PC does not recognize live CD

[Colin Law]

On 7 May 2010 18:44, Thomas Blasejewicz <thomas at s7.dion.ne.jp> wrote:

> The downloaded live CD does not work.
> I cannot burn a new CD with a the Linux based computer I have.
> ALL other options so far have failed .
> Now what?
> "Just" (that seems to be a term many Linxu users are allergic to) forget
> about it and resign to being stuck with 9.04?
> Is that it?
> I am under the impression that this is for a software that is supposed
> to be "extremely user friendly", "simply works", "has no bugs"
> (the usual comments on this and many other Linux related lists) a
> somewhat poor performance, isn't it?
>
> Or am I missing something essential?
> As I said before, at least 10 different version of Linux (live CDs) can
> be booted from my Windows machines, but
> (maybe = did not try ALL disks I have) only TWO from a Linux based
> computer. The others simply show up as being "mounted"
> but don't do anything.

When you boot off a CD it is completely irrelevant what OS is
installed on the computer.  It is the BIOS that handles the boot (or
in your case fails to handle it).  The installed OS (if any) is not
used if the CD boot succeeds.

> But since TWO disks actually **DO** boot, the BIOS setting should be OK.
> If it is not and needs a 10-million character long programming job ...
> you know, all those difficult things your are supposed to enter at the
> "terminal" ...
> I am afraid that is way beyond my capabilities.

Did you try my suggestion to try checking the md5sum of the cd in the
drive that you are trying to boot from?  That will show whether that
drive can read the cd correctly.

Colin