Linux does not like my computer

[Rob Bowers]

Thank you much. I will try your suggestions. I had not realised, for
instance, that there was utility in running the memtest more than once. What
precisely is that testing?

Is it not formatting anew with each installation attempt? Is there a way of
formatting independent of the linux installation CDs?

I am a little reluctant to act on one suggestion: to try a smaller
distribution. Given that I have tried 5 distributions unsuccessfully, and I
am assured that my computer, though modest, should ordinarily be able to
handle the minimal settings, on text installations, is there much hope in
another distro? (downloading such big packages is a bit of a hassle --
though worth it if they work).

cheers,
Rob


On 5/21/06, Myles Green <rmg57 at telus.net> wrote:
>
> On Sat, 20 May 2006 16:49:47 -0700
> "Corey Burger" <corey.burger at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On 5/20/06, Rob Bowers <ribowers at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > I am having grand troubles switching to Linux. I tried Fedora Core
> > > 4 and 1, SuSE, and Ubuntu, none of which installed, despite several
> > > attempts in each case.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I eventually got Redhat 7.3 on, but after trying to add more
> > > packages, I cannot login, for the screen flashes wildly, preventing
> > > any action apart from ctrl-alt-del (which is what I have ended up
> > > doing).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I currently know very little other than Windows, including what lies
> > > beneath. (This is changing).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Ubuntu says:
> > >
> > > "Base system installation error
> > >
> > > The debootstrap program exited with an error (return value 1)"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > FC says:
> > >
> > > "There was an error installing cracklib-dicts-2.8.2-1"
> > >
> > > or
> > >
> > > "There was an error installing glibc-common-2.3.5-10"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Recently I've been seeing
> > >
> > > "error: rpmdb: damaged header #164 retrieved -- skipping"
> > >
> > > "error: rpmdb: damaged header #202 retrieved -- skipping"
> > >
> > > followed by
> > >
> > > "free(): invalid pointer 0x1caa44!"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > And I have seen several other error messages that are now scribbles
> > > on a wad of paper in my pocket, none of which make any sense to me
> > > now.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > It is a Celeron CPU, 128M, 7G. I realise that this is a modest
> > > machine, but it should work, right? I am not attempting to keep a
> > > second OS.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I have seached for such errors for answers on internet to no avail.
> > > I hope someone can help. (Being without an operating system has
> > > kept me from my work for far too long now).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > >
> > > Rob
> >
> > That is quite a catalogue of errors you have there. I would recommend
> > you download Ubuntu Dapper Beta one. After you download it, check the
> > md5sum of the download. AFter you have burned it and booted into it,
> > use the verify cd to check that your cd is good. Then try installing.
> >
> > Corey
>
> Based on the number of errors, I would also recommend that he run
> Memtest for at least 12 hours, preferably as long as 24 hours, to make
> sure that bad RAM is not causing these problems. FWIW, I have run into
> situations where the RAM seemed OK after 3 or 4 hours (no errors) but a
> longer run of ~18 hours turned up a long list of errors.
>
> Warmest regards, Myles
> --
> Q:      Why do WASPs play golf ?
> A:      So they can dress like pimps.
>
> --
> ubuntu-ca mailing list
> ubuntu-ca at lists.ubuntu.com
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>
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