linuxmint can't boot from CD to install
 

downloaded linuxmint, put it on a CD (blank), into the CD reader, boot from CD, it doesn't boot from CD :(
I press F12 choose boot from CD, then it goes to a black screen with letters about reading CD or something like that, then the Windows XP loading screen appears and proceeds the usual without booting from CD
the CD only has the .iso but I do suspect that I didn't burn the CD correctly, if not then I dunno
224 MB RAM
2.2 GHz Intel Celeron

If the CD has just a single *.iso file, then you did do it incorrectly. You want to use your burning software to "Burn CD from Image File" (or something like that). In Roxio, it's under the File menu.

When you're done and browse the CD, you should see a bunch of files, not just a single *.iso.

Also, I'm not sure of the system requirements for Linux Mint, but 224MB of RAM is pretty low for most distros that use KDE or Gnome. You might want one using LXDE or XFCE.

In case you need help on this, here's a quick way to successfully burn a copy of LinuxMint to a CD in Windows XP.

1) Download ImgBurn (it's completely free and virus-free). This is proven to burn an .iso, imho, *well*. Never had a dud CD with ImgBurn. :)

2) Download your LinuxMint .iso and remember where you downloaded it. (Sounds like you did this already.) :)

3) Pop in a new, blank CD that has *not* been used ever.

4) Open ImgBurn and click "Write image file to disc".

5) Where it says Source and "Please select a file..." by the menubar, click the File Explorer button.

6) Find and select your .iso.

7) Click the big page to disc icon to burn the .iso.

8) Once ImgBurn lets you know it's done (you might also hear tropical chimes), exit all programs and restart the PC.

9) If you haven't done this already, set the computer to boot from the CD (either from the boot menu or the BIOS).

LinuxMint should then boot and install. Hope this helps you. :)

Cdburnerxp make default iso burner

thanks

224 MB RAM

This may be a problem too after you fix the disk deal.

I am having this same problem, but with a different Distro. I used ImgBurn to burn the disc.

Does this mean I should unzip the ISO file to do the burn?

No, it will 'automatically' be expanded for you.

Good to know. Why can't I boot from the disc?

I don't know.

Did you set the boot sequence in the bios to boot from CD first (or at least before HD)?

When you inspect the CD in e.g. windows explorer, do you see one file or a whole directory structure?

I actually set all of them to boot from the Disc, still it won't boot from it.

There is directory structure on the disc so I assume it burned correctly.

Bad burn? Burn at lowest speed. Did you check the md5sum of the ISO after the download but before the burn?

No I did not do that. I don't know how. Is there a tutorial on LQ? :)