[Sussex] Not managing to comlete an install by myself.

[Richie Jarvis]

ANDRE ORCHISON wrote:
> Hi All.
>  
> I'm very very new to Linux, so bear with my inexperience please.
> I have an old laptop I want to use to get to know linux a bit better. 
> It's not very hi-spec, but it can and does run WinXP with no 
> complaints whatsoever. So I have bought Linux Format to get a bit of a 
> read, and some of the distro's on the cover disc. I also requested a 
> copy of Ubuntu as it appears to be one of the best to learn on gently. 
> So the live CD's work like a charm, but when it comes time to install, 
> everything just seems to stand still halfway through. And that is 
> where I need to now tap your collective knowledge. What on earth will 
> make an install 'go to sleep' so to speak. While booting up a live CD, 
> and double clicking the install icon, all goes well until step '3 of 
> 6'. Then calling up task manager all processes except for the task 
> manager report status:'sleeping'. This happens with Ubuntu and New 
> Sense, I assume the same happens with Mandriva as it does not repond 
> during the text only phase, and also after just showing a beautiful 
> orange desktop, no icons or interface at all.
>  
> Please help, as I am keen to learn and use Linux.
>  
> Andre.
> orchison at btinternet.com <mailto:orchison at btinternet.com>
> 07775607358
Hi Andre,

Welcome to the list.

As some others have said, I think the first thing we need to do to try 
and understand your issue is determine whether it is a hardware or 
software problem you are dealing with.

It seems most likely to be hardware, as you mention that at least 2 
different distros have the same issue.  Tracking it down without knowing 
the hardware itself is going to be tricky remotely.  The symptoms you 
have experienced need a bit of clarification though, so that we can 
assist, for example:

Can you describe exactly what happens? 
Does exactly the same thing happen in both distros?
When you say 'all goes well until step '3 of 6', it would seem you can 
still see the screen at that point, so I assume it doesn't go black?
Can you tell us what the stage(s) that fail are, for each distro? 
(window title, or the text of the window)
Is it always in the same place on each distro?
Have you tried it more than once per distro?

Of course, the other thing you can do is show us :)  We meet once a 
month in Horsham, so if you can get up there, it would be interesting to 
see it (and you!)  You might even be able to cadge a lift, if you are 
local to one of us in Sussex.

As Fay says, ubuntu (and its variants, such as Kubuntu) are renowed for 
being very easy to install, and use, so it should (in theory) work, or 
at least tell you why it has failed.

Don't give up though, I am sure we will get there in the end - remember 
- this is the fun bit, if it worked straight away, you wouldn't get a 
glow of satisfaction from making it work!

Enjoy!

Richie