Hi all, I'm trying to install Ubuntu onto an HP DC7100 PC that has 256Mb of RAM (and a Pentium 4), but the installation process is thrashing the DVD drive and has taken ten minutes to get to stage 1 of 6. I let the DVD boot into Ubuntu's desktop and used the 'Install' icon, but surely it shouldn't take this long?
I only have 256Mb of RAM in this PC at the moment, so could that be causing it to be so slow? It's continuously reading from the DVD drive, and now the screen has frozen, and the cursor won't respond. (The PC runs Windows XP fine.)

Hi

I do recall having a couple of issues installing Ubuntu on to this laptop, sounds like the same thing, as I also am low in the RAM stakes.

I would suggest leaving it for some time, i.e. hours (just to be sure) then check for disk error (basically, re d'load/burn iso)

may i recommend the following however. a Debian net install. see http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/ for details, but believe me, having used both Ubuntu and Debian, the differences are miniscule, and the Debian install procedure is far superior imo.

Many thanks for your advice. I had downloaded Kubuntu to try instead, and that went okay, but I bottled out at the last stage, because I already have Windows XP installed on my PC (it's my spare PC so it's not the end of the world if I bugger it up, but the wording on the installation screen, after the partitioning screen, seemed to imply that even though I was installing Kubuntu onto the final partition (I have four) of the 40GB drive, that all the others would be wiped, or words to that effect!
I will download the Debian version that you linked to and see how that is. I looked for help on the internet about the Kubuntu warning, but couldn't find any.
(I'm quite good with PCs and know how to install XP, drivers, programs, etc.etc. with no problems at all.)
I was using Acronis' Boot Loader thingy that comes with Disk Director, and Kubuntu was also going to install GRUB, and there was no option not to. I have an Acronis True Image image of my XP installation, so should I maybe repartition the drive, install Kubuntu (or Debian) first, then just reimage the XP installation?

None of this important as I'm only installing Linux to see what it's like and to learn more about it (because obivously I don't know one jot about it at the moment!!!).

Hmmm, I don't recall the screen of the Kubuntu installer now, however, you should be able to force the installer to use on hda4 (if that is the correct name) without touching the other partitions.

If your happy to reinstall XP from image, then, I would (note. i do silly things, this is not necessarily recommended!) boot the deb/kubun install disk, and wipe the HD of all partitions (again, ONLY if EVERYTHING is backed up safely) then install Linux, but only to 1/2 of the HD (or whatever size you like) install GRUB, and also make a GRUB Boot Floppy, as when u install XP again, if you do, it will wipe out the GRUB.

So yeah, thats what I would do as I'm a bit of a meddler. IF your not quite mad enough for that, the Live CD environment of a number of Linux Distros is a great way to begin learning.

The standard Ubuntu install process seemed straightforward to me but it assumes a lot and I think the way it will only install GRUB and only as the MBR has caused a lot of grief.

The "Alternate" install disk is supposed to be better at getting it running on low spec systems but I haven't tried it myself.