu since i received the same system hang here.


only a couple more details for my ubuntu problem can be found here towards the bottom of the page.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/40093

i am charliek

Linux is more sensitive to memory (especially mismatched) than Windoze.
Try reducing the memory to 256Meg. Then try memtest again. Then try the other half and test that.

Ubuntu will install (and run) on 256 Meg - slow, but o.k. Don't know about Fedora.

both yield the same results. the computer is unresponsive. oddly enough i did notice that with one of the sticks of RAM the Test % was at 50% then the second was at 55%. i'm sure that is not conclusive of anything.

once i get this running i plan on upgrading my ram to 1.5GB and then eventually 2GB. will this be a problem in regards to your thoughts on your post?

thanks for the reply. i really hope to get this up and running soon with Linux installed on it.


i also tried using the most basic VGA options. the computer just hangs at a blank screen and i can see a blinking cursor at the top.

i'd appreciate any help