install problem with alternate install CD

[J. David Boyd]

Morning!

I've been installing ubuntu 6.10, from the alternate install CD, on a
computer at home.  AMD chip, 256M of memory, standard parts, etc.

The computer runs perfectly from the live CD.  Everything works, and
works well.

I'd tried installing from the graphic installer, and got nowhere.  I
thought it might be a problem with the 30G hard drive that was
installed, so I swapped it out for a 13G.  Still didn't work.

Got some advice to do a text mode install, (due to the small amount of
memory in the box) using the alternate install CD, so I downloaded that.

The first time I installed it, onto a 13G hard drive, it went fine.
Installed fine, everything worked okay.

So, I figured, why not go back to the 30G.

Won't install...  I've gone back and forth between the two drives now,
making sure all the cards are seated properly, memory is cleaned and
seated properly, CD checksum checks ok, and memory tests ok.

The install starts okay, until it begins to install software.  At the 6%
mark, I can see it install all the X server items.  Then, just about
where I remember it asking me for which resolutions it should use (the
time it worked), the status bar says "Please Wait...", and it sits there
for ever. (I assume, I don't really have forever to wait for it, so I
abort it and try again.)

Any ideas on how I can make the X server start, or monitor what is
happening so that I can fix whatever might be wrong?

It worked so well the time the installer worked, I could kick myself for
messing with it.

TIA,

Dave