[Chester LUG] Chester LUG new user

[David Holden]

On Sunday 26 Apr 2009, Richard Naylor wrote:
> Hi Chester LUG
> I have just started using Linux and feel I really could do with joining a
> User Group, I want to get to grips with this system and know I will need
> pointing in the right direction at this time. Unfortunately although I
> would very much like to meet you I am not able to attend your Thursday
> meeting as I am learning Italian on these nights until June.
>
> A little history, I have used Windows for some time, though I was a
> reluctant convert from Atari and before that Commodor. Now I want to break
> free from Micro Soft and support the free software community and experiment
> a little. We still have a Windows system which my wife uses mostly. My main
> needs apart from exploring Linux are for digital photography, music,
> podcasts (I have an iPod) and internet and email etc
>
> I have managed to install Opensuse 11.1 on a Computer I have rebuilt with
> mostly new components, but this was not my first choice distro! I wanted
> either or both Linux Mint or Ubuntu but have not been able to install even
> though both work from a live disk. The installation seems to stall at step
> 4 formating the hard drive. I just get the busy cursor and thats it, I have
> left the machine running for hours with this but only once after an over
> night run did I get to step 5 and then that stalled with the same symptoms.
> I've tried  it on a new drive which I partisioned using Ubuntu's
> partisioning app from the live DVD, on a drive with Suse and on another new
> drive. I've tried manual as well as the other options.
>
> So after many attempts I am baffled, particularly as Suse installed with no
> problems what so ever and very quickly.
>
> Over view of system:
>
>    - I have rebuilt the computer from components purchased at Ebuyer
>    - ASUS P5QL PRO iP43 Socket 775 mother board
>    - Intel Pentium Dual Core E2220 2.4GHz (800MHz) Socket 775
>    - Tempory Graphics Card PCI (not PCI express) NVidia Riva TNT Model
>    64?pro
>    - Kingston 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 RAM
>    - Maxtor 500GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm  OEM
>    - WCD serial SATA 500GB
>    - VNew 550wat power supply (the orininal was to small)
>    - Fujitsu Siemens Scaleoview L19W-2SA 19" Wide screen Monitor
>    - Creative Inspire T6100 5.1 Speakers
>
> Original Case from Eveshame with Samaung CD R RW, AND Samsung DVD ROM
>
> I hope some will be able to piont me in the right direction as I really
> want to get Mint or Ubuntu running.
>
> Yours hopefully
>
> Richard

Its a bit puzzling. I've just googled and it gave this 
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=778820 which seems to be similar but 
he didn't get any responses.

You could try downloading http://www.dban.org/ and doing a quick disk wipe to 
make sure your disk is clean before retrying.

Have you tried installing from the command line, i.e. not from the live CD 
screen.

This page may be helpful https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation and 
this page https://help.ubuntu.com/community/forum/installation/Partitioning 
mentions a program called TestDisk which may help.

 Dave.


-- 
Dr. David Holden.

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