11.04 on a ten year old Dell laptop?

[Jimt]

I had gotten ubuntu 11.04 up and running.   It is running the older GNOME windowing system.  About 2 weeks ago, following an update/reboot ... The reboot hung on "checking battery status".  I am competent with programming and software design, but very new to Linux/Ubuntu.  This 'hanging' on one issue or another plagued my installing process.

If you have seen/have a workaround .....please pass it along. Thanks.
Jimt
ps- I also have a bootable CD of the 10.10 --- it apparently runs OK.
thanks in advance