My computer is a Compaq Presario 2110CA.

When installing Ubuntu 10.10, after the installation is complete, I select the option to reboot. During the shutdown procedure, the CD drive ejects the installation CD. I/O error messages fill the screen. This isn't what troubles me, since this issue is taken up in other posts and forums. When I press Enter, the laptop reboots as it's supposed to.

Once Ubuntu reboots, it prompts me for login information. After entering my username and password, it plays the startup sound, gives one warning pop-up about the health of my battery, and then the screen stays on the default background only. There are no mini-indicators for wireless connectivity or shutdown/suspend options - just the background. The cursor shows up, too.

I have tried to install gnome-core from the console as some posts suggest. I have also tried to make clean, fresh DVD copies of the installation .iso. Each time, because of the CD ejecting during the initial reboot, I arrive at a blank desktop background.

What is the best way to properly complete the installation so I can begin enjoying Ubuntu?

It is normal to remove installation media after completing an installation and before rebooting into the newly-configured computer.

My first guess is that the CD and perhaps the *.iso file it was burned from may be torqued and something didn't install properly. If you burned the CD yourself, did you check the MD5 checksum before burning the CD?

I tried installing version 10.04 from the .iso file downloadable from Ubuntu's official website, first from CD, and then by USB using pendrivelinux.com's tool. Both times, the result was the same.

As a follow-up, the LTS version worked much better. Upon boot, the full desktop and menus would load, and I'd have full functionality.

In the end, Firefox scrolled very slow. Windows would take seconds to re-draw when I dragged them across the screen. Streaming video would cause significant lags and delays. In the end, I think the issue likely lies in the way some settings unique to the Ubuntu distro interact with my hardware - especially hardware that's 10 years old!

Fedora 14 works wonderfully for my specific system. Screen refresh for streaming video and movies is fantastic.

Thank you for the advice.

Glad you are up and running.

I obviously can't diagnose the issue from here with certainty, but it sounds as if it was a video driver issue.

I was just messing about Fedora in Virtual Box. I think you will be happy with it.