Hello,

Is there a scan utility that I could run before I attempt to update again and give me a recommended version to run? Sorta like the Windows 10 Compatibility Checker but in a live CD? I have several old computers that I am thinking about putting Linux on to get a little more life out of them.

My MSI K8N Master2-FAR (MS-9620) with 2 CPU AMD64 Opteron 285's was running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. I was in the process of upgrading to install 22.04 LTS and started getting all kinds of errors. I tried to roll back the version and it wouldn't allow me. So I tried a USB fresh install of 22.04, then 20.04 and it wouldn't load. I had older copy of Ubuntu (14 maybe) that installed fine. Trying to keep from upgrading 14 > 16 > 18 > 20 > 22.

The old releases are end of life and not supported. You should always use the latest lts except when it is first released just to make sure the initial kinks are worked out. Define errors?

Whoa; first post since registering in 2007 - impressive.

The liveCD is the best compatibility checker. If it runs (as a liveCD), you know the hardware is all ok - good for checking network, video especially. Personally I'd be looking to sus out the errors, and where (what point in the install/boot cycle) they occur.
The liveCD not (re-)loading might be a BIOS/UEFI issue - you need to give (a lot) more info to get meaningful help.

The errors might help us.

Yes, is there a way to boot to a DVD?

The errors described sound like aged hardware trouble. Due to its age, this board is a possible candidate to be victim of bad electrolytic capacitors plague. This forum thread has good images of obviously bad ones, even though its OP didn't have the problem. Even if the motherboard is OK, bad caps are a common problem in PSUs. If it still has the original PSU, open it up for inspection, or even if it isn't the original.

Wheeew. Opteron 285s were first released in 2006.....shortly after the Athlon64 X2 in my old Compaq rig that died a couple of years ago (which was released in late 2004/early 2005, and was more or less the same K8 architecture).

No hardware lives for ever. If that board has lasted for 16 years you should count yourself as very, very fortunate. Socket 940 mobos haven't been commercially available for around a decade, so if your hardware IS "going south", you'll need to budget for a complete new system, since none of your existing stuff will be re-usable; mobo, CPU(s), RAM, PSU.....the 'works'.

If you're wanting to continue with server-grade mobos/CPUs/RAM, you're looking at upwards of 4 figures-plus if going with brand new. There'll be plenty of second-hand stuff available if you look around, often at considerable savings, though it's your decision at the end of the day, obviously.


Mike.

"If that board has lasted for 16 years you should count yourself as very, very fortunate."
If that were the case I should count myself as very, very fortunate multiple times.
In my experience hardware is the last thing to die.
Becoming obsolete for various reasons, that is what really kills most hardware after a decade or so. Usually one can get "less obsolete" hardware for next to nothing, so why bother with a 16yo mobo...

Of course hardware problems are a thing and should not be dismissed, but - in my experience - these are much less age-dependant than most LQer's claim.

Caveat:
If you're in a professional environment and have to make 110% sure it will continue to work for the foreseeable future, that might be a different thing of course. Where a new piece of hardware is cheaper than a system breakdown with or without data loss.
Hard drives might be in a different class also, esp. spinning ones, although again not in my experience. But of course the threat of data loss looms higher than the threat of a crashed system.