The Doctor illuminated alt.os.linux.ubuntu by typing:
> Hi all,
>
> I've had more experience with openSuSE, but I thought I'd have a go at
> installing Ubuntu 7.10 on a gutless test rig of mine this evening.
>
> The machine is a Pentium III with 256Mb RAM and a 5Gb hard drive, SB Live
> sound card and an unidentified wireless card.
>
> I will work on getting the wireless working later but I'm having problems
> with gdm.
>
> The Live CD worked fine and I installed onto the hard drive. Then, after
> the first reboot the login screen appeared and thus I logged in.
>
> After this the desktop went immediately blank (off-white background) and
> I could get no response from my USB mouse and keyboard at all. Complete
> lock-up. Tried switching off and on again and got the same problem.
>
> The Award BIOS dates from 1998. I've checked the obvious settings and
> everything seems to be fine: P'n'P OS is switched on.
>
> Could anyone suggest a possible solution to this?
>
> Cheers,


Yup.

With older hardware always use the alternative install CD where possible.

I have recently resurrected life into numerous older PC's, a little
younger than yours, but not much. The alternatice install CD has been
a godsend.

Here's a tip though. Use the Xubuntu alternative
http://www.xubuntu.org/get#gutsy

As this seeems to both install quicker and also be more succesful on
older hardware.

Once you get that running you can do a simple
$ sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
Choose Gnome from the sessions menu on the login screen and you're up
to Ubuntu without too much stress.

It's a lot easier than dredging through loads of Ubuntu (and
derivatives) LiveCD's until you get one that works.

HTH.

--
Moog

"If this is gonna be that kinda party I'm gonna stick my dick in the
mashed potatoes"

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:36:06 +0000, Moog wrote:

> Here's a tip though. Use the Xubuntu alternative
> http://www.xubuntu.org/get#gutsy
>
> As this seeems to both install quicker and also be more succesful on
> older hardware.
>
> Once you get that running you can do a simple $ sudo apt-get install
> ubuntu-desktop Choose Gnome from the sessions menu on the login screen
> and you're up to Ubuntu without too much stress.

Thanks for your quick response. Will give it a go and report back

--
Rob
To reply, remove zudo

The Doctor illuminated alt.os.linux.ubuntu by typing:
> On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:36:06 +0000, Moog wrote:
>
>> Here's a tip though. Use the Xubuntu alternative
>> http://www.xubuntu.org/get#gutsy
>>
>> As this seeems to both install quicker and also be more succesful on
>> older hardware.
>>
>> Once you get that running you can do a simple $ sudo apt-get install
>> ubuntu-desktop Choose Gnome from the sessions menu on the login screen
>> and you're up to Ubuntu without too much stress.
>
> Thanks for your quick response. Will give it a go and report back

No problem.

Come back in here if you require any advice whatsoever.

Ignore the trolls and the morons. You'll soon get to know who they
are.

Take the great advice that some of the regs can give. This NG is a
superb resource. It certainl;y got me up and running all those years
ago. ;-)

--
Moog

"If this is gonna be that kinda party I'm gonna stick my dick in the
mashed potatoes"

The Doctor wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I've had more experience with openSuSE, but I thought I'd have a go at
> installing Ubuntu 7.10 on a gutless test rig of mine this evening.
>
> The machine is a Pentium III with 256Mb RAM and a 5Gb hard drive, SB Live
> sound card and an unidentified wireless card.
>
> I will work on getting the wireless working later but I'm having problems
> with gdm.
>
> The Live CD worked fine and I installed onto the hard drive. Then, after
> the first reboot the login screen appeared and thus I logged in.
>
> After this the desktop went immediately blank (off-white background) and
> I could get no response from my USB mouse and keyboard at all. Complete
> lock-up. Tried switching off and on again and got the same problem.
>
> The Award BIOS dates from 1998. I've checked the obvious settings and
> everything seems to be fine: P'n'P OS is switched on.
>
> Could anyone suggest a possible solution to this?
>
> Cheers,

This is usually an indication that compiz-fusion has tried to load but you
don't have the correct graphics driver loaded. You don't mention what
graphics card you're using on that computer.

At the white screen can you do a: ALT+CTRL+F1 to get at a fullscreen
terminal?

Cheer.

--
The world can't afford the rich.

On 2008-02-12, The Doctor hit the keyboard and wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I've had more experience with openSuSE, but I thought I'd have a go at
> installing Ubuntu 7.10 on a gutless test rig of mine this evening.
>
> The machine is a Pentium III with 256Mb RAM and a 5Gb hard drive, SB Live
> sound card and an unidentified wireless card.

I'm running a Pentium II right now. it has a bit more Ram then yours
though, and I use 3 HDD I salvaged from other PC's.

You could try a lightweight WM on your box. In the past I used ICE-WM
and now XFCE (Xubuntu).

Since you used a Linux before (Suse 6.2 was my first encounter) some
things are a bit different. But not much. :-)

I'm curios which Monitor are you using?

Take care :-)

>
> I will work on getting the wireless working later but I'm having problems
> with gdm.
>
> The Live CD worked fine and I installed onto the hard drive. Then, after
> the first reboot the login screen appeared and thus I logged in.
>
> After this the desktop went immediately blank (off-white background) and
> I could get no response from my USB mouse and keyboard at all. Complete
> lock-up. Tried switching off and on again and got the same problem.
>
> The Award BIOS dates from 1998. I've checked the obvious settings and
> everything seems to be fine: P'n'P OS is switched on.
>
> Could anyone suggest a possible solution to this?
>
> Cheers,



Dragomir Kollaric
--
This signature is licensed under the GPL and may be
freely distributed as long as a copy of the GPL is included... :-)

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:58:22 +0000, Dragomir Kollaric wrote:

> I'm curios which Monitor are you using?
>
> Take care :-)

I connected the test rig up to the monitor on my normal system: it's an
LG Flatron L1930B.

For reference, my 'proper' system runs openSuSE 10.3 and is a quad-core
Athlon FX-74 with 4GB RAM, 673GB in total SCSI HD, GeForce 7800GTX
display card.

Cheers,
--
Rob
To reply, remove zudo

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:19:04 +0000, Moog wrote:

> No problem.
>
> Come back in here if you require any advice whatsoever.
>
> Ignore the trolls and the morons. You'll soon get to know who they are.
>
> Take the great advice that some of the regs can give. This NG is a
> superb resource. It certainl;y got me up and running all those years
> ago. ;-)

Installed Xubuntu and the system now runs fine, thanks!

However, I think I have discovered what the original problem was: I'd
installed an old SB Live sound card and as soon as I attempt to play
sound the system locks up exactly as it had done before, so I think that
may be the problem.

I assume that the Ubuntu installation previously had tried to play sound
when it first booted which probably caused the lock-up.

I'm going to try with another sound card now...

Cheers :-)
--
Rob
To reply, remove zudo

The Doctor illuminated alt.os.linux.ubuntu by typing:
> On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:19:04 +0000, Moog wrote:
>
>> No problem.
>>
>> Come back in here if you require any advice whatsoever.
>>
>> Ignore the trolls and the morons. You'll soon get to know who they are.
>>
>> Take the great advice that some of the regs can give. This NG is a
>> superb resource. It certainl;y got me up and running all those years
>> ago. ;-)
>
> Installed Xubuntu and the system now runs fine, thanks!

That's good news.

> However, I think I have discovered what the original problem was: I'd
> installed an old SB Live sound card and as soon as I attempt to play
> sound the system locks up exactly as it had done before, so I think that
> may be the problem.

Aaah. There's another thread further up talking about creative labs
and them ignoring linux.

> I assume that the Ubuntu installation previously had tried to play sound
> when it first booted which probably caused the lock-up.

That would certainly fall in with the experience of another ubuntu
user.

> I'm going to try with another sound card now...
>
> Cheers :-)

That sounds liek a great idea. Good luck.

--
Moog

"If this is gonna be that kinda party I'm gonna stick my dick in the
mashed potatoes"