Problems installing various distros
 

Could anyone explain this?
I downloaded kubuntu 9.10 livecd, fedora live cd & dvd 32-bit(i386 & i686 to be exact)(at least 7 different linux distributions).
They don't work for me.
Kubuntu makes that loading logo and after a minute the HDD freezes. I've installed ubuntu based OS's a million times but never had this problem ever.
Just to say that I am a newbie so don't take it out on me.


Config-
pentium 3.06 (family 15 model 4 if that means anything- could you check if it is 64bit)
DDRII-4gb
Geforce9500
That is all I know about this PC.
motherboard foxconn, don't know the model.
Sorry for not knowing the motherboard, I gotta check it out.

Welcome to LQ!!

I have moved this to a separate thread---please don't post in existing threads unless your topic is directly related.

For the moment, don't worry about 64-bit vs 32. If it is 64, the 32-bit distros will work just fine.

Several questions:

1. What OS is currently on the computer?
2. Is everything working normally with the existing system?
3. Are you running Linux from Live CD or actually installing it? For example, the problem with Kubuntu: Was that from Live CD or was it installed?
4. If you can run from (any) Live CD, does everything work correctly?

And: You are a newbie, but you have installed *buntu a million times????? Hmmm.....

No, I just wanted to know if my processor is capable of 64 bit.
1. Vista 32bit
2. Working GGGGREEAT!
3&4. Live cd's don't work, but I also tried installing kubuntu without booting livecd and it doesn't work


I always have *buntu on the side if anything happens, and I also have asus eee 701 so I use it on that one too. It's like an accessory for me.

The Windows menus will have something that displays your hardware configuration---it's there somewhere...

Can you boot from **any** CD?---eg your Windows CD or a utility disk.?

If you can boot from CD, then tell us exactly what is happening when you attempt to boot up one of the Linux live CDs.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

I would suggest that you look at using a 'md5sum' or hash check for any of the downloads. This will insure that the image(s) are valid.

The 'md5sum' or 'hash' is very important to learn to use and too regularly get in the habit of utilizing it. You can get a sum checker for M$ if need be; 'md5sum.exe'. Download & excute this on the M$ install to verify any of the downloads you perform.

For GNU/Linux the 'man md5sum' will get you all the information to perform the check. You can get the 'man command' from the 'cli' at anytime.

If you downloaded the CD/DVD ISO then be sure to check the md5sum for the original ISO. From the cli on a GNU/Linux install;

If the ISO md5 is OK then you should check the image burn with 'CdromMd5sumsAfterBurning''.

This way you will know if the burn was OK!

This will check the download ISO with the known md5sum that you also get with the ISO. You should do the check for any download that you might perform, even a LiveCD. Plus burn the image. Sometimes you may need to lower the burn rate to get a valid burn.

:hattip:
These links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

Fedora 12- shows the menu i choose install and then lots of error messages mainly saying unable to boot kernel.
Kubuntu 9.10- shows the menu i choose boot live cd, shows the load icon and then it says something(i'll get back to you on that one)
i choose install- nothing on the screen for as long as you like, HDD&CD not reading


The images are good, I assure you. I am a linux newbie but not a PC newb too.

OK.

You can boot from CD--good.

When you run any of the Linux Live CDs, does everything seem to work (in Live mode?)

Can you try one or more of the Live CDs in another computer?

More generally, give us as much detail as you can---we need to know exactly what works and what does not.

We believe you!!---but regardless, please confirm that the md5sums are OK.

I just tried kubuntu 7.04 which worked for me before on previous computers. Shows the boot menu and I choose install (live cd mode), shows the load icon, then shows error
"kernel panic - not syncing"(there are other errors but I think they're all linked to this one)
As I said the images are good, out of 5 images at least one must be ok. Also note that this is the first time I tried installing linux on THIS computer.

Also, if it is of any value, after I restarted my computer the cd jammed for about one minute but it's just FYI.

I would like to try installing directly from the boot menu but I don't think it would do any good because I already tried that with kubuntu 9.10.

Also, kubuntu 7.04 is not a cd distribution but a dvd one. (32bit, also live cd)

My thoughts on this are (take it easy on me, I don't know linux much) that KDE isn't the problem here, and maybe bios update would be good.
Additional info on my comp- RAM=2x2GB DDRII. Motherboard DFI cm35-ec, also it turns out the processor is 64bit capable.

It could be a defective CD-and-DVD drive. That's why pixellany asked "Can you boot from **any** CD?---eg your Windows CD or a utility disk?".

I read the wrong inscription, it turns out my motherboard isn't cm35-ec, it was the old motherboard I used, sorry. I'm still having problems finding out which one it is.
(FOXCONN 915M12-GV-6LS)

CD drive isn't defective, I use it a lot. (I installed windows few days ago)

I googled this "kernel panic" and they say BIOS update helped them. Could this work for me?

By now I guess that flashing BIOS might be the only option I could do and if that doesn't work we can try other things.
Since I have no experience in doing it could anyone help me?

Motherboard FOXCONN 915M12-GV-6LS on win vista

Thanks

Look at this 180 turn. Try googleing "foxconn phoenix vista only bios" and see what you get.
Now this appears to be my problem, and if anyone could help me fix it that would make me very happy.

Presumably you identified your motherboard as a "FOXCONN 915M12-GV-6LS" after posting and then edited the post.

Unfortunately there are no FOXCONN motherboards listed on the LQ hardware compatibility list (HCL) for motherboards -- it's an unusual brand and there are few netsearch hits on it in conjunction with Linux. Here's the most promising (unfortunately without a final update from the OP) and here is a full list.

Updating the BIOS may help. There's no sure way to know without trying it, even for popular motherboards with plenty of Linux users sharing their experience and a manufacturer which posts details of bugs fixed in BIOS releases. With this board you'll just have to try. That's a good reason for choosing boards from popular manufacturers with mature support websites.

I really don't understand BIOS and motherboard very good.
Foxconn 915M12-GV-6LS is my current motherboard but I found out that 915GL7MH-S is another name for it(not 100% sure about it dough). Phoenix is my bios developer. And the only OS it supports is Vista and maybe windows 7.
What I need to do now is find out which BIOS I can use and then flash it.
Might you direct me to any forum or thread which could solve my problem?
Buying another MB is not an option for me since i'm stuck with this one for another few years.