I've got a good one for you...

I'm trying to install any version of Ubuntu on a friends computer... it's an older machine T2080, GMA 950. etc.


on 6.06: Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block xxxxxx
on 9.10: locks up with the ubuntu sign
on 11.04 won't even pull up the menu.

so how on earth do I install Ubuntu? of any kind?

my suspicions in that the CD disk drive is dead (the disk works as on a different machine it had no issues)... I'm going to try a USB but really don't think that will work...

 

Do an integrity check on the CD or DVD.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/CDIntegrityCheck

Also check the lens make sure it's not dusty or scratched. Blow some compressed air onto it or clean it with a lens cleaning kit.

 

the disk is fine... it works on a different computer...

the USB failed... it brings up the copyright message then stops... (for 11.04)...

going to check lens...

 

Try 8.04 and 10.04. Being LTS releases they often get more work on things over time that might fix your install issues.

 

did that, don't work.... external USD disk won't even finish posting... hmm..

 

Are you sure you made the USB right and booted it correctly? Do any other OSes work? What are the specifications of the computer(make, model etc.)?

 

You may be right in that you have a problem with your optical drive, especially since you state that the CD works in another machine. Testing this by using another optical drive, may be the quickest way to figuring out if this is the problem.

However, there's lots of internet hits regarding Ubuntu and the first error you mentioned;

Code:

Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block xxxxxx

such as;

Buffer I/O error on device sr0 Logical Block XXXXXX in Intrepid Ibex Alpha 5
DVD drive read error while disk is detected / mounted correctly
Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block

If it's not your optical drive, it may be a problem with a kernel driver that's getting loaded, and the current machine configuration. You could try modifying BIOS settings for your optical drive if they exist, like changing the DMA mode, or turning off any BIOS options for virtualization.

If that doesn't work, and if you can boot to the Ubuntu installation options screen, you can also try;

Press F6
At the end of the parameter list that appears at the bottom of the screen add

Code:

irqpoll all_generic_ide=1

Now try run it from the CD​

Here's a couple of web pages that describe the Ubuntu Boot Options, if you're not already familiar with them;

Ubuntu Documentation > Community Documentation > BootParameters
Ubuntu Documentation > Community Documentation > BootOptions

Good Luck..

 

yah, tried a external USB... the machine wouldn't post when it was pluggd int...

I tried the arguments... no go.

I started to randomly try diffrent distro... after 5 or 6 suse 9 installed...

wow, I'm convinced the is machine is really anti linux...

 

Are there any USB options in the BIOS setup?

 

How about trying a network install?

 

tried USB... but it wouldn't boot...

network install? well may try, but I don't think it would work.

 

You should be able install Linux on a machine that's of 2007 vintage. Again, I think you'll have to look at the BIOS options. I'd think that a fairly recent notebook should boot from a USB thumbdrive. The option should be there, although there could be a hardware issue? Similarly, if the optical drive is functional, you should have that option as well. Honestly, if I couldn't think of anything else, I'd start turning disabling devices in BIOS, such as a card reader or firewire.

 

Try making a boot disk with unetbootin. I've had better luck with that than with the boot disk maker in ubuntu. One of the options is a network install so it's small and fast to make.

 

update...

open suse 9 didn't install properly... once it try to load it just hangs, and in safemode start up it hangs on 'scanning USB'. I tried disabling the USB controller, but it just hangs earlier on...

going to look into a network install there doesn't seem to be anything 'unusual' in the BIOS, just a normal restricted mobile bios. but i've tried, red hat, ubuntu (6.06, 9.10, 10.04, 11.04) suse 9, 10. mandrake,... and a few others...

arh... I've install linux on hardware similar to this with no issue.

 

I had a similar problem with a hold e-machine desktop. What I ended up doing was remove the hard drive from the bad machine, put it in another computer and do the installation from there and put the hard drive back into the old pc. LiveCD didn't work, alternate install cd didn't work, and booting from a flash drive didn't work either. That's the only thing that worked for me.