? A Linux Question

[wowy7]

I have a question about linux,
i have just recently downloaded linux
for my 9-Year old computer.

so,i put linux on a burnable CD (Not a DVD) and then inserted the
boot disk into the disk drive;
and when i do so,the computer searches for a boot record from the
CD and it just says :

Searching for boot Record … Not Found.

and then it boots off WinXP that i allready have on the HDD.

SO what is the problem,
Does the disk Drive Read CD’s I ask myself?

PS. The only info i have on this computer is a label on the front of
it that says :

Powered By Caldera Systems OpenLinux.

[linuxguy]

@wowy7

so,i put linux on a burnable CD (Not a DVD) and then inserted the
boot disk into the disk drive;
and when i do so,the computer searches for a boot record from the
CD and it just says :

Searching for boot Record … Not Found.

and then it boots off WinXP that i allready have on the HDD.

It looks like you did not really write a bootable CD then.

1. Which Linux Distribution did you choose?

2. Did you download a *.ISO file for the Linux Distribution you chose? You need a *.ISO image file to burn a bootable CD.

3. What software or program did you use to try to make the bootable Linux CD with?

4. Did you use the binary image mode to write the CD (requires a *.ISO file)?

8-Dale

[wowy7]

@linuxguy

@wowy7

so,i put linux on a burnable CD

(Not a DVD) and then inserted the
boot disk into the disk drive;
and when i do so,the computer searches for a boot record from the
CD and it just says :

Searching for boot Record … Not Found.

and then it boots off WinXP that i allready have on the HDD.
It looks like you did not really write a bootable CD then.

1. Which Linux Distribution did you choose?

2. Did you download a *.ISO file for the Linux Distribution you chose? You need a *.ISO image file to burn a bootable CD.

3. What software or program did you use to try to make the bootable Linux CD with?

4. Did you use the binary image mode to write the CD (requires a *.ISO file)?

8-Dale

I used a program called “ISO Recorder” to record the ISO file
isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm
Now i also know it can’t be the CD drive cause i also tried
booting off of a SandDisk memory card (in other words i recorded the iso file

and it still says: Searching for boot record… not found.

[linuxguy]

@wowy7

I used a program called “ISO Recorder” to record the ISO file
isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm
Now i also know it can’t be the CD drive cause i also tried
booting off of a SandDisk memory card (in other words i recorded the iso file

and it still says: Searching for boot record… not found.

You did not answer all of my questions. I can not help without more information, but so far I can not make ISO Recorder do anything useful.

5. What do you see on the CD you wrote when you open it to browse the contents?

If you just see the *.ISO file, then you are not writing the CD correctly to be a bootable image.

8-Dale

[andylippitt]

It’s also important that you don’t first extract the ISO, then write the files. That will leave you with the appearance of a good CD but without the boot record.

[linuxguy]

@andylippitt

It’s also important that you don’t first extract the ISO, then write the files. That will leave you with the appearance of a good CD but without the boot record.

Very true!

I use PowerISO for handling ISO files and writing bootable CDs and it has also worked well for me. It allows extracting different formats of binary image files besides ISO files also, which is handy.

8-Dale

[wowy7]

@linuxguy

@wowy7

I used a program called “ISO Recorder” to record the ISO file
isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm
Now i also know it can’t be the CD drive cause i also tried
booting off of a SandDisk memory card (in other words i recorded the iso file

and it still says: Searching for boot record… not found.

You did not answer all of my questions. I can not help without more information, but so far I can not make ISO Recorder do anything useful.

5. What do you see on the CD you wrote when you open it to browse the contents?

If you just see the *.ISO file, then you are not writing the CD correctly to be a bootable image.

8-Dale

All the files on are it.
)5 Allt eh files are on it.

it boots up fine on my dell inspiron 300m,
so it can’t be the files.

[linuxguy]

@wowy7

All the files on are it.
)5 Allt eh files are on it.

it boots up fine on my dell inspiron 300m,
so it can’t be the files.

Ah, OK. You may have to enable booting from a CD in the BIOS of the PC. Sometimes there is a boot order you can set each device up for. I usually set things up to boot the CD, then the Hard Drive, then the Floppy (if there is one in the system, and I have one in both my PCs).

8-Dale

[wowy7]

@linuxguy

@wowy7

All the files on are it.
)5 Allt eh files are on it.

it boots up fine on my dell inspiron 300m,
so it can’t be the files.

Ah, OK. You may have to enable booting from a CD in the BIOS of the PC. Sometimes there is a boot order you can set each device up for. I usually set things up to boot the CD, then the Hard Drive, then the Floppy (if there is one in the system, and I have one in both my PCs).

8-Dale

Tried it,
i had it boot from CD first,then floppy,and last bu not least,Hard Drive
and it still did not work.

[wowy7]

but wait,
i just got a brilliant idea,
what if i copied the files that are on the cd and put them on the hard drive,
and then when you boot from the hard drive,it should run linux?

[linuxguy]

@wowy7

but wait,
i just got a brilliant idea,
what if i copied the files that are on the cd and put them on the hard drive,
and then when you boot from the hard drive,it should run linux?

No, it does not work that way. You have to install Linux just like you would have to install Windows. Certain things must be in certain places and the OS needs to write to several places.

Depending on how old this computer is you are trying to boot CDs from, it may just not be able to do it. Does this computer boot other CDs successfully?

8-Dale

[wowy7]

@linuxguy

@wowy7

but wait,
i just got a brilliant idea,
what if i copied the files that are on the cd and put them on the hard drive,
and then when you boot from the hard drive,it should run linux?

No, it does not work that way. You have to install Linux just like you would have to install Windows. Certain things must be in certain places and the OS needs to write to several places.

Depending on how old this computer is you are trying to boot CDs from, it may just not be able to do it. Does this computer boot other CDs successfully?

8-Dale

Yes,how do you think i put windows on there

[wowy7]

@linuxguy

@wowy7

so,i put linux on a burnable CD

(Not a DVD) and then inserted the
boot disk into the disk drive;
and when i do so,the computer searches for a boot record from the
CD and it just says :

Searching for boot Record … Not Found.

and then it boots off WinXP that i allready have on the HDD.
It looks like you did not really write a bootable CD then.

1. Which Linux Distribution did you choose?

8-Dale

MandrakeLinux

[wowy7]

Okay,
i decided to put Linux on my dell 300m,
And now,i like it better than windows vista
I don’t understand why microsoft will charge you $400 for win Vista when you could get some thing even better for free

[forkart]

I use magiciso to burn iso file. It works well for making linux cd.

[susanspy]

Hello Wowy7 & all

Well i tried

“what if i copied the files that are on the cd and put them on the hard drive,
and then when you boot from the hard drive,it should run linux”

But sorry to say it was a flop, i am thinking os a new way to make this happen, i will post if i strike gold here.

Thanks a lot.

Cheers!!!

[noodle]

If the distro you chose was Ubuntu, you can insert the CD into your drive while in Windows and install that way, but it’s much better to install not in Windows.

[linuxguy]

@susanspy

Hello Wowy7 & all

Well i tried

“what if i copied the files that are on the cd and put them on the hard drive,
and then when you boot from the hard drive,it should run linux”

This won’t work. You must boot the linux distro CD/DVD and install it from there to be sure everything is done properly. I would never recommend doing this from Windows. When installing an OS (any OS), please use the native installation method(s).

8-Dale