Resolved best linus version to install

You don't need to change the Primary Master/Slave drives. Doing this would result in boot failure.You just need to change the Boot Sequence to ATAPI CD-ROM as the first device & IDE Hard Drive [Maxtor 4D080H4] as the second device.

 

The Ubuntu folder looks more like the correct one than that incorrect except instead of a "start.exe" folder there is a "wubi.exe. "
when you first open the cd the folders are as follows:

.disk
boot
casper
dists
install isolinux
pics
pool
preseed
autorun.inf
md5sum.txt
README.diskdefines
wubi.exe

I have gotten myself into trouble experimenting with the BIOS.

so far I am still able to get back to windows but I am getting problem screens that I have make choices and click through. I need to get any settings I changed back to their original then make the changes for cd booting. If I can get back to default and start over it might be better. I will get to the other instructions in the foregoing posts next time I check in.

At this point I am afraid to shut down because I don't know if I can get back in.

 

autorun.inf is there.

there is no shortcut file. That would have the small arrow in the lower left corner of the file icon.

A shortcut file is easy to make, isn't it? Just right click and select "make shortcut ".

Can you tell me the correct setting for the primary master and slave drives?

 

When you enter BIOS, you should get to a Summary screen where you see the system date and other system details. It should also list your Primary master and Slave disks (on IDE drives). It should also list your Sata drive ports (if your MOBO is compatible with Sata drives). I'm assuming from your previous posts that you have IDE drives since you mention Master and Slave.

Whether a drive is set to Master or Slave is dependent on the jumper settings on the drive itself. It isn't set in BIOS. The Summary screen will tell you which drive is master and which is slave.

I think you should take a step back for a second and check whether the CD drive is performing as it should. Would you be comfortable checking it using a bootable Cd that you KNOW is good? For example, your windows restore Cd. I'm not wholly comfortable with asking you to try this as I don't want you to go too far and corrupt your existing setup. If you do try this you MUST ONLY let it start up and not allow it to get as far as that it would make any changes to your system. You only need to find out whether your pc will boot from the cd drive - NOTHING ELSE.

If it will boot, then you know that the cd drive itself is ok and the problem lies with the Linux Cd. If it won't boot then we have to figure out then why it will not...

If you're not comfortable doing this, don't and we'll have to come up with a plan B for you.

 

Yes, I can boot from my Sony System Recovery CD. It's booted up twice, but I have exited before going ahead with the process.

I can try booting from the ImgBurn CD after I reset the master/slave.

 

Good. Well, that's proved your hardware ok. Its also proved that you have the Cd drive set to primary boot.

That means that there is something not right with your downloaded image.

Try booting again from the cd you made using ImgBurn and let us know how you get on.

 

first I have to reset the master / slave drives. Otherwise I will get a boot failure and there will be no way I can boot from the cd in any case.

If you say the master / slave is set in the jumper settings, how can I reset these to default to avoid getting boot failure?

 

If you were able to boot with your Restore Cd, then, I'd have thought that the drive was set properly.

The jumper settings will be on a diagram on the drive. You should set your hard disk to Master and Cd drive to Slave (assuming they are on the same IDE channel). If they are on separate IDE channels then they will both need to be set to Master. You'll know this by looking to see how many drives you have and how many IDE cables are coming from your motherboard. If they are are on separate (flat 40 Pin) cables, and there's only one drive connected to each, then they are on separate channels and should both be set to Master. Usually, but not always, this means that there's no jumper on the drive.

 

While researching something else, I came across this video of how to burn an image to Cd using ImgBurn if it helps. Is this how you created your Ubuntu Cd?

 

Yes, ImgBurn is very simple

I followed the instructions given by either yourself or another poster in this thread.

Since this is the 3rd time I have attempted the burn, I suspect that MS may be obstructing the burn or the boot.

I think my equipment is ok because I have been able to burn music cds on it.

 

I think thats extremely unlikely.

How are your drives set up?

Have you managed to verify that they are correctly set to Master and Slave?

If that is the case, have you tried verifying the burn on completion? If that fails, you may need to try another distro in case that download is corrupted - although I have to say I think thats unlikely. If there's a while since you last downloaded Ubuntu, you could try downloading it again since, in the event that it was a corrupt file, its likely to be fixed by now. Alternatively, you could try downloading Knoppix and seeing if you have more success with that.

 

Maybe I'm dense but maybe something just isn't going to work here.

On the BOOT screen in BIOS:
1. ATAPI CD-ROM [HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8160B]
2. Removable device [legacy floppy]
3. IDE hard drive [Maxtor...]
4 Other boot device [disabled]

Choices for #1 are
- disabled
- HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8160B
- CD-W524E

Choices #2
-disabled
-legacy floppy
-LS 120
-ZIP
-ATAPI MO
-USB FDD
-USB ZIP

This means that I cannot make the hard drive the second boot choice. It is the third choice. Would it become the second boot option if I disabled the second choice (legacy floppy)?

I am also not sure if the [HL-DT-STDVD-ROM GDR8160B] is correct.

 

Yes it would - but that doesn't sort this existing problem.

I'd be inclined to say that it is correct, but there's no harm in trying the other Cd drive to see if it fares any better.

Something's just come to mind as I googled these two drives. It appears from these drives that your PC is relatively old. Would that be correct? If so, did you burn the image to a Cd or DVD? If it was a DVD was it +R or -R?

You should have used a CD-R for burning. Correct?

 

How to find the Perfect Linux Distribution for you

 

Yes, I burned the ImgBurn Ubuntu to a cd-r.

Here is the screen I get after booting up:

"Please select the operating system to start
-Recovery Console
-do not select this (debugger)
-Microsoft Windows XP Home

For troubleshooting press F8

pressing F8 gets me to this screen:
Windows Advanced options menu:
-safe mode
-safe mode with networking
-safe mode with command prompt

-Enable boot logging
-Enable VGA mode
-Last known good configuration...
-Directory services
-Debugging mode
-Disable automatic restart on system failure

-Start Windows normally
-Reboot
-Return to OS choices menu
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
so it appears that the system has already been set up partially to enable a boot from another OS.

When I get to the boot screen I do not see how I can set Maxtor... (hard drive) as the second boot choice.

#2 has only a certain number of choices (e.g. floppy, or disable floppy, etc).

#2 does not have Maxtor... as one of the choices for number 2. The only thing I can do is disable #2.

 

Yes, it is the Windows menu, but it has shows the option of booting to another OS. This menu should show the results of what we do in the BIOS menu.

I think from previous posts in this thread I show that I am able to get into the BIOS by shutting down the computer and total power then pressing F1, 2, 3.

I also tried changing what looks like the CD drive to the DVD drive, but the result is the same. The computer keeps booting up to Windows and never giving me the option of a CD or DVD boot.

If there is a solution it may be on other BIOS screens beside the BOOT screen??