Can't load linux and have tried 5 today

[zmikeo]

okay I have a oldish computer that I put together from 3 old computers, which was originally running windows 98.
It is a pentium 3 933mhz on a GA 6vx7-4x mobo and 256MB's of Ram and 2 x 20GB hard drives.
I had trouble loading Linux and I have tried a couple including DSL, Fedora 8, Slax, xbuntu 7.10, and Ubuntu 7.10 alternate.
I get just past install and all I get in most of them is a flashing cursor in top left of screen, which if the cd was whirling I would accept as loading, but it is not.
So lacking in advice I used the ultimate boot cd and wiped both drives, but that still has not helped me to load.
So I am stuck, any help ?

[Jonathan183]

Which distro do you want to run? have you disabled RAID if thats available?

[zmikeo]

I was going for ubuntu, but I don't really mind which one I get working, and I don't have raid set

[Jonathan183]

It looks as though you might be better with Xubuntu based on this. How are you partitioning the disk, are you using defaults or custom partition setup?

[zmikeo]

I'm happy with what ever the computer will manage, but I have had no luck with xbuntu as yet, and have not set any partitions was hoping that it would do that.
So what do I need to do ?

[Jonathan183]

You should be able to use guided partitioning (use whole disk - for one of the disks), I just wanted to check you had not introduced additional constrains.
Does the install process run all the way through and then fails to reboot? If you get the blank screen does pressing ctrl+alt+f1 have any effect?

[zmikeo]

Okay I am at the Xubuntu start screen it then foes to start or install Xubuntu.
then Loading Linux Kernel.
I then get a black screen with a flashing cursor in top left and that is it .

[Jonathan183]

Just done a text based install using the Xubuntu alternate CD. This has taken from the my last posting until now to install (almost an hour). During the install at 40% with updating repositories the progress bar stopped for quite a few minutes, but net activity continued. At 85% with select and install software progress bar again stopped for quite a while, with no obvious activity except network.
You could try the alternate CD to do the install but need to allow sufficient time to install.
I used manual partitioning but the option you want is the second on the list ... guided partition using whole disk.

Ed: looking at your previous post i'd try the alternate CD.

[Jonathan183]

Okay I am at the Xubuntu start screen it then foes to start or install Xubuntu.
then Loading Linux Kernel.
I then get a black screen with a flashing cursor in top left and that is it .

As my previous post ... this is the point at which I would try the alternate CD (link in my previous post to the download page - scroll about half way down the page for the alternate CD).

[zmikeo]

As my previous post ... this is the point at which I would try the alternate CD (link in my previous post to the download page - scroll about half way down the page for the alternate CD).

Okay am downloading alternate Xubuntu, shall see what happens.