BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

I inherited a relatively new Toshiba Laptop with Dual-Core and 1 GB Ram. It has XP Home installed but it was corrupted. I couldn't install from the xp cd, or repair. The cd would start installing normally until 84% complete
then the error would start. Can't install this file or that file, etc.

I tried the recovery cd from Toshiba but Stop Code Errors showed up. I tried loading Linux from a Linux Live CD.
It wouldn't load up either. I finally managed to format and repartition the hard drive and tried everything again with the same predictable results. I think I'm stuck as to my next step.

my question for this forum:

I thought these Linux Live CDs would boot without having an OS on the
computer? I have tried Knoppix, Ubuntu & PC Linux live cd's, but none will boot up. They always stop with an error code. The error code from Knoppix was: Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 01:03.

I ran a HD utility and the drive checks good.

Thanks,

Doug

puppy linux will load into ram. all the other ones you said run from ram and swap back to cdrom unless told other wise .takes cpu power to do this you have a machine that has hardware issues. cpu cdrom go into bios make sure all the hardware is enabled. everything you said seems to be a hardware issue and not an operating issue.

I don't think the Hard drive is the issue, I suspect its your CD drive. If your laptop will boot from a USB device (check the bios), I would suggest downloading Unetbootin onto a working computer, then download an Ubuntu 8.10 ISO. Use Unetbootin to setup a thumb drive, and boot it. If it boots w/o issue, then you know the problem is the CD drive. You'll need a thumb drive of at least 1gig, and it will get formatted during the process I do believe, so make sure the data on the thumb drive is backed up.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

http://www.ubuntu.com and download the 8.10 Live CD iso.

I just tried Puppy Linux and received the following error:

Kernel panic - not syncing: broken padding

???

f12 f10 f2 if your not even loading it your boot order in your bios may not be as you want it to be.

If neither Windows or your recovery CD will load onto the Laptop you have a hardware issue, it's not the fault of a Live Linux CD..

Bad CD/DVD Drive.
Defective Memory.

Something is wrong with that system.

I'd suggest starting with memtest86+ http://www.memtest.org/#downiso see if the live memtest CD will boot and test the memory in that laptop.

============================================================

Ok, I did run Memtest and it passed my memory. Is there a utility available to test the CD/DVD drive?

Thanks,

Doug

It might be helpful to know the exact model of Toshiba.

I once had a dvd-rom that was giving me all kinds of problems and thought it was going bad..Was going to buy one to replace it..I then thought maybe its just dirty..so I used a cd cleaner..after that it worked fine..Maybe if your lucky a cleaning will fix it..

If you suspect your CD/DVD drive is bad, I definitively would try to boot from an USB key.

If you can access to another computer I suggest you give a try to Slax. A small key will do, and that's pretty simple, just follow instructions on the linked-to page.

To get your computer to boot on an USB device you'll probably have to change some setting in your laptop's BIOS. It shouldn't be difficult.

I seem to be having a similar problem as zaarenoc.

Back Ground
Dell 830
Intel Core 2 duo
2.49 GHz
3.5 GB Ram

I partitioned 120 GB HDD with gparted from the ubuntu live cd then install ubuntu to free space. (I took live cd out and my kid scratches it under foot.)

I would like to partition external drive but there doesn't seem to be gparted on the install of ubuntu. I try three other live cd's; gparted live cd, xubuntu live cd and the ubuntu live cd. The "loading kernel" stage takes quite a while to load, only to hang graphically on the "loading kernel - 100%" notification.

The drive burned the gparted live cd and reads photo cds to HDD, so I doubt it's the drive. Only one week old.

Thanks for the help and good luck with your post zaarenoc.

Sorry, I thought I posted it.

It is a Toshiba Satellite A135-S4427

Doug

I finally have a 1 gb flash drive but the laptop won't boot from it, although it lists it in the information screen.

I've tried nearly every kind of linux live cd but it either freezes up or I get the error 'Kernel Panic.'

After trying to bootup it still says NTLDR is missing. I tried to install Vista Home Premium but got 2 error codes: C0000145 and
0x0000017

I hate to just junk this laptop it is like new.

Doug

Will it boot into safe mode ? heres acouple troubleshooting articles.. not sure where MS has their article on this code hidden..

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...5B9&l=en&s=gen

http://support.dell.com/support/topi...E41&l=en&s=gen


Did you change the SATA mode of the boot drive ? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976


when it gave the 0x17 message did it provide a file name of what failed to start ?

Try a network (PXE) boot. If you can't boot with Slax on an USB key (see my answer above) but have another computer at hand, then do it this way:
1) boot the "good" computer with Slax (either on an USB stick or on a live CD)
2) make of it a PXE server (see instructions at time of booting Slax or on their website)
3) connect the two computers with as *straight* Ethernet wire
4) turn on the "bad" computer.

Again, you will have to set-up the BIOS of the "bad" computer in order to put "PXE boot" or "network boot" first in the booting order.