mint 10 install on my newly built computer

[connerkai]

Specs:
p5n32-e sli motherboard
pentium 4 processor
4 gb ram
video card works fine (forgot which one it is)
external usb to floppy connected
external usb to dvd drive connected (where I'm trying to boot from)
external 4 port usb controller connected
ps/2 keyboard connected
usb mouse connected
vga to tv works fine
I believe there is an onboard network LAN controller so I have a network cable plugged into our router

What I'm trying to say is that it does not look like the hardware is a problem....Just want to give all the info in case it could be.

I am trying to install pretty much any os (would prefer it to be open source so there is no authenticity problems) but so far have had no luck. I have tried last xp, but that turns to bsod as soon as I try to install the drivers and programs. I currently have a linux mint 10 cd in the dvd drive stuck on "loading...casper/inidrt.lz......" (more dots). WHAT DO!? Any good os are welcome, basically just need an os to start messing with the partitions and other hdds attached to the motherboard.

Oh and there are no IDE HDDs attached, they are all SATA even though it really looks like in setup my comp wants to boot from an IDE. Is there some kind of combo of drives and HDDs that would be beneficial? Sometimes when I want to boot from a cd or dvd it says, "remove all other drives\press any key to restart". Any insight is DEEPLY appreciated. This is my first comp built and I want it to work soooooo much!

[casey972oo]

Hi there ! ... ' connerkai ' ! ...

if you want to boot from a ... ' Live-CD ' ... in a ' live environment ' ... for installation ! ...
you need to set your ' boot-order ' .. of your ' DvD/CD-drive ' ... in priority ! ... and just restart ! ...

than you ' boot ' from your ' CD ' ! ... if your ' boot-order ' is in priority for your HDD ! ... it want boot from CD ! ...

that's just it ! ... I think ! ...
' LINUX Mint 1o Julia ' is stable and works like a ' Clockwork Orange ' ! ...
choose the right ' .iso-image ' for your prozessor ! ... 32-bit ? ... or 64-bit ? ...
but your CD in your CD-Drive ... and ' reboot ' ... or ' boot ' ! ...

casey972oo

.

[Zero Prime]

I'm going to try to help, but for some reason I'm thinking you may have a bad piece of hardware. I know XP can crash sometimes, but not that fast and not after a fresh install. When you put the live CD in for Mint there should me an option for a memory test. Run that from the CD and it should help you determine if you have one or more sticks of bad RAM. I know you said it's a new build, but I'm just going from experience. It's easy to buy a bad stick of RAM, and just ruin your whole day.

[Zero Prime]

I should have asked, but you said this is a new system and I just noticed that this is an older model motherboard. Did you build this system or is it a refurbished unit bough from somewhere? It may be possible that the motherboard is bad.

I just find it odd that XP crashes so quickly and Mint want boot, plus that remove any connected hard drive thing.

[wayne128]

external usb to dvd drive connected (where I'm trying to boot from)

What I'm trying to say is that it does not look like the hardware is a problem....Just want to give all the info in case it could be.

I am trying to install pretty much any os (would prefer it to be open source so there is no authenticity problems) but so far have had no luck. I have tried last xp, but that turns to bsod as soon as I try to install the drivers and programs. I currently have a linux mint 10 cd in the dvd drive stuck on "loading...casper/inidrt.lz......" (more dots). WHAT DO!? Any good os are welcome, basically just need an os to start messing with the partitions and other hdds attached to the motherboard.

I have read many posts elsewhere , many people have trouble booting from USB-DVD drive.
I am not sure if you experienced similar issue of trying to boot from USB-DVD.

Perhaps you could try boot from USB drive or USB-flash/stick/pendrive.
To prepared bootable USB drive/stick etc, you can use unetbootin or other software.
I always use unetbootin.

Alternatively buy a DVD drive directly connect to SATA bus
or just borrow one from working computer.
It is easiest to install from DVD drive that is connected internally to SATA or IDE( too old already).

[connerkai]

Thanks for the quick replies!

When I go into the POST message the motherboard tests all the RAM and says it's all working fine.
I got this motherboard from Goodwill Computer Works where they definitely test it before selling it (for $25 ).
I'm going to try the usb stick drive method for sure when I get home from classes today.
Also the dvd burners that me and my two roommates have are not that good, and seem to seize up a lot, so I'm going to take some iso's and get my friend to burn them with his computer.
Everything I have is refurbished/hand-me-down computer parts but I'm still holding out that it is a software issue because I DID get xp live to boot from a cd. It was also odd because it would crash during different stages of loading so I'm hoping it was the disc that was messing up, as I still am hoping with this linux.
I guess I'll go grab a SATA dvd drive as well (been in that store every day for at least a week now X) ).
OH, also is there an OS I could fit on a floppy drive? I know it would be small but anything is better than nothing.
Also could it be the size of the file of the disc? Linux Mint 10 is ~698.9 Mb and the CDs I have are 700 Mb. I know they're meant to get filled up to the brim but still, seems like something could get lost in the transfer.

Thanks a bunch for your replies again! I'll update the status later today.
Also, I did have a wireless card plugged in at one point, but figured that could have been causing the crashes because whenever I booted XP live and tried to start network services it immediately gave me the lovely bsod. Dunno if this helps in diagnosis but please let me know if there's any other hardware/software problems I could have!

[casey972oo]

Hi there ! ... ' connerkai ' ! ...

when you use an ' USB-DvD/CD-Burner ' ... for to burn it on a CD ! ...
you can burn it on a ' USB-Stick ' also ! ... and boot from there ! ...
those ' USB-Sticks ' are quit more handy ... than a CD ! ... you don't need a ' Burner ' for to boot from ! ...
just plug it in ! ... and it will do the same ! ... and they have more capacity of space ! ...
mostlikely about 1.o GB ! .. and more ! ... so you can choose any ' .iso-image ' ... any size ! ...

casey972oo

.

[connerkai]

I know XP can crash sometimes, but not that fast and not after a fresh install. When you put the live CD in for Mint there should me an option for a memory test. Run that from the CD and it should help you determine if you have one or more sticks of bad RAM.

I should clarify... it's a live cd of XP, not mint. I have a bootable mint disc that starts to auto-boot but just gets hung up on the loading screen at "loading...casper/inidrt.lz........". It doesn't look like the computer actually freezes but it just stops and won't go any further. I don't know if this is just a really big file that takes a while to unzip?... or if it just gets tangled up in some error with something.

[Zero Prime]

OK, try this. I believe there is an option on the Mint CD for an alternate install. I could be wrong because I've never had to perform an alternate install with Mint, only with Ubuntu. This may also be known as safe graphics mode. It is possible that the graphics card is conflicting with the boot process of the live CD.

[Tejas_0]

Have SATA CD/DVD drive. Mint 10 Julia did not boot, crashed within Isolinux. Checked mda sums, all OK. Downloaded Katya CD, booted just now without problem.