put CD in but it won't start install

[spartan]

Hi, I'm a long time Windows user but I've gotten very tired of the problems I'm having.

I thought I'd give Linux a try while keeping Windows.

I downloaded the 4 Cds and put them on discs but when I put the disc in the drive and restart the computer, it just loads into Windows and will not install Linux.

[tejas]

did you remember to set your BIOS to boot from CD?

To do this, hold a key while your comp boots up.

Depending on your comp, this may be:
f1, f2, del, esc

any one. It will usually say, hold 'whatever' for advanced options

[spartan]

It said boot from IDE CD-ROM or something like that (I'll get the exact phrase when I start it again). It just says " Press F1 to retry boot".

[wtg_photos]

make sure you used a utillity to burn the .iso
if you burn it as a data disc it will not be bootable
nero has a function i think it is "create cd form image"
or similar

also some mobos require that you hit a key as it says "boot from cd"

if you check the contents of the cd do you get one file named **.iso or is it a bunch of folders

[spartan]

make sure you used a utillity to burn the .iso
if you burn it as a data disc it will not be bootable
nero has a function i think it is "create cd form image"
or similar

also some mobos require that you hit a key as it says "boot from cd"

if you check the contents of the cd do you get one file named **.iso or is it a bunch of folders
a bunch of folders. I'll get the nero thing and redo the discs.

[pushback]

Hello,

I just completed a minimal install because anything more than that hung my machine during post-install configuration. So, now I have to load all the rpms manually for Apache, MySQL, etc. I found all the rpms here:

http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/4/SRPMS/

But all rpm seems to do with those is stick a bunch of sources in /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES

Can someone tell me how to install these source rpms?

[spartan]

do I need to burn all the discs? or just disc 1?

[spartan]

scratch that, still does the same thing.

[wiraone]

You need to burn the image and not just by dragging the ISO into the nero. Check Nero tutorial from nero website:

http://www.nero.com/eng/Tutorials_Express_6_Disc_image_or_saved_project.ht ml

[spartan]

You need to burn the image and not just by dragging the ISO into the nero. Check Nero tutorial from nero website:

http://www.nero.com/eng/Tutorials_Express_6_Disc_image_or_saved_project.ht ml
followed those directions exactly but get either loading straight to Windows or when I boot it from the Cd, I get "strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for set up" and if I press F1 it just says the same thing.

Sorry for all the help I'm needing :(

[wtg_photos]

make sure that your cd drive is set to master if it is on the end of the device cable(or the only device) or is set to slave if it is connected to the middle of the ide cable

i am the king of forgeting to change master slave settings

also make sure that the first boot device is the cd not floppy then cd this might help

if you could post your hardware that might help a bit more as well

[spartan]

so for my ignorance, but I have no clue what these master slave settings are.



Pentium 4 2 GHz
Dell
512mb
80GB HD

[wtg_photos]

no problem
it is just a little jumper on the back of cd and hdd's that tells the mobo
what order you installed them in

see if this link helps
http://www.ehow.com/how_6031_change-master/slave-designation.html

if you have not moved around the cd drives or hdd then you should be fine

just double check that the bios setting is for first boot device is set to cd and make sure you save settings as you exit the bios

also in the bios or as you boot you should be able to see which device(cd or hdd) is set as master or slave if you have more than one set as slave or master on the same cable you might get some of the symptoms you decribe..... but it might be something else

do you have another computer that you can try to boot to the cd with to make sure the cd works
if so when it boots you can just abort so as to not make changes

[spartan]

It looks like the problem is the disk because it opens up as a bunch of files on the laptop.

Is it okay to use CD-RW disks for the iso?

[wtg_photos]

I thought I'd give Linux a try while keeping Windows.

if you plan on doing a dual boot system then you will need to make sure you have all of your HDD partitions in order also you need to understand what you are trying to do
if you just insert the cd and choose all the defaults you might erase data that you need make sure you have a good backup of ANYTHING important

this might help also try to search this forum

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63169&highlight=dual+boot+fc4

[wtg_photos]

the bunch of files is right
can you boot to it on the laptop?

[spartan]

if you plan on doing a dual boot system then you will need to make sure you have all of your HDD partitions in order also you need to understand what you are trying to do
if you just insert the cd and choose all the defaults you might erase data that you need make sure you have a good backup of ANYTHING important

this might help also try to search this forum

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63169&highlight=dual+boot+fc4
thanks for the help. What can I use to partition the hard drive, that is free? I can't find my original Windows disk, grrrr.

[spartan]

the bunch of files is right
can you boot to it on the laptop?
no, I can't. Same thing with the desktop.

[doctormetal]

Did you have the corect discs? not the one with SRPMS in the name. Those are the discs containing the source code and not the installation.

For CD install you need the images named

FC4-i386-disc1.iso
FC4-i386-disc2.iso
FC4-i386-disc3.iso
FC4-i386-disc4.iso

[spartan]

Did you have the corect discs? not the one with SRPMS in the name. Those are the discs containing the source code and not the installation.

For CD install you need the images named

FC4-i386-disc1.iso
FC4-i386-disc2.iso
FC4-i386-disc3.iso
FC4-i386-disc4.iso
mine have SRPMS, I'll download the others. Thanks

[wtg_photos]

thanks DR Metal
its always the easy stuff huh

What can I use to partition the hard drive, that is free? I can't find my original Windows disk, grrrr.

i sugesst knoppix

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=knoppix

it is a whole linux distro that runs from a cd(it is based on debian)
but it is very useful for making backups of files, partitioning drives and fixing stuff that got messed up somehow---- also it is good for figuring out what other flavors of linux will name your hardware

it will boot install and run on almost anything with out a hitch

i use Qparted on knoppix to partiton drives****BE CAREFUL DONT WIPE OUT YOUR WINDoZE ****
since you cant find the CD

resizing a windows NTFS partition can be risky

also configuring the partions for a dual boot on a currently installed xp comp can be tricky

[wtg_photos]

also this iso claims to be able to resize a NTFS partition so as to make room for Linux on your one HDD
http://www.sysresccd.org/
http://www.sysresccd.org/screenshots.en.php

[spartan]

also this iso claims to be able to resize a NTFS partition so as to make room for Linux on your one HDD
http://www.sysresccd.org/
http://www.sysresccd.org/screenshots.en.php
I only have 4 CDs, do I just need the first CD out of the 4 for the install?

[wtg_photos]

to do a FC4 install you will need all four discs

the sysresccd is a seperate .iso that will alow you to prepare your disk for the whole dual boot thing

if you are unsure what it will take to make your computer dual boot you might want to stop and do some research in to the full process

it is much eaiser to go with a fedora only machine
or even use two seperate Hard drives

[spartan]

to do a FC4 install you will need all four discs

the sysresccd is a seperate .iso that will alow you to prepare your disk for the whole dual boot thing

if you are unsure what it will take to make your computer dual boot you might want to stop and do some research in to the full process

it is much eaiser to go with a fedora only machine
or even use two seperate Hard drives
is there a distro that may be easier to set up for my requirements?

[wtg_photos]

yes you might want to check out MEPIS

there are lots of distros
read about them
fedora is great
but you might want to try another one first
i learned on KNOPPIX and SUSE

when i got new hardware i swithed to FC4
i Love it i wouldnt go back

http://distrowatch.com/
345 different distros for your consideration

also check out
http://www.gnu.org/
http://www.linux.org/
http://www.kernel.org/