Errors when booting from CD, Initramfs problem

[CaptSkip]

Newbie here:
What is initramfs ?
I tried viewing my newly burnt 8.10 & tested cd.
Hoping to install Ubuntu soon. But when I boot from cd (which booted & worked fine in another cpu) , I get 2 or 3 pages of errors or lines, that say something like this:
Initramfs [ 96.620831] end_request:I/O error dev sr0, sector 1431296 Buffer I/O error on device sr0 Logical Block xxxx end request
This repeats but with different numbers going up in value like maybe drive sectors or something.
I wait and wait and it just leave a blinking cursor at the bottom of page.
Should I try typing something here, in the blank space?

I found several references about initramfs and busybox, here is one:
Wubi 7.10 install stalls on Busybox and initramfs - Ubuntu Forums

Note: The single hard drive has winXP already installed that is not working: due to my son using my xp disc on another computer. So this system that had been working flawlessly for past year is now locked up.

[HROAdmin26]

I/O error dev sr0, sector 1431296 Buffer I/O error on device sr0 Logical Block xxxx end request

The device sr0 is your CD/DVD drive. The drive cannot read the CD. Either the CD has a problem, the drive has a problem, or the drive just doesn't like the CD.

Search > Answer

[CaptSkip]

I/O error dev sr0, sector 1431296 Buffer I/O error on device sr0 Logical Block xxxx end request

The device sr0 is your CD/DVD drive. The drive cannot read the CD. Either the CD has a problem, the drive has a problem, or the drive just doesn't like the CD.

Search > Answer

Thank you HRO, sr0 is my cdrom drive which works great - as I have booted this same computer with knoppix 5.01 and 5.10.
The Ubuntu 8.10 cd image works great on other computers and I did the md5 checksum on it so it is a clean burn and working, I just don't know what all these lines "initramfs" dialogue, I keep getting on this computer. (I am not sure if it is errors or just the way it boots up).

Does initramfs have something to do with 'ram' and does init mean initiate?

Also I can see some of my windows files but not all of them, That is why I think the problem lies within windows xp verification block or something.??

[HROAdmin26]

I will repost the same info:

I/O error dev sr0, sector 1431296 Buffer I/O error on device sr0 Logical Block xxxx end request

I/O error means just what it says - hardware error moving data - in this case, reading data off the CD drive. The initramfs is merely the process *reporting* that there was an I/O error. What can cause an I/O error? Let's see - CD drive, CD media, cable connecting to CD drive, CPU, RAM...

If you want more info on initramfs, you can search Google for plenty of information.

Also I can see some of my windows files but not all of them, That is why I think the problem lies within windows xp verification block or something.??

This makes no sense to me. If the CD never boots, how are you "seeing Windows files"?

[CaptSkip]

[

If you want more info on initramfs, you can search Google for plenty of information.

I have used google search for initrams.

This makes no sense to me. If the CD never boots, how are you "seeing Windows files"?[/QUOTE]

Sorry for my poor confusing typing. I had success booting with knoppix 5.01 & 5.10 to view the files.
My problems start when I try to boot the Ubuntu 8.10 disc, that is where I get all the dialogue lines or maybe error lines. I tested this cd in a compaq and a dell desktop both booted & worked. My main, newer computer: ecs pm800-m2 system was not successful.

Is it normal to get 2 or 3 pages of dialogue - like errors.
Maybe Ubuntu does not like that cd unit, I will just switch out that new cd rom unit and put in an older cd rom player, and see if I loose some of the dialogue/errors.

[CaptSkip]

OK, I have not given up. I broke my ubuntu cd's into pieces so I would not use them again.

I bought a new pack of hp blank CD-R discs.

I replaced the CD player and hard drive with used, known good working ones.

I downloaded a new Ubuntu iso image from a different location (first mirror I used was GeorgiaTech.edu) so now I have a new iso image on my trusty old Dell w2k machine. I did the checksum and they matched - BUT I just read the checksummd5 is for Linux box's and not windows.

I have had serious troubles with "Active iso burner", as it changes the burning speed in the middle of the burn...!!! I set it to 1x and after burning 20 to 40 mb it changed to 16x or to 12x, I wasted 10 discs, I changed the settings buffer from 40mb to 70mb and that seemed to help but about every other burn job it will just switch from 1x burning to 12x while I am not touching mouse or keyboard. Remember this is on a windows only system.

So after 15 attempts I got 3 good burns of Ubuntu 8.10 and the checksum seem to pass. (I find winmd5sum is not easy for me to use).

ANYWAY I tried booting new 8.10 cd to my problem XP box and got the same original errors AGAIN... initramfs reports I/O error on sr0 on many sectors

I am about to give up - or should I try a different iso burner???

[CaptSkip]

I am about to give up - or should I try a different iso burner???

Does anyone have a link to a good stable iso-burner program, I have serious issues with my present version of "Active@ iso burner". Must be usable from windows2k.
Thanks

[jayd512]

Here's a link to a few:
How to successfully burn or write an ISO-image to cd or dvd

[CaptSkip]

Thanks Jay,
That Link provided some very insightful info on spin down I was unaware of, sounds like that is my problem exactly.
So I will check my windows2k power management to see if it has a spin down feature. Any tips on locating this would be great. I think my nero and roxy are turned off as I don't like them.

[CaptSkip]

YEAH ! 8.10 booted & installed.
Thanks For All the help.
Ubuntu is installed & working.
Problem was Active iso burner didn't work, burned too fast.
I finally just used nero and gotta good burn.

......... case closed ......