error message 16, help needed please

have found this previous thread
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=623193
but don't know what the IDE cable is?

Please ask someone to download a Ubuntu Installation CD for you from Internet or borrow from a friend. You need a Installation CD to reboot the system to fix this.

A proper Ubuntu Cd would be ideal for this. We just need a command-line at first but a full proper Ubuntu cd can also be used as a LiveCd.

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto

I tend to find really cheap "write once" cds that can only be bought in stacks of 10 or more are better for this than expensive ones, less errors oddly <shrugs>.

If you can't download Ubuntu or have problems making a cd of it then WolvixHunter (450Mb) might well work
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=wolvix
or sliTaz is even smaller (30Mb) and might make a better cd because of that but WolvixHunter usually has better hardware support
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=slitaz

Whichever one you try just put it in the cd/dvd drive and reboot the machine. When you get to a splash screen press enter - with Ubuntu it gives a nice menu with the default option "Try Ubuntu without making changes to this machine". SliTaz or Ubuntu will then get you straight to a working desktop, with Wolvix it needs a username "root" and password "toor".

Once you are at a working desktop you should be able to get to a command-line, look for a little icon of a tele screen with a ">" or in Ubuntu go up to the top-taskbar and click on

Applications - Accessories - Terminal

anyway however you get to the command-line from there type

sudo fdisk -l

or on sliTaz or Wolvix type

su
fdisk -l

and then try to copy the results into here

This could also be caused by a hardware problem but the crucial statement in that thread you gave a link to was "I suspect you have a hardware problem - since the grub errors are not consistent" and in your case it is being consistent so i don't think this is a 'wobbly wires' problem.

Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Hi, please let us know if anything i've said makes the slightest sense! Lol, sorry about that!

The first thing to do is to get an Ubuntu Cd. The fastest way is to buy a pack of really cheap "write once" cds as these seem to work better. And then find a machine, any machine will do as this can be done from inside Windows or anywhere. 'Just' download Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
The Netbook Remix is the one for really tiny cute little machines, perhaps a 10" screen (measured from corner to corner) or thereabouts. Mostly, larger machines will need the normal Ubuntu Desktop 32bit version.

If you think you need the Netbook remix or if you have trouble getting access to a different machine for this then please let us know because there are other options. (Sorry i confused the issue by talking about some of them straight-away).

Please let us know how this is going!
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)