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    Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

    Dear friends,

    First I'd like to say this is my first time on a Discussion Forum and my first time trying out Linux. I hope I am doing this right...

    So, Vista is coming, new year is coming, I say to myself: lets switch to Linux. Well, I will still need XP because I use a highly specialized software for my job and it's only available in Windows. So I'll need dual boot.

    I spent a few hours going from website to website, looking for the best way to get started, learning the Linux basics, picking the right distro for me, etc, I'm sure you know the drill.

    So here I am picking Kubuntu. Downloaded the iso file. Burnt it to a CD, at 2x. DID NOT burn back the iso on the CD, but really unpaked it. I actually did this 4 times, because so far, my install is not working, I thought there could be a burning issue, but alas, the result never changes.

    I downloaded version 6.10 Edgy, as far as I know, my system is working perfectly (including my burner, I just burnt audio CDs for my car, and they play fine).

    My system is a stock HP Pavilion 520n. Specs here:
    http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/g...bph07044&lc=en
    + LCD screeen NEC 1530V

    My computer ability: I consider myself a pretty savvy user : I built my own web page, I use TrueCrypt, Firefox with lots of extensions, I know how to partition a hard drive, I use Acronis (drive image) to reinstall my system every 4-5 months, I configured uTorrent (port forwarding) and Tor server on my system, I installed by myself a USB 2.0 card in my computer, I added an external hard drive with automated, encrypted, back-up schedule, etc.

    What it does:
    It starts to boot from the CD drive, I get to the "Welcome to Kubuntu" screen, with the blue Kubuntu logo, I either just press "Enter" to start the normal LiveCD, or I also have tried several boot options from the help menu like boot: live asic lasic (or something like it). It then starts reading the CD, I hear it humming away kind of nicely and then, my screen "flashes" it's like a funky, rough, grid appears and flashes for 3 to 8 seconds then, depending of the options selected, the CD will go through another reading cycle (about 30-45 sec) or just "drop dead" there (well, the inactive LED on the CD lights up).

    I tried installing or starting the LiveCD of several other Linux distros, SimplyMEPIS, Yopper, Puppy and Freespire among others, and a similar behavior occurs... Or more often just nothing (Mepis and Linspire notably, the MBR picks up the CD but does nothing).

    So, I was told Linux is so great, that it had come a long way, improving, Ubuntu, easy install, dual boot, yadda, yadda, but so far the cost of getting started on Linux is piling up. Personally, I don't work extra hours under 70$ per hour. I estimate I have already spent something like 15-20 hours (that would be about $1500, and I do have work to do at that rate) trying to get started and I am just about to give up.

    Anybody has ever encountered this?

    Thanks,
    Patrick

    #2
    Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

    So here I am picking Kubuntu. Downloaded the iso file. Burnt it to a CD, at 2x. DID NOT burn back the iso on the CD, but really unpaked it. I actually did this 4 times, because so far, my install is not working, I thought there could be a burning issue, but alas, the result never changes.
    What do you mean you "unpacked it"In window with your Record Now app you could right click and burn iso.
    ~$sudo make me a sandwich

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

      Unpacked: I mean, when I look at the CD content in File Explorer, it's not the .iso file. It really is a bunch of files and folders (Folders: .disc, dists, pics, pool, preseed, etc, Files: start.exe, start.ini, autorun.inf).

      I have read in several posts that people just copy the .iso file to the CD and wait for it to boot, which will never happen.

      I have used the Disk Image Wizard from Nero 6.3.0.3 to burn the CD.

      Thanks for the quick comment.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

        What your more than likely seeing is the Windows side of the disc. If you play it while in XP a browser will open with access to some free software for windows(I forget what's all on there now).

        If you boot the CD and actually get a menu, you should see a option to check the CD itself. That would be my first choice if your having problems. This would check the integrity of the disc and burn. If this is ok, try the memtest. If all is good then you should be able to boot and install.
        ~$sudo make me a sandwich

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

          Hi!

          First I would like to ensure that you does not use the feisty fawn version but rather the 6.10 version of kubuntu. Feisty fawn is not yet ready for user that want a quick and stable system. For me I actually have a 6.06.1 LST which is working very well, and in some points better than the 6.10. For me I actually have a 6.06.1 LST which is working very well, and in some points more stable than the 6.10. The difference is more in the parts you should not see than the applications. The applications is quite the same for both releases and is uppgraded along the way.

          Then, I would suggest you download the alternate install version of kubuntu. You should download the iso-image and that should be burned to the CD as an CD-Image. This is important. Don't mess with the image.
          You know when this is done right when the CD boots and you get the menu as eriefisher wrote about. After checking the CD and testing the mem you proceeds with the Install option. This will guide you throw the install-process. It will give you  only few options.

          In the partitioning you will have a few new file systems to chose. I prefer reiserfs although the ext3 will probably do fine. Both are journaled meaning that  they have a better support to sudden power loss.

          When the process is finished system will reboot and you will boot into the Grub-menu. Grub if the boot loader and will give you the opportunity to boot in Kubuntu or Windows.

          By the way, version 6.10 is called Edgy and to guide you to the magic world of forums, this should be posted there. A agree that there is no help in the title to knowing that. Anyway, the Edgy-parts of the forum is right place to search for further help. Probably someone have already had the same questions as you.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

            I would also say first of all that you should not go for Feisty as a first experience as this is in "alfa" and not in any way production phase yet.

            Looking at your specs I would go Dapper 6.06.1 as it is more stable in my experience or Edgy 6.10 if you absolutely want the latest versions of software included.

            In my experience it is not unusual that that LiveCD can not boot (though looking at your PC I don't see why not in this case) so if you are 100 that you burnt your ISO-file to disc the correct way (should be simple from Nero) then I would also say download the "alternate" iso-file instead and burn it. You get some more questions but nothing too daunting I would say.

            Good Luck,
            Sinclair

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

              I tried kubuntu 6.10 Edgy....And it worked fine.
              maybe you should try it instead of feisty.
              About that "Vista"...That's the Same for me....it was the main reason to start to learn Linux.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                Same here!

                I can't stand Vista.

                I'd really hate it if Dell+HP start bundling it with new PCs.

                XP is tolerable (for occasional apps that don't come for linux, like Sonic Stage which I need ;- but Vista is just RAWR. The requirements (just to keep the OS afloat) are inane, and you don't gain anything, except the chance to be spied on by MS, and let the TTCPA go through.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                  I have a lot of converts to kubuntu, I would have installed about 20+ different machines, I have had to use various versions to boot on different machines, eg my son's P4 jetway motherboard wont boot anything except Daper (0606) a server I'm currently building which I wanted Dapper won't boot & have had to use Edgy (1006) It seems to me (and correct me if I'm wrong) that changes to the power management in certain bios'es creates havoc with the install. I have on a couple of occasions fixed the problem with a bios update. I would please ask that you try earlier versions & do a dist upgrade to get to where you want to go. I hope these bugs get ironed out soon, so as not to put people off what is a great O/S.


                  Cary
                  The Ubuntu Counter Project - user number # 7859, registered Linux user 470405 Lenovo T510 Kubuntu Trusty 64bit, Intel Core i5-560M, 8 GB PC3-DDR3 SDRAM - 1067 MHz, NVIDIA NVS 3100m PCI Express, Wireless Centrino N 6300 My website http://www.qah.org.au

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                    Hi guys and girls,

                    Well it did not work really well. As some suggested, downloaded alternate install disk, checked the MD5 (OK), burnt it -properly- with Nero and launched the install.

                    It launched allright, but I soon got the following error message: debootsrap could not install liblz01_1.08-3_i386.deb

                    That did not sound right, anyways, I cleared the error message and started praying.

                    Of course I soon got: debootsrap failure to install base package and started swearing.

                    From there I was cought in an infinite loop, I tried all options of the install menu but was always getting a message saying I had to install the base package... Sure.

                    What happened next. I had to shut down the computer. Restarted. Got a dead computer. Of course. Tried to reinstall Windozs, did not even worked. I had to have my bios re-flashed, then re-installed Windozs.

                    So here I am, 3 weeks after I began my Linux journey: spent the equivalent of 1500$ trying to get the Live CD working, spent 110$ to get my computer going after a failed Linux install, and spent at least 8 hours bringing back my machine to the state it was before I started this thing...

                    It will be a looooooooooooong time before I give it another shot.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                      Sorry to hear about your troubles and final failure. From what I can see it still looks like your CD did not "burn well" as there seems to have been an issue with installing base-packages (looks like some sort of read-error to me). I have had to "re-burn" CDs sometimes when a CD-reader refuses to read a CD that on another PC can work just fine.

                      Maybe you should wait for the release of the Feisty in a couple of months and see how that works on your system.

                      Sinclair

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                        I have basically done the same thing for the same reason. but every distro I have tried fails.Feisty fawn AMD64 is the first that actually installed (it found my DVD) but as it boots it justs stops. looking at the text install it seems to stop with a panic or just stops. I have come to the understanding the kernel 2.6.19 is the one I should be using with P965-ds4 core 2 duo. most people in the know seem to suggest that I pickup a 3 year old PC and use that with linux as it will work! I like many other microsoft users I take a peek at linux every year or so hoping that it will be a true competitor. However I am a little perplexed on how to procede. I am hoping that I will not have to wait till my PC becomes completely obsolete before I find a distro that will actually work

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Desperately trying to switch from XP to Kubuntu...

                          I don't recall you having mentioned your hardware before, it does make a difference (in my opion) only if you have a 64-bit CPU of some kind.

                          I run a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop with a Core Duo and it worked just fine under Dapper with the exception of modem that I must have, now on Edgy that works too. It was just to post-installation install the 686-smp core and all was hunky dory.

                          So whatever is the problem I don't think it is that unless you do have 64 CPU - and then someone else has to step in as that is an area I have never ventured to.

                          Might add that I have worked with MS Windows since version 3.1 so am quite experienced. Linux on-off peeping until Dapper release last year, since then Kubuntu user. Now on Edgy.

                          Sinclair 8)

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