Ubuntu handicapable

[jdbnsn]

I'm having a hell of a time with this damned thing. I've never worked with linux before, granted, but how difficult does this have to be? Now I have downloaded 3 different versions of the iso and still don't have an OS to show for it. The first was ubuntu server 8.10, when that didn't work I used the ubuntu alternative version, now I'm trying ubuntu LTS and still nothing. I've taken the hard drive out and deleted the partitions then formatted in both NT and FAT and nothing. BIOS does recognize there is a drive there but whenever I try running the install disks it loads a command line interface called "Busybox". Anyone here know what the hell I'm doing wrong? I've tried loking in ubuntu's documentation and I can't find a solution.

[Zephik]

Thats weird. From my experience, its just a matter of popping in the CD and after the computer does some booting up it pops up an install screen for ubuntu with multiple options. Like install ubuntu, or run ubuntu off of the disc, etc.

Maybe you have to enable booting from disc in the bios or something like that?

[jdbnsn]

I guess I didn't describe the install very well. When I boot with any of the discs in the drive, I do get the initial options menu screen where I first select my language and then select "install ubuntu". After that, I get the ubuntu splash screen with a crolling activity bar, after a few moments it crashes to the busybox screen.

[mtekk]

What hardware are you trying to install on? I've only installed Ubuntu once, on a AMD-K6-2 400 in a laptop with 96MiB ram, it was literally follow the prompts (I have much more experience installing Gentoo on VMs and real hardware).

[Zephik]

I guess I didn't describe the install very well. When I boot with any of the discs in the drive, I do get the initial options menu screen where I first select my language and then select "install ubuntu". After that, I get the ubuntu splash screen with a crolling activity bar, after a few moments it crashes to the busybox screen.

Ohhhh... I see. You know, I've actually had that problem before now that I think about it! But I can't remember how I fixed it. lol

At the time I was using really crappy discs, but even when I used a quality one I still had the same problem. Trying to think what I did after that...

ooh, I think I might of fixed it by swapping out the CD-ROM drive with another drive. I remember doing that. Not sure if it was the solution though.

I also remember figuring out my hard drive was some sort of messed up. Either broken or corrupted or something. That might be the problem too? I can't remember if I swapped out the hard drives or not, I've gone though so many of them. lol

CURSES BRAIN! Why won't you work! Maybe I got a corrupted memory brain cell? lol

[Zephik]

Does running Ubuntu straight off of the disc work?

[danthegeek]

You may want to check if you are running AHCI sata mode in the bios. I dont know if this applies to Ubuntu but I have to run IDE mode for XP to run and install. I havent tried changing it back since i put Ubuntu on my laptop. Just an FYI, AHCI allows you to hot swap sata drives so you wont be able to do so once you set it to IDE.

[Drum Thumper]

System specs please. We'll make a geek out of you yet.

[jdbnsn]

Haha, thanks guys. I've set this one aside for the time being. When I get the table built for the coroner's microscopes and get my PC set back up I'll jump back on this project and post all the hardware specs so you can help me follow the yellow geek road.

[SgtM]

Dban the drive first. Make sure it's completely wiped, and unformatted. One of the problems you're having is using an NTFS formatted drive. Linux won't read/write to NTFS without using SAMBA, so when you're trying to install, it gets confused, and just hangs. If you're wanting something with a GUI, stay away from Ununtu Server. It's CLI only.