Problem loading Ubuntu into used laptop

[richlevy]

I am having a problem loading Ubuntu 6.10 386 desktop into the used laptop I just bought (see Cellar post here).


So far I've downloaded Ubuntu 6.10 from two different mirrors and confirmed the MD5 hashes on both.

At varying speeds and on two different burners I have burned the ISO image of Ubuntu. I tried it with CDBurnerXP and Nero.

In all of the cases, when I boot to Ubuntu, I get the following results.

Some disks won't boot.
Disks boot but when I run the check CD utility, I find at least 1 check sum error.
I ran Ubuntu's memory checker and it found 1 bad location in memory at the 253MB mark.


Is my problem with the used laptop's memory, it's CD drive, Ubuntu itself, or a combination of my burners and software?

I have burned projects from images before, but with videos it's possible to mess up a few bits and not have an effect.

I tried booting my newer desktop computer from one of the disks last night and it wouldn't even boot. I cut a new disk this morning to try again.

My ideas to resolve this range from:

Find an old copy of Windows 95/98/200 to load to the laptop to run diagnostics.
Spend $25 on a SODIMM 256MB module and install it by itself to see if it's memory. The laptop has paired 128MB strips so if they both turn out to be good I can at least pair up the 256MB with a 128MB.
Buy better CD-R disks. I am using cheap disks.
Spend $10 and buy a Ubuntu CD.

If it's the laptop memory I will spend the $25 to fix it.
If it's the laptop CD drive I'm sending it back.
If it's my burner software/hardware I have to buy a copy of Ubuntu.
If it's Ubuntu I have to find a copy of Windows 2000 Pro since the PC has a COA for it.

[richlevy]

Tested Ubuntu burn by burning a CD at max speed on DVD-RW drive, booting on CD-RW drive, and attempting to check CD.

It loaded the OS and started running the check and then bounced to the console with the following error:

Busybox v1.1.13 (Debian 1:1.1.3-2Ubuntu3)

bin/sh: Can't access TTY; job control turned off

Now I am going to burn the ISO image at a slower speed on the CD-RW drive. If that doesn't work I am going out to buy better CD-R disks. I've already gone through about 12 blanks disks already and I'm running out of disks anyway.


Update: Googled problem and found that either because my desktop has multiple drives and/or NTFS, this might be a Ubuntu bug. This means I can't use my desktop to validate the Ubuntu CD's I am burning.

I may have to switch to a different Linux so that I can at least test whether the used laptop has any issues preventing a Linux install.

[mbpark]

RIch,

#1. Have you burned a copy of Ultimate Boot CD for Windows? I would do this and run the memory tests on there first.

#2. Have you wiped the destination hard drive with DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke)?

#3. Have you tried other bootable CDs on there, such as FreeBSD or Knoppix?

#4. What brand of CD-R are you using?

The biggest issue I have found in cases like these are the CD-ROM drives themselves, which can be found for $20 on eBay or at Smartcomp in Bensalem.

However, I would attempt to burn a good diagnostics CD first and run a memory burn-in test.

[mbpark]

Rich,

Did you make sure you have the latest BIOS on that machine?

This is an issue I have had with Gateways and Dells alike...the BIOS needs updating to work properly with Linux a lot.

Thanks,

Mitch

[richlevy]

Thanks for the advice MB.

I was using a junk CD-R brand. I just picked up Memorex this morning.

I didn't want to wipe the hard drive until after I got good results on an installation since the CD driver was on it.

I did find the BIOS on Dell, but didn't try loading it. I can try that before I do this again.

I am currently downloading OpenSuse as my second choice.

I am looking at replacing the memory, but the $29 memory at CompUSA is out of stock and I am not paying $60 for new memory. I intend to verify the disks on my desktop PC and if I then have problems with the laptop, I can assume it might be the memory or the laptop CD-ROM drive.

I will have to look for the Ultimate Boot CD. I have some old diagnostic disks, but this sounds simpler.

[WabUfvot5]

It's unlikely that so many discs would be bad. The checksum error is pretty easy to get. All it takes is ONE byte (that's a 0 or 1) being read incorrectly for the checksum not to match.

BIOS is a good thing to update regardless. The RAM error is worrisome but the possibility also exists that the CD drive is dusty or otherwise impaired too.

I'd avoid OpenSuSE honestly. Once it goes unsupported (for a newer version) lots of problems come up.

You might want to try booting with Knoppix. It's a live (bootable) distro that lets you test memory and hard disks. Also will boot from the CD into a graphical Linux environment. Ubuntu has a similar bootable disc but no harm in making sure it isn't a bug with it.

[BigV]

<sigh>

I feel your pain.

I haven't dragged a copy of your 8100 out of the closet to personally verify this experiment, but I will say that mbpark nailed it (as usual) with the ultimate boot cd attempt, also with the Knoppix.

What I didn't see was a suggestion to boot to the diagnostic partition on the Dell itself. Usually you can press F12 very early (and often!) in the startup routine and get a "Boot Menu" choice list. Try the diagnostic partition. Plenteous useful diag tools to verify the hardware. I give it my highest recommendation.

also, pm me.

[mbpark]

BigV,

The Inspirons usually don't have the diagnostic partition, the Latitudes do.

The UBCD is updated more often and has some seriously good tools for checking RAM .

Dells are well-known in my book for changing how they work with Linux with each BIOS update. The Gateway laptop at work sitting next to me has the same issue (wouldn't boot OpenSUSE without a BIOS flash to the most recent version).

If you really want to test a laptop or desktop, attempt to load Windows NT 4.0 on it. Since the OS runs in a continual "busy loop", it stresses your hardware significantly more than Linux or later versions of Windows will. I've successfully tested servers with this issue that ran Linux fine .

[mbpark]

Rich,

There may also be a drive firmware update from the Dell site, but you'll have to boot into DOS off a bootable floppy (Dell provides them) to use it.

[tw]

Originally Posted by mbpark

The Inspirons usually don't have the diagnostic partition, the Latitudes do.

My Inspiron (purchased two years ago) does have a diagnostic partition. I recently upgraded that hardware diagnostic from the Dell web site.

On the bottom is a Service Tag number. Use that number to quickly access all upgrades that apply to your machine from Dell's web site - including latest BIOS and hardware diagnostic.

As Mitch says, these diagnotics can be downloaded even onto bootable (DOS) floppies - or other media.

[richlevy]

I updated the bios. The PC was delivered without an operating system, only command.com and the CD-ROM driver, so I do not need drivers and diagnostic utilities.


I was able to load and navigate in Knoppix, which shows that the drive and memory will accept a new OS. I didn't like Knoppix, however, since it botched the resolution leaving me with a 2 inch black frame around the desktop. This wasn't just the screen background since the mouse would not go onto the black area.

I cut two new Ubuntu disks, and both showed 1 checksum error. I was still able to load the Ubuntu desktop from the CD. I did lock up when attempting to set up, but that might be because I updated the system clock in the middle of the setup.

Ubuntu let me navigate the Internet with Firefox, so it recognizes my NIC card. I recognizes a USB mouse, my sound card, and gives me the correct screen resolution. The only issue I have with both new copies I burned is an error starting the GNOME Settings Daemon on boot from the CD.

I'm going for it. Wish me luck.

[Bitman]

You might want to run memtest86 on it first. Ubuntu should have a copy, and maybe Knoppix if the Ubuntu one break. You can download a bootable floppy too if the CDs just don't work.

http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

Looks like there's a version you can drop on a USB key if you can boot from it.

If you get an error, swap the DIMMs, and/or try them singly to see which module is bad. If it finds no problems, let it run overnight to stress-test the chips.

If you still find no problems, hit it with Prime95. If that runs fine for 5-10 minutes (a couple hours if you want to be certain), you can consider your CPU and RAM clean. I hear it's on the UBCD; I can't find a bootable version anywhere.

Prime95 was never meant to be a system test, but it somehow manages to heat up both the CPU and RAM to the point that it can sniff out even the slightest problem.

Strange you had so many problems with the CDs; I haven't had CD problems in years. Still have DVD problems tho.

[toaster]

I've found that both Ubuntu and Debian are very picky when it comes to burning their ISOs. The only way I was able to solve my problem was burning the CD ISO to a DVD. Not sure why that solved the problem but it did.

I would definitely take MBparks advice and burn a copy of the Ultimate Boot Disc. Run a few of the memory tests on the machine, and also run a HD diagnostic. Sometimes HD problems look surprisingly similiar to memory issues.

[BigV]

[hijack] wrt processor heat... recently solved a mystery. sitting in the office alone late one night and I hear music. computer-y music. wait, I know that tune...de de de de dah de de de dah de de de dum, lalalala... .etc. guessed at the title--bingo. Fur Elise. Where is it coming from? I looked all around, nuttin. Fast forward a week. Happens again. I jump up and track it down to the server room. From the voicemail server. From the pc speaker. WTF?!?!? Then it quits. Great. Maximum thoroughness for updates, anti virus, anti crapware, etc, etc. Nuttin.

then I googled around again and came upon this gem:

STR Fact File: Should I upgrade to Vista now? Yes, definitely. Vista includes an all-new sercurity system called TCP/IP which will no doubt stump foreign hackers for years. A client of mine had a Linux computer which had a virus called “Fur Elise” which caused the computer to play random melodies through it’s speaker. I told him that if he upgraded to Vista the virus would be gone. Unfortunately he failed to heed my advice, and days later the PC’s cheap foreign-made CPU had completely burned out.

Oooooh. I laughed til I cried. You all must read it. It really belongs in the WFT thread, but I had to continue my search.

Eventually, I discovered that the motherboard manufacturer had put in this music as an alarm for some impending faults; bad powersupply line, badly seated component, cpu fan not working/too hot. bingo. I opened the case and the little 50mm fan's thread had completely spun out and the Fates cut it loose. I don't know if it's spirit went to heaven or hell, but the body is in the trash right now. It took a little doing (two stores) but I did locate a replacement fan and installed it without even needing to shut down the system. yay me!

No more music, voicemail remains in the land of the living, actually solved a mystery (a rare treat) and I got a big laugh from ShelleyTheRepublican. It was a good day.

[/hijack]

[richlevy]

Well, I attempted Ubuntu and Freespire. Both ran fine off of the CD but failed when I attempted to load to the disk. I checked both sets of error and it appears the 6-year-old hard drive in the used computer with a large crack in it's side might be bad.

Anyway, I called the company and they are sending me another drive at no charge.

Linux apparently had a problem dealing with this. I am going to repartition as a FAT32 and run diagnostics to see how bad it really is.

The replacement drive arrives tomorrow but I want to see for myself how compromised this drive appears to be.