Ubuntu
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How do I install Ubuntu 9.10

Asked by Elijah

I have a Dell Dimension 2400. Intel Pentium 4, L2 Cache 512 KB integrated, 256 MB RAM, 2.20 GHz processor, memory speed 266 MHz. Hard drive 38147MB total. I have been unsuccesfully attempting to install Ubuntu 9.10 onto this machine that has XP Pro.
I tried to just run the live cd without installing, I got to the login screen and couldn't get past that, unauthenticated user. Yes I tried letting it time out and I also left the fields blank (as suggested in the documentation). I have searched on the site for possible fixes to this and am left at your mercy.
 Obviously I am a newby to this, so please have mercy on my ignorance. I am more than willing to learn, though.
I realize that this computer is extremely old and slow, but it should have the bare-minimum requirements as described on the support sites.
I have checked the (live cd) disk for errors as suggested and it found none the second time, although I didn't have a similar screen as shown on the support site. I have also done memory checks on the system and it checks out ok.
Right now, as before it is going through all the files and shows the series of numbers leading inside [ ] then SQUASH error: Unable to read directory and metadirectory / block/cache.
I looked for Kubuntu, thinking this would be a good alternative for a low-memory machine, but I could not find the link to download.
Please remember I am a newby. Please have mercy, thank you for your time and support.

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Ubuntu yelp Edit question
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Solved by:
marcobra (Marco Braida)
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Elijah (heib1982) said : 		#1

I apologize, I did find the Kubuntu download link. Every thing else still applies. Thanks

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Best marcobra (Marco Braida) (marcobra) said : 		#2

You are under the minimum required to run Ubuntu

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/SystemRequirements

Please consider to add some RAM chip to get best requirements ( i suggest you 512mb or better 1giga of ram)

Or please consider to install xubuntu that require less ram:

http://www.xubuntu.org/get

Hth

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Elijah (heib1982) said : 		#3

Thanks marcobra (Marco Braida), that solved my question.

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Elijah (heib1982) said : 		#4

I am unable to upgrade, but so far Xuubuntu works for me. Thanks to all of you, especially Marcobra.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#5

Hi :)

Yes, the only thing that lets this machine down a little is the Ram. £30 or perhaps even a lot less would make this machine really fly. My own machine has 2.6GHz cpu and i can watch HDTV and all sorts with it. The only real difference is that i have 2Gb ram.

If you can get a LiveCd of Xubuntu working on your machine then it should be fairly easy to install a dual-boot of Xubuntu alongside your Xp on that machine. Xubuntu will need quite a lot of empty hard-drive space tho as it includes a lot of programs. I think it needs about 5Gb space free but i could be completely wrong. Of course it should be able to read all the data that is on your Windows side so i would try to keep most things unchanged.

Since you have tried to install Ubuntu already on this machine there may have been a few partitions setup so from the LiveCd please get to a command-line
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal#Starting%20a%20Terminal
and type (or copy&paste with the mouse)

sudo fdisk -l

where "-l" is a lower-case "-L". This should show how all the partitions are really arranged on your hard-drive now.

This guide might be useful for trying to install Xubuntu in a dual-boot alongside Xp
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot

Good luck and please feel free to keep asking questions
Regards from
Tom ;)