Ubuntu
ubiquity package

cannot install to a computer where the existing copy of windows isn't working

Asked by Christine Thornton

Hello everyone, I am new to Ubuntu which looks amazing. I wanted to install it on my daughter's laptop after failing to get windows [vista] to work properly, even after reinstallation and various forms of repair. Hers is a 4-yr-old entry level toshiba.

Used my own laptop to download and create a ubuntu disk, but it will not boot from the cd drive of her computer. In fact it wouldn't boot on my computer either [a 2-yr-old midprice toshiba laptop] until I installed the boot helper. On her machine I just keep getting the same cycle of ineffectual attempts by windows to repair itself, it ignores the ubuntu disk even when I instruct the machine to boot from the cd drive.

Can anyone suggest how I can get ubuntu to install, or even just to run itself so I can install, in these circumstances?

Thanks

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Ubuntu ubiquity Edit question
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Christine Thornton
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Revision history for this message
François Tissandier (baloo) said : 		#1

To make it boot on the CD, there are usually two ways:
-if you see a mention about a boot menu when starting the computer (like "press f12 for one time boot"), you should try that
-if you don't see it, you may have to enter in the boot settings (there is always a mention about the key to press to open this menu)

In the boot settings, be careful please :) Don't change anything you don't know. Try to find something like "boot sequence", or "boot" something. You should be offered to sort the different options: floppy, harddrive, CD ROM, etc... Make sure the CD Rom is before the hard drive. Then save, put the CD in the drive, and boot the computer. You should have the Ubuntu menu instead of the Windows mess.

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Christine Thornton (chrisevening) said : 		#2

Francois, thanks for your message and for answering me so quickly.

I already tried telling it to boot from the CD in the F12 multi-boot menu, which in this version of windows you do by highlighting it, but it ignores that and loops back into windows.
have you any other ideas?

Christine

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

Did you MD5 test the ISO you downloaded?
Did you burn the ISO as slowly as you could?
Did you check the CD for defects once initially booted to?

Revision history for this message
Christine Thornton (chrisevening) said : 		#4

Thanks again Francois, your support led me to try the disk again and for no apparent reason, it worked this time [the 4th or 5th attempt]!

Actionparsnip, I didn't do any of those things but I will take note.

However we now have a new problem, the installation has been hanging at 58% for the last 30 minutes. I will post a new question.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

The MD5 makes sure the ISO is good and the CD check makes sure the burning went well. I suggest you use these to make sure the errors you see are not caused by a bad CD

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François Tissandier (baloo) said : 		#6

I agree with actionparsnip, there is an option in the Ubuntu menu when you boot on the CD to check the CD for problems. ALWAYS do that :) Otherwise you may use a CD with a problem to install Ubuntu. It's much safer to check the CD first.

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David Jones (dj) said : 		#7

    Actiion has given good advice follow it!