I recently lost my last computer which had Ubuntu 8.10 which I installed from a disk I got from a magazine. Anyway, I got a new computer (HP Pavillion dv5, AMD Turion X2 64 bit, ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card) and wanted to install Ubuntu again (I don't really want to try out any other flavors).

So I downloaded the 64 bit version of 8.10 and burned it as an .iso. I checked the hash and it matched up. But when I get to the screen where I can choose from different options, it freezes up if I choose anything (Install, try Ubuntu, etc.) but works if I choose to boot Vista from the HDD. I tried changing some boot parameters suggested on some site but it didn't work.

So I downloaded the alternate version and did the same thing. This time it loaded everything and partitioned my hard drive, but when it started installing, it kept failing to download all the files. I had to abort the installation and, luckily, was able to use Vista again.

Anyway, I asked this question before and no one seems to know the answer. I really wanted to use Linux for the speed, but should I just give up on trying to install it? Vista is working like a dream even if it takes a little while to boot up.

If there's still hope, how should I fix this problem?

What I don't get is why you need to download anything if you use the alternative installer. As far as I remember - it has been a while - you can install everything off the disc. That may not solve your networking problem but these things are easier to troubleshoot once the system is installed.

Since you windows installed, try downloading unetbootin to your windows desktop and double click it like you would any other windows installation wizard:

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

This will start a net-installation of whichever distro you picked from the above site. I have used it to easily install ubuntu on several laptops.

This has gotten me the furthest in the install process. I've gotten the network configured and everything, but when I try to download some files from some host, it ask me if I want to set up some http:// thing and I just leave it blank since I'm not too sure what it means. Anyway, the download fails and I can't continue. What would I put in for the http thing?

Here are detailed instructions on how to use unetbootin to install ubuntu, with step by step screenshots. The directions are for an earlier version (feisty faun 7.04, not hardy heron 8.04), but I would not be surprised if the directions are nearly identical.

http://www.howtoforge.com/unetbootin..._ubuntu_fedora

I believe the http:// request you are mentioning is just ubuntu asking what format it should use to download packages from the central ubuntu repositories (http versus ftp, for example). http should be fine. It may also be asking where to look on the internet for the packages (http address). I would think that it should offer several choices, and you would be fine to just accept the default option it provides. I do not remember having to search for and enter any http address.

If you are still having difficulties after trying to follow the directions linked above, let us now, and I will look up and post the default repository address. I am sure it is easily found by either googling or looking on the ubuntu official site for documentation.

UPDATE: Here is a list of archive/repository mirrors you can use. Again, http should be fine, just pick one that looks fast, recent, and close to your location:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+archivemirrors

From there you would go down through their directories. You can choose intrepid ibex (8.10 released yesterday, supported until 2010) if you wish, or stick to hardy heron (8.04, long term support to 2011). Within the directories, go to /dists (for distributions), then into amd-64 if you are using an amd 64-bit processor, then to main. For example, the http archive hosted by Argonne National Laboratory in the US is:

http://mirror.anl.gov/pub/ubuntu/dis.../binary-amd64/

You copy and paste the address from the web page opened by that link if you are asked for an http archive mirror and it does not suggest one for you.

I believe you can add the multiverse repository afterward to add on extra stuff not included in the main archive (stuff considered non-free, etc.)