ubuntu install shows wall paper and nothing else
 

Trying to install ubuntu from live cd on windows xp machine. want a dual boot. run cd and nothing but wall paper appears.

Tell us more about the specs of this machine.

Run your mouse over to the far left - or (far) top-left. Does anything appear ?.

e-machine running windows xp professional sp3. load the cd and its takes a while to load. While loading there are three icons in the top right for different settings. Purple screen appears. It never asks me if I want to dual boot or any of that stuff. Which I find odd. I have to turn it off to restart because there is no control of the machine after it loads just the purple screen and an odd pattern across the top and down the left side where icons should be I suspect. I wonder if graphics card is not able to handle this. Is there some place where you can find out an explaination of all of this stuff. I've never worked with anything but windows and I don't have a clue. I wanted to set this up so I could run software that requires linux.

Thanks

Robert

You could try searching for "[make/model name] linux" or you could providing more--and specific--information about the computer and its specs.

Certainly sounds like video problems. Which version of Ubuntu is it ?.
You should have seen a boot menu offering "try but don't install" (sounds like you got this by default), "install", "check memory" ...
If you didn't see the menu, you can't change the options to get around problems with video.

My guess would be 10.04. It did similar things and if I am right the OP will have to edit the GRUB command.

If you can tell us what your video hardware is it would be a great help for us so we can help you.

video info
 

nvidia is the video info.

Sorry but what nvidia? If you want help you need to be a bit more precise.

nivida
 

Hi,

All I know is NIVIDA 6100.
I can get the software to boot off of a flash drive, but after that, I have a pattern of grey bars down the left side of the screen where icons should be and the cursor will move around the wall paper but there is nothing to click.

So i don't know what to do next?

Thanks,

Robert