NetNerd865

Ok. So I decided I wanted to put linux on a computer we have from 2001 which currently runs XP. I turn it on and I see the lights blink for the cd drive and the floppy drive, but the screen does not go past the first one which has processor and system information. I hit DEL to go to setup but nothing happens, no beep at all. I only opened the case once to clean it about a year ago, and I dont think I removed anything, but I am assuming it's a hardware thing, but not sure where. I already checked the cables and they seem fine, everything is in place.

Techie-Dude

Let me make sure i understand whats going on, you turn on the computer and you are able to see the BIOS information, however when it progresses you just get a complete black screen? Additionaly are you attempting to boot from cd to install linux? Which Distro are you attempting to install as well?

NetNerd865

That's what was happening, yes. As I played with it a little bit, I could get it to get to a screen allowing me to pick whether to boot XP in safe mode, boot normally or use most recent settings that worked. Safe mode never fully loads and the other two bring up the XP laoding screen but then just a black screen with the cursor in the middle which doesn't move never allowing me to log in.

I'm trying to install Ubuntu. It's default setting right now is to load the OS from the hard drive, but I'm not sure if changing it to the CD drive would do anything.

Techie-Dude

NetNerd,

With your settings set to boot from the hdd this automatically attempts to load windows from the hard drive and bypasses any boot attempts from cd, go ahead and change the boot order to cd-rom first then you should be able to boot your Ubuntu install disk and install directly from CD.

Regards.

TD