Ubuntu

Install kubuntu 7.10 on a Toshiba laptop

Asked by AMJ

I have a Toshiba S1800-700 laptop which has been running Win2000 Server.

I've never used a unix/linux OS, but I am reasonably computer literate.

I've downloaded the kubuntu 7.10 installation ISO and written a copy of the CD. I put the CD in the Win2000 Server system. It auto-ran and offered me the option to 'try Ububtu without disturbing your current system' (which I did not do).

I've taken the hard disc with the Win2000 system out of the PC and replaced it with another hard disc which does not have an OS on it. I want to install kubuntu on this new disc. It's notionally a 'empty disc' that Ubuntu can do whatever it likes with. In fact, the disc is a single FAT32 partition with old data on it (which has all been backed up elsewhere).

I put the Ubuntu disc in the CD drive and turned the power on. My expectation was that the system would boot from the Ubuntu disc. In fact I got an 'invalid system disc' message. I can't get ay further down that route.

I booted the PC up under DOS 9x. The DOS system sees the new hard drive OK. It also see the kubuntu installation CD. It gives me this directory listing for the kubuntu installation CD:

 Volume in drive D is Ubuntu
 Directory of D:\

README dis 222 10-16-07 12:53a
_disk <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
autorun inf 42 05-28-06 3:36p
bin <DIR> 05-29-07 4:19p
casper <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
disctree <DIR> 05-29-07 4:19p
dists <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
install <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
isolinux <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
md5sum txt 33,690 10-16-07 12:53a
pics <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
pool <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
preseed <DIR> 10-16-07 12:53a
programs <DIR> 09-25-07 10:40a
start bmp 255,358 03-25-07 5:28p
start exe 38,912 11-17-03 5:09p
start ini 95 06-29-05 9:23a
ubuntu 0 10-16-07 12:53a
ubuntu ico 193,110 05-28-06 3:36p
wubi_cdb exe 644,264 10-12-07 1:26a
         9 file(s) 1,165,693 bytes
        11 dir(s) 0 bytes free

The DOS command <cd\install> gives me an error message 'invalid directory'.

What do I do now? I'm lost. How do you actually install Ununtu?

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Revision history for this message
Max Schukin (schukin) said : 		#1

Did you set in the BIOS the boot order to look first for the CD-Drive?

Revision history for this message
AMJ (amj-operamail) said : 		#2

Thanks for the suggestion. In fact it was simply a disc/drive compatability problem. The laptop has failed to read two different Ubuntu boot CDs. I then wrote the ISO image onto a DVD rather than a CD and the PC started to boot up from the DVD.

It didn't get very far. After watching the orange bar wandering back and forth for a couple of minutes everything dies. This has happend multiple times. End of story.

[I've also tried to load kubuntu 7.10 onto a Toshiba S2800-200 laptop. That gets further. As far as I can tell the Linux kernel does run on the system but Ubuntu does not. I get hundreds of error messages and no Unbutu at the end of the load sequence. The kernel does however respond correctly to the power-off button. But never mind.]

I'm now trying to load Ubuntu onto a Dell optiplex GX110 desktop. My first attempt was promising. It got all the way through to a Ubuntu screen asking me for a user name, but then a box appeared with a halt sign saying the system was out of memory. I created a 1Gb Linux ext 2 partition on the hard disc and tried again.

No complaints about memory this time but it wants a user name and a password from me and I don't have either. This is the first time in my life I've ever sucessfully booted up Ubuntu but apparently I can't get any further without a user name and password. Are there some default values I'm supposed to type in?

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AMJ (amj-operamail) said : 		#3

Since no-one has given me an answer, I'll answer myself.

I've spent the last four days of my life trying to install two different versions of Ubuntu on three different PCs. Only one of those six combinations actually works. My impression is that Kubuntu is a piece of shit. Xubuntu has however loaded successfully onto my Dell desktop PC and looks very promising. I've finally arrived at square one.