Resolved best linus version to install

I made a mistake here and clicked the big orange button. Is this important?

which components o ImgBurn should be installed:

-Icons and shortcuts
-Uniblue desktop shortcuts
-Install for all users
-Enable SPTI access for all users
-Reset settings
Well, I did a full install anyway, but then...

I got this warning message after starting to run ImgBurn:


"W 20:12:08 Duplex Secure's SPTD driver can have a detrimental effect on drive performance. "

I am reducing speed to 2x

"operation successfully completed "

 

how do we get to the BIOS/CMOS?

After pressing F8, I get several choices including Command Prompt.

 

Nope. Its the same thing.

Hopefully you have a bootable Linux cd now.

 

The method varies. While the computer is booing & displaying/checking RAM etc. press Del key. That's the key for around 70% of the computers. If that doesn't work try F1,F2 or F3.

 

On bootup I get 2 screens:
First Screen:

"Please select the ooperating system to start:
Microsoft Recovery console
do not select this (debugger enabled)
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

for troubleshooting and advanced startup options for Windows, press F8 "

If a press F8 I get the
Second 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 (your most recent setting that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Window domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode
Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure

Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu "

But anything I select and press enter, it goes back to the first screen.

 

Hi dt, When you Start your computer, do you get a beep?
If so, start tapping your Del key. This should get you to BIOS.
As rsinfo has already stated - this is a pretty common entry to BIOS for most computers.
(Tapping F8 has obviously got you into Safe Mode area.)
When BIOS displays - it should state at the top what type of BIOS make it is.
You may need to tell us this info to ensure we're all aware of it.

I have done this complete exercise myself just 3 weeks ago. I have always wanted to try Linux on a comp - so I Formatted a 20GB Hard Drive I had and started from there.
I carried out all the details you have already been given using Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop i386. I also Downloaded the Ubuntu beginners guide written by Courtney Loo and printed it out to better understand the OS. All works OK.

Initially, I Downloaded and installed to a comp running Windows XP SP3 and it gave me the option to start Ubuntu or XP when first started. This operated from the CD only. Cheers Neil.

 

You are pressing the keys a little late. If you don't press the right key at right time, BIOS would handover the control to OS. All these options are from Windows.

 

Can you just take a step back for a moment.

Now that you have a bootable Ubuntu Cd, have you tried just inserting the Cd and rebooting the computer?

Its possible that you are already configured to boot from Cd and it was just the fact that you had a dud burn with the previous attempt that stopped it...

 

I shut down both the computer and total power, then powered up and pressed

F1, F2, F3 and Del at once. (I think what did it was F1, 2, or 3)

got into BIOS Blue and Grey screen

Says "Award BIOS Setup Utility "

"BIOS Verson 1002 "

Across the top are choices: Main, Advance, Power, Boot, Exit.

below that:
Primary Master
Primary Slave
etc.

I Chose "BOOT" from the top menu and got to

"ATAPI CD-ROM "

It was disabled, but I think if you press enter and choose it, then Exit saving that change, it might mean I can boot from from the CD On next startup,

I did not do this, I exited without saving the changes and rebooted to Windows because I wanted to read opinions here first and not make an irreversible mistake.

 

Before doing anything just make sure that you want to install Linux on the correct hard disk. You should backup everything you require from the hard disk as installing Linux [or any other OS for that matter] would delete almost everything.

 

Actually, there's no need to install anything at this point as Ubuntu will run from your CD. After it boots up, just select the box on the left where it says TRY UBUNTU !!

That way there'll be no change to your existing setup.

 

You are so right dnmacleod, (my Post #46) it will run from the CD so you can trial it.
Looks like dt is finally getting to learn his way round his comp.
dt, to enable BIOS - just press DEL as Tony directed. If you read the BIOS instructions about how to use your keyboard (mouse won't work in BIOS) you can use F10 to Save & Exit - Y - Enter. Cheers Neil. (Septuagenarian)

 

I just want to boot directly from the cd,

I won't be installing it on hd

since I have only one hard disk with this computer.

 

I assume you mean the word "BOOT" that is on the first screen of BIOS.

I go into this screen then "enable" the cd.

then I press F10

then ENTER

but windows is just booting up to XP as usual.

I must be missing something.

 

I have the "Computer Quick Start" manual here: Sony Digital Studio

From My Computer > Properties

UCV051XEUm
Intel
Pentium 4 CPU 1.80GHz

 

I'm not sure about your particular BIOS but many BIOSes - when you hit F10 and then immediately hit enter - will exit without saving your changes. Check whether you have to either select (or press) "Y" or "N" to save your settings before exiting.

 

My choices in the Boot screen are
1. ATAPI cd-rom [cd_w524e]
2. Removable Device [legacy floppy]
3. IDE Hard Drive [Maxtor 4D080H4]
4. Other boot device [disabled]
Choices for other boot device are Disabled/SCSI Boot Device/INIT8 (Network)

Silent boot [enable]

In the ADVANCED screen - PCI CONFIGURATION there are the choices: VGA BIOS Sequence [PCI/AGP]
and Onboard LAN Boo ROM [Disabled]

F10 in my system is for "Save and Exit "

and there is a choice for Yes or No. you move to either with the arrow keys then press enter on your choice, which I did.

But still no luck.

I almost lost everything playing around in BIOS just now.

I went to the MAIN menu (not the BOOT menu)

There it says "primary master "

Type selected was AUTO
If you click enter you get these choices:
None
Auto
User Type HDD
CD-ROM
LS-120
ZIP - 100
MO
Other ATAPI device

I selected CD-ROM as the primary master drive

(I still had the ubuntu disk in the cd drive)

then the computer rebooted immediately but said
"Primary master drive fails "

I went back in and changed the "primary slave" to cd-rom

then I got "Disk Boot Failure "

A few times the machine booted up telling me I had to use the Recovery Disk and lose everything.

I got a few strange new windows with more choices,

somehow it booted back up to Windows.