Dell Inspiron 1545 - can't load Kubunutu

[Tom_ZeCat]

I just bought a Dell Inspiron 1545, Model No. PP41L at a pawn shop. It came with Windows 7 and lots of crapware. I downloaded the 64-bit version of the Kubuntu 13.10 iso file. I've tried two ways to install Kubuntu without success:
1. From the iso file on a thumb drive
2. From a DVD that I burned Kubuntu to via K3B

I did a web search for how to make sure the Inspiron boots from a USB drive or a DVD drive. I found two possible ways, one by hitting F12 and another by hitting F2 upon startup. When I used F12, it brought up a simple menu offering a list of devices to boot from. I get the same result whether I choose the thumb drive or the DVD drive. The computer sits there with a plain black screen and a blinking cursor for a long time and then proceeds to boot into Windows.

So I tried F2. F2 brings you into a more involved menu with a lot of settings, including boot order. So I went in there and set the thumb drive to first and the DVD drive to second. When I do this, I get a result a lot like before. The computer hangs on a black screen while attempting to access the thumb drive, then it acts like it's accessing the DVD drive and hangs on a black screen for a long time. Finally it boots to Windows.

I know the usb port is okay. I've been using it just fine. The thumb drive works fine in my laptop. I formatted it to FAT32 and put the Kubuntu 64 iso on it as the only thing. The DVD drive works also. I used it in Windows to create an Acronis True Image boot disk. Prior to doing any of this I ran Acronis to do a full system back up in case we ever want to put Windows 7 back onto it (like if we return it to the pawn shop or sell it to someone who wants Windows).

I've done a web search. I just find info about using F2 or F12.

Why isn't this stupid thing loading and installing Kubuntu? It neither loads it to try the OS nor loads it for installation. I only get those black screens and then its onto loading Windows.

An update: Just out of curiosity I tried booting to my old Kubuntu 13.04 DVD. It booted. That one was burned via Power ISO in Windows, not K3B. So I made a new 13.10 disk in Power ISO /win and that one has booted as well. I'm installing it now and will let you know how it goes.

I still don't know why the thumb drive didn't work. Or why it didn't like my burn via K3B. I did the burn and let it verify the data.

2nd update:
It installed just fine. I'm here in that laptop. It's weird that it didn't like the disk burned with K3B or the thumb drive.

[vinnywright]

I know the usb port is okay. I've been using it just fine. The thumb drive works fine in my laptop. I formatted it to FAT32 and put the Kubuntu 64 iso on it as the only thing.

that is not how you make a bootable USB ,,,,,,you nead to use a tool like "startup disk creator" or "unetbootin" or use dd

An update: Just out of curiosity I tried booting to my old Kubuntu 13.04 DVD. It booted. That one was burned via Power ISO in Windows, not K3B. So I made a new 13.10 disk in Power ISO /win and that one has booted as well. I'm installing it now and will let you know how it goes.

I still don't know why the thumb drive didn't work. Or why it didn't like my burn via K3B. I did the burn and let it verify the data.

when you burn a .iso to disk it must be burned as a "disk image" to be bootable if you burned it as a "data disk" it will not work , I think Power ISO burns a .ISO as an image by default ....... K3b you must select tools>burn image .....

VINNY

[bweinel]

Whenever you download an image, it's also usually a good idea to run a sha1 verification on the image file before burning it in order to make sure you really got a good image. ....I've been 'burned' by that one before.

cheers,
bill

[Tom_ZeCat]

Whenever you download an image, it's also usually a good idea to run a sha1 verification on the image file before burning it in order to make sure you really got a good image. ....I've been 'burned' by that one before.

cheers,
bill

I figured there was no way that a Linux distro would get fiddled with by hackers. Or is this wrong?

Or could a distro get trashed during download without hackers messing with it?

[jlittle]

I figured there was no way that a Linux distro would get fiddled with by hackers. Or is this wrong?

Or could a distro get trashed during download without hackers messing with it?

I've had iso files screwed up during the download, don't know how, though not for several years. CD burning can be dodgy, too, usually one gets an error but not always.

Regards, John Little