Ubuntu Install Problems

**greasyfingers** · 10-21-2006

I'm completely new to Linux, and have been struggling to install Ubuntu for a couple of weeks now. I want to dual boot it alongside Win98 on my rather aging machine. I've got plenty of disc space (I've just installed a 250GB HD, but Win98 only sees 130 odd GB, so the rest is empty space onto which I can put Linux).

But the live CD just goes to sleep when I try to install it, and won't install at all (although I can install it OK onto an old HD on its own). So I tried the 'alternative' CD, and this seems to install fine. But when I reboot, GRUB fails, and I just end up with a locked up command line saying GRUB_ with a rapidly flashing cursor that won't respond to any input and won't boot into anything. The only way I can figure out of this is to reinstall Windows, overwriting the MBR, which at least means I can get into Windows. This has happened several time now.

But presumably Ubuntu is still there. If I could get GRUB to work, I could boot into that as well. Is there a way to install just that part, from either CD?

**antidrugue** · 10-21-2006

Perhaps your BIOS hasn't been updated in a while and doesn't like big hard drives. Check your motherboard/computer manufacturer's site to make sure you have the latest version.

Even Win98 should see the whole disk with no problem.

**greasyfingers** · 10-21-2006

Originally Posted by antidrugue

Even Win98 should see the whole disk with no problem.

No. Win98 has a built in limit of 137GB (IIRC) - it can't see any more. There are ways round this, apparently, but I haven't looked into them yet.

But anyway, that's not really the issue.

**antidrugue** · 10-21-2006

Originally Posted by greasyfingers

No. Win98 has a built in limit of 137GB (IIRC) - it can't see any more.

You are right. Windows 98 has 28 bits data addressing, so 137.4 gigabytes is the limit.

Long time since I used Windows 98...

Anyway, did you check that BIOS ?

**greasyfingers** · 10-21-2006

Yep. The BIOS is the latest version.

**antidrugue** · 10-22-2006

Really this problem seems weird. Next time you try to install Ubuntu, choose the "Lilo" boot manager instead. Or perhaps try another distro.

Does GRUB gives you a specific error message ?

**Telkwa** · 10-22-2006

How much RAM? I've been told Ubuntu won't install to a PC with less than 192.

**greasyfingers** · 10-22-2006

Thanks guys. I've now tried to install Kubuntu, both from the live CD, and the 'alternate' CD. Both seem to install OK, but I get the same problem with Grub.

No error messages, just a locked up command line. It seems to freeze as soon as Grub is started.

I've got 192MB of RAM, but I'm guessing this must be a hardware problem, since it does this with several different instalation CDs. Oddly, I've installed Fedora, and Grub works OK with that.

I'd have a go with Lilo, but I can't see an install option for that on the K/Ubuntu disks. Does it install in the same way that Grub does? Any guidance appreciated.

**mlcprs** · 10-25-2006

I've got the same problem:
on boot up
GRUB _
appears, and it hangs.

I've installed Ubuntu (dapper drake). It seemed to go OK - I told it to wipe the hard disk - except a probably irrelevant "failed" message came up for shutting down RAID (I dont have a RAID system).
My machine is a P3 with about 300M of RAM.

Any ideas?

**Telkwa** · 10-26-2006

If you guys have access to broadband, I think probly the simplest thing to try is downloading Xubuntu. It's tailored to machines such as yours with less horsepower. I haven'y seen it in action, but have seen many comments and it appears to work fine.
Another idea - try the "alternate install" CD. It doesn't need lots of RAM to install.

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