Okay, I downloaded fedora core 2, all four CDs.

I burnt CD1 in nero at 8x in order to try and avoid errors. I stick it in the machine that I want to install on then run the CD test on it. The CD test fails.

However, I stick the disk in another, more modern machine and run the test again and it passes.

The machine which I want to install on and ran the failed test on is a celeron 766, 256MB RAM with a geforce 2 MX400. The CD drive is some generic 52x one - all it has on it is:

52x
MTRP (TM)

So I'm assuming it was made by some company called MTRP.

The drive it was burnt on was an LG 48x16x48x writer, and the machine I did the other test on was an AthlonXP 2600+ 512MB DDR333, GeforceFX 5200 and the drive is a Lite-On 8x DVD +/- RW.

What I'm after is... A suggestion why the check may fail on one and not on another, a solution to it, or...

A way of installing without using a CD. I've heard of network installs but I have no clue on how to do it, so if someone could point me to a guide it would be grand...

Thanks

I can't see there any other possibility for the failure on one machine and not on another than the two cd-rom drives used in the two machines just are not able to read the disc in the same way ("as well")...I don't know how to say it, but here's an example enlightening this idea:

I have an old cd-r disc I burnt back in the days. it has scars and is not in a good condition anymore, so if I stick it into a cd-drive that reads 48x, it just makes the disc go round for a few minutes and then tells that it can't read it. so it seems it's screwed up totally...it's no good even forcing the reading speed down.

BUT. if I put the very same disc on my slower rw-drive that reads up to 32x, it works like magic - no sign of any errors. I haven't seen any other thing to this apart from the fact that the cd-drive (not the burner) just is worse one, and is not that good reading - I don't know if the reading speed is of that much importance, since lowering it doesn't help...the drive that fails reading the disc is just some generic drive and I don't even know (read: remember) it's manufacturer. but the rw that does read the disc is HP's, and it does it.

so, here's my story. I can't, of course, say it's the same thing with you, but I suspect that it is. there just are differences between different drives and if there has been even a little hazzle in the burning (even though it would seem to go fine, and succeeds..but...I don't know, something just goes a bit on the wrong side) so that the disc needs a good reading device, the differences come up.

try changing another cd-rom to the machine you want to install to, for the time you need for the installation, and then switch back. or burn the disc again...network install would also be a good idea, but I can't say much to that as I haven't done it myself (I'd like to know more of it too, though - ideas, warnings, advice)

Thanks alot for the info, this is all actually the aftermath of a problem I had before, I downloaded Mandrake 10 which refused to install on this computer - kept freezing - but worked fine in the other one. I did try exchanging the CD drives in the one which I was trying to install on, I even took the writer it was burnt on out of my main machine and tried it with no avail. This leads me to think it's some OTHER hardware problem, but I have absolutely no idea what...

Clarification: 3 machines

1st machine: mine, the one I use all the time, the one I burnt the discs with

2nd machine: mine, an old computer that I have running a webserver which I am trying to isntall to

3rd machine: my brother's, a recent machine which I tested the discs on

I downloaded & burnt the ISO's using the torrent. I tested the first cd and it failed saying it was corrupt yet I thought blow it I will try and install it anyway. I did and everthing installed fine from all 4 cds. Not sure the testing of the cd is entirely accurate.

Hmm, I might try that then. I know I had a win2000 CD missing some files but it was fine. I guess the worst that can happen is me need to format that partition right?

Tried installing anyway. Got up to the point where I'd configured the install options and started copying the files, and got this error:

"Error installing package"

"There was an error installing isdn4k-utils-3.2-13.p1.1. This can indicate media failure, lack of disk space, and/or hardware problems. This is a fatal error and your install will be aborted. Please verify your media and install again."

This is with the disk which I checked in another computer and it came up fine.