parttimetechguy

I'm in need of some linux configuring help badly!


I bought a Shuttle XP computer that came with Linux. This shuttle doesn't have a CD drive, so I connected a USB cd writer/reader.

The retailer said that I should be able to access bios and change the boot order to boot from USB...which I already thought was odd, since I never really heard Bios and Linux being in the same sentence.

When I got to trying to set it up, I ran into exactly the problem I thought I would. At the start screen, it told me to press f-11 to enter setup or else it would boot Fedora fc8 as the OS. So I hit the button and now I have NO CLUE how to get it to boot from usb-CD so I can install XP-Pro since this is only for business use.

Please help someone! I'll be obcessivly checking back on this forum since I kind of have to have it set up and running by tmr morning....hopefully someone will see this sooner than later!!

TriggerFinger

hi,

when you hit F11, what screen did you see next?

parttimetechguy

specs of new computer.

shuttle xpc,
OS: Fedora (2.6.23.1-42. fc8)

Want to install: Windows XP-PRO using a usb-CD drive.

parttimetechguy

I saw a screen that asked me what OS I wanted to Run.

The only choice was Fedora fc8.

There's some options at the bottem, and they are as follows:

"'enter' to select OS, 'e' to edit commands before booting, 'a'to mod kernel arguments before booting, and 'c' for command-line

TriggerFinger

try hitting DEL or F1 at boot up or on the first splash screen if there is one.

what you have seen with the choices of operating system is GRUB. it has went past the screen where you can still go into BIOS settings.

parttimetechguy

OOooooh I see.

Wow what a relief. Thank you SO much TriggerFinger!! I gotta learn some linux soon so I dont' get stumped like that hahha

Thanks again,
Cheers!

TriggerFinger

does that mean you got into BIOS settings?

parttimetechguy

sigh....so I got the booth priority to work now....but

After it says "press any key to boot from CD"
and after it shows the "inspecting your system....."

I get a black screen with nothing...and the CD drive doesn't seem to be blinking / working
and the computer isn't really making any "working noise"

parttimetechguy

Yeah, I got into bios now, hahaha

but I changed the boot priority to the following:

first: USB-CD
second: HDD
Third: USB zip

I've also tried(altho im not sure if it affects it at all):
first: USB-CD
second: USB-CD
third: USBzip


I just get the a black screen...

TriggerFinger

oh ok... it could be your RAM. try using another one, a bigger one if possible.

the first one above should work OK. the black screen could be RAM.

parttimetechguy

Processor Intel Celeron Dual E1200
Motherboard Intel 945GC Chipset + ICH7
Memory 1GB DDR2 667Mhz
Graphics Intel GMA 950 Graphics
Hard Drive 80GB 7200rpm SATA
Optical Drive None
Sound Card Realtek ALC662 5.1 Channel High Definition audio
Chassis Shuttle K45
I/O Ports USB 2.0, 10/100/1000 LAN
Power Supply 100W
Operating System Free (Fedora)


Is 1gig ram not enough to install xp?
I'm not sure but if it is ram, that means I just gotta run out to get more....if the store's not closed :S

TriggerFinger

sorry for the confusion... what i meant was try to use another one (i did not know you were using 1GB, i thought it was even way lower. 1GB is enough in fact probably more for XP ), to know if it is malfunctioning or not. of course it can be other things as well.

since the blackout happens during the initial part of loading of Windows, it could be RAM or HDD. to be sure, run some tests on your RAM. get Memtest86+ (link on my sig). d/load the ISO.zip, extract to your PC and burn the image into CD. boot from your CD drive using that CD. the diags will start automatically.

parttimetechguy

hrmm okay,
So I downloaded the memtest, and it's running now.

Can it be HDD? Since at the screen I can actually continue and start loading / configuring fedora if I let it run. I just assume it's pre-installed on the HDD and if that's working, I can eliminate that from what I need to test?

TriggerFinger

-- yup if Fedora can boot and run without problems then it could not be the HDD nor the RAM.

-- you mentioned this to be SATA, did you reach the part where you should load SATA drivers?

parttimetechguy

I don't think I did...
I'm not sure where that part is actually,

I get up to the part where it asks you
"press any key to boot from CD"

Then it loads another black screen with one line of text at the top that goes something like "Inspecting system something something...." (goes by too fast to read)

After that it SHOULD load a blue screen right? That's when I think it loads drivers and such and then you get to pick which partition to install it on...etc etc?

SO....if I got the order correct, the screen goes black before drivers load?

TriggerFinger

yup you got the order right. the screen to load third party drivers (press F6) come before the loading of drivers.

so did Fedora run without problems?

do you have any other XP install CDs that you can use?

parttimetechguy

I didn't get too far with fedora.

It starts to load fedora if i don't press anything at startup.
So I left it on once, and I got to the configuring screen of Fedora.
I've never used it and I didn't want to get into it as, Linux is still scary territory for me =D



Everything seemed okay, the memtest is almost done 86%, and no errors yet,

TriggerFinger

i am not quite familiar with your Shuttle model, but i think you would also need to prepare/download the device drivers for XP specific for your model from Shuttle website.

parttimetechguy

ahh i see, let me try that then....I think i'll call it a night and just try it out tmr...

Thanks for all the hasty help Shan!!

justo

I do not know why he does not consider another option if he has about twenty gigs of HD or more. The XP cost money (has a registered key code) and he needs it for work.The Linux is free and if he has no loading CD he can get one free by downloading the ISO of what version he wants.He is afraid Linux so he may be better off with PC Linux or MCN Linux at first. So with this in mind he could just go ahead and load XP to the main hard drive.Get it updated with MS . Then defrag .Add his protection programs then run a live CD of a version of Linux on bootup as it will ask to boot from CD . Load the live Linux after running it live to see if everything works.When he does the versions I suggested will ask if he wants to put it on the Windows section ,Then it sets up its own partition ,loads then establishes a boot order automaticlly if he does not hit any buttons.