Ubuntu 8.10 GRUB Install Issue

[Huntsman191]

I was wondering if anybody could help me with a problem i am having installing Ubuntu 8.10 onto a desktop computer. I have had LOADS of problems trying to install Fedora (8,9 and 10) with this pc which included me having to re-install and edit grub, burn 17 install discs, inability to use ext3 file system etc. Using this same disc (manufacture disc from Debian) i installed without trouble on a laptop but when i try to insall on the desktop i get to 95% but get an error saying the installer cannot install GRUB onto my hard drive.

Any ideas how to fix this?

[yancek]

Post some info on hardware specs on your desktop. Do you remember the exact error message? What else (if anything) do you have on the desktop? number of partitions or other operating systems?

[Lostfarmer]

Go into the bios setup and be sure that any virus detection is turned off. You bios may not have the function but if does and is on the OS can not write to the MBR. Can not say where in bios it might be or the exact wording.

[Huntsman191]

The drive partition table is as follows:
sd1 -> 3% fat32
sd2 = Windows XP -> 31% ntfs
sd3 linux swap -> 0%
sd5 = Linux -> 65% ext3

The exact error message was something along the lines of " /some/directory/grubinstall cannot succesfully modify grub. This is fatal error"

Ill try and it again and post the exact message later.

PC Specs:
2.4ghz CPU
1.5gb of RAM
160GB Hard Drive

RAM was updated before usage of the computer as it wasnt being used so i salvaged it as a linux machine. RAM configuration is 512mb + 1gb. If you want any other information, ask.