Young impatient newbie

[pgar23]

I have installed debian on my dell optiplex gx60. I have a 160 GB harddisk in which I was previously using windows xp. I installed debian 4.0 onto the same harddisk but I recieve the error:

Kernel panic -not syncing: Fatal exception in interrupt
Bug: unable to handle kernel paging at virtual address ffffd370

Now neither of the OS work. how do i fix this?

Also I read a couple of threads on here and I decide that I want to use UBUNTU as it sounds more newbie friendly. I was wondering how do I partition the harddisk so I have windows xp (I dont want to re-install xp tho, i want to keep all the programs and documents which are currently on there) and UBUNTU(i have the UBUNTU installation disk).

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Start Ubuntu Installation and select existing Linux Partition in Partition Section. You have installed Debian already. Are you sure Windows is still there? Boot up from Ubuntu CD, open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l

Post output here.

[pgar23]

ok. I erased the debian, i installed ubuntu, but now its stalls on the boot screen...
screen says:
boot
uncompressing linux...ok, booting to the kernel.
audit(): initialized
starting ubuntu...
*blah
*blah
*blah
*starting hotplug subsystem...

and stalls here...?

[devils casper]

Post last 3-4 error messages here. Which Graphics Card do you have?

[pgar23]

i just installed a new graphics card about two weeks ago and it works finw...i been using it on windows xp since. as far as wut kind...? i threw away the booklet. but im pretty sure its a radeon 128.

the last couple messages on ubuntu boot are as follows:

checking all file systems [ok]
mounting local filesystems [ok]
running 0dns-down to make sure resolv.conf is ok [ok]
initializing ifupdown state [ok]
*starting hotplug subsystem
_<this stops in middle of screen and blinks...it just stalls here and thats all

[devils casper]

Press Ctrl+Alt+F1. Does it drop you at command line Login Prompt?

[pgar23]

no. when i type ctl+alt+F1 it doesnt do anything. Do you think I should try to re-install UBUNTU?

[devils casper]

It looks like Graphics Card problem only. Try to boot up in Single use mode.
Highlight Ubuntu title In GRUB Menu and press 'e'. Select 'kernel' line and press 'e' again. Add <space> single at the end of line and hit 'Enter' key. Press 'b'.
Does Ubuntu boot up?

if yes, execute this

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Set Driver value to "vesa" in Section Device "Video Card". Save file and reboot.

If Ubuntu doesn't boot in single user mode, re-install would be the easiest fix.

[pgar23]

Sorry to be such a newbie, but this is the first time I'm using LINUX. Where is the single user mode? my options are
Ubuntu, Kernel 2.6.10-5-386
Ubuntu, Kernel 2.6.10-5-386 (recovery mode)
Ubuntu, kernel memtest86+

in addition: how do I Ubuntu title in grub menu?

[oz]

Sorry to be such a newbie, but this is the first time I'm using LINUX. Where is the single user mode? my options are
Ubuntu, Kernel 2.6.10-5-386
Ubuntu, Kernel 2.6.10-5-386 (recovery mode)
Ubuntu, kernel memtest86+

in addition: how do I Ubuntu title in grub menu?

Use the arrow key to highlight different entries in the GRUB menu. Read casper's post above again for instructions on how to enter single mode.