[Wolves] Ubuntu CDs - Init not found

[Claire]

Hi all

Its not very often I post here but I've hit a dead end trying to install 
Ubuntu. I usually use Mandriva but fancied something different.

I bought a second hand Dell desktop which has XP installed on it, which 
I'd like to hang on to if possible. Its useful to have a proper XP still 
sometimes.

It will boot Mint 9 live cd without any problems so Im at a loss why Im 
getting this error with Ubuntu. I've tried the 10.10 beta and 10.04.1 
and get the same thing.

The error is that it sits chuntering for a while then bombs out with 'no 
init found' saying to add it as a boot argument. It drops to an 
initramfs prompt and ash console.

I can get to the boot menu, by pressing a key when the funny icons 
appear at the bottom of the screen, and set keyboard map and language 
and etc.. but when I try either to boot the live cd or straight install 
it fails.

I've read that this could be down to a problem with the ntfs partition 
so have run 'chkdsk /f' a few times in XP but it hasn't made any difference.

I've looked in GParted and there is a 40 odd mb FAT16 partition Dell 
Utility, the NTFS XP partition which I have managed to resize and then a 
2.2GB Dell partition Im assuming is the restore data.

Im considering wiping the disk and starting again but having spent 3 
days trying to bring XP up to date I'd rather not!

I know there are some brains here better than mine, has anybody got any 
ideas?

Thankyou
Claire