Mediacheck failure

Surreal_Pimp · #1 27th May 2004, 02:07 PM

Hey everyone,

First time poster here and admitted Linux n00b. I've searched the archives and didn't see an answer to what I was looking for so I come to you fine people for some advice.

Currently I'm running WinXP. Been a windows user my whole life but looking to explore the world of Linux. I downloaded the 4 iso files for FC2T3 a few days ago. The md5sums verify for all four iso's. I burned the images back to CD using Nero using the "finalize disk" and "disc-at-once" options. When I attempt to boot from the CD on a different machine (I will NOT be dual booting with XP) I choose to install in graphical mode. When it asks to run mediacheck, all four of my CD's fail. I have burned the CD's multiple times over the past few days using different options within Nero and using different brands of CD-R's, all to no avail. Is there something I'm missing as the n00b that I am?

My last ditch attempt is to use ISObuster to extract the files from the images then burn the files to CD. I'm going to give that a shot tonight, but I'm skeptical.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Please?? Much thanks in advance.

wolveso · #2 27th May 2004, 06:40 PM

I used Nero to burn my FC2 iso's, with no problems. I used the simpler Nero Express, just to stop me from fiddling with the options : ) Try using Nero Express, and selecting the "Create Disk From Saved Image" option (unsure of the actual wording it uses!). Then make sure you have a blank disk in the CD writer, select a *low* (as low as you can stand) burn speed, and press "Burn".

This way might take sometime if you selected 2X burning, but it'll help to create an error-free disc. Also, Express takes away the temptation to mess with options, as mentioned. Hope this helps!

Surreal_Pimp · #3 27th May 2004, 08:23 PM

wolveso,

Thanks for the suggestion. I will download Nero Express as you suggested. And your point about the burn speed may be a valid one. While I have had no trouble burning files at high burn rates, perhaps this could be an issue with the ISO's because of their structure. I will be sure to try a slower burn speed tonight.

Surreal_Pimp · #4 28th May 2004, 12:19 AM

Ok, I've burned with various programs now, I've tried burning as slow as 4x (the slowest I can burn), I've tried extracting from the ISO then burning the contents, all of which has yielded me nothing. Any other suggestions?

wolveso · #5 28th May 2004, 12:39 AM

Hmm, a few more questions then : )

What happens if you ignore the media check and try to install anyway?

Can you see any files on the FC2 CD-R(s) once it's (they've) supposedly burned? (in Windows Explorer for example)

Can you burn other CD-Rs (non FC2) successfully?

Surreal_Pimp · #6 28th May 2004, 01:07 AM

From within WinXP i can view the discs and all 4 look correct. When i attempt to skip the mediacheck, the installer immediately fails and exits. I burn CD's on this burner all the time with no problems. I am contemplating dropping in a spare burner I have as a last resort if need be.

Surreal_Pimp · #7 29th May 2004, 06:21 AM

Ok, so here's an update on my situation. I now have 5 computers involved and still have no luck.

A) Dell Dimension 2400 2.4 ghz w/ cd drive (work)
B) Dell Dimension 8200 2.8 ghz w/ cd & cd-r drives (work)
C) Dell Dimension 8200 2.4 ghz w/ cd & cd-r drivies (work)
D) 400 mhz machine w/198 mb ram (home - my preferred linux box) w/ 60gb hard drive partioned 20gb/40gb - cd drive only
E) 1ghz Thunderbird machine w/198 mb ram (home - my WinXP machine) cd & cd-r drives

I downloaded the ISO's on "E" originally and burned the images to CD. When I attempted to load Linux on "D", all 4 discs failed. (leading to my first post). Tried this numerous times with assorted burning software at various speeds with various settings (i have drink coasters, frisbees, coffee cup saucers, etc. all over my house now). Sooo.... I burned the ISO's to CD as files and took them to work. and copied them onto "C", checked to verify the md5sums again to make sure nothing was corrupted copying the files and all was well. I then burned them on "C" using Easy CD Creator. I tested all 4 CD's on "A", "B" and "C" and the discs all passed on all 3 computers. I brought the CD's home and attempted to load Fedora on "D" again. Once again, all 4 discs fail. Attempting to bypass mediacheck and continue anyway results in installation immediately failing and termination signals being sent. I then went back to "E" with these discs to see if they pass or fail on yet another machine. The installer won't even load on this machine. It gets to the last line and freezes every time. I went back to "D" one more time. I swapped the CD rom drive with a newer one that I had around the house. Still no go. All four disks fail mediacheck and bypassing it causes immediate failure and termination signals. My first experience with Linux is turning out to be frustrating to the point that I'm ready to stick with Winblows.

Frustrated......

dowski · #8 1st June 2004, 02:18 AM

Maybe this can help:

First a little deductive logic:

Quote:

I tested all 4 CD's on "A", "B" and "C" and the discs all passed on all 3 computers.

Hence: The problem is not in the discs.

Quote:

I swapped the CD rom drive with a newer one that I had around the house. Still no go.

Fairly save to say it's not in the drive either.
Its somewhere inside your "D" machine, no question.

I had a similar problem when I was installing a web server on an old P133, here's what caused my headaches:

Some older machines (yours sounds fairly old) have problems booting and installing directly from cdrom. Not exactly sure why, but they do. Try booting off a floppy.
The procedure for making a boot floppy is explained here:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/l...EPS-MAKE-DISKS

There should be an images/bootdisk.img on your cd's somewhere. (I think it was cd1)

Skip the media check as you already have done that 3 times...

If that don't work, go to:

http://www.knoppix.org/

download knoppix (and its boot-diskette image) and try if you can boot it. If you can't, even with the floppy, there's probably some incompatible or broken hardware in your box.

I must warn you though: If you get it installed the tweaking has only yet begun. It'll be a bumpy ride when your used to windows.

But I love it!

Surreal_Pimp · #9 1st June 2004, 04:37 AM

Here's a quick update of my weekend activities. I downloaded RH9 and burned them sucessfully (passed mediacheck) and I also found a set of discs for RH7.3 that i obtained from Linux Central a while back and never installed. I thought maybe machine "D" was borderline on resources and that might be affecting the installation so I went to "E". I removed the XP hard drive and put in a blank 60gb drive. I attempted installing all 3 versions of linux. I bypassed mediacheck. All three versions fail installation at various points. RH9 made it the furthest, failing when it reached the installation of mozilla. It declared it encountered a fatal error and then it exited. I'm throwing my hands up in the air in frustration at this point and I'm ready to abandon my notions of a linux box.

DannyBoy · #10 1st June 2004, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Surreal_Pimp
. I thought maybe machine "D" was borderline on resources and that might be affecting the installation so I went to "E". ... I'm throwing my hands up in the air in frustration at this point and I'm ready to abandon my notions of a linux box.

On "D", I don't think it is borderline at all 'cos I have successfully installed RH9 on a Pentium II 266MHz machine with 128MB or RAM and 10 GB harddisk. RH9 works on this machine, just that it was really slow running in graphical mode. I have since reconfigured it to run in text mode, thanks to some nice people on this forum.

I have also successfully installed RH9 on a Dell Pentium III 600Mhz machine with 128 MB RAM and 10 GB harddisk. So Dell isn't the problem either.

Don't give up as yet, keep trying. Linux has come a long way. The community is helpful.

dowski · #11 1st June 2004, 05:23 AM

:-(

I've heard about people having a hard time installing Linux, and I guess you're one of 'm...

Some unsupported hardware would be my first guess...

Can't blame you if you wanna give up, You shouldn't , but I can't blame you.

Maybe, if you're still with us, you would be willing to try knoppix, Maybe you already know this, but knoppix is Linux directly from cd-rom. i.e. you don't have to install anything.
Its a perfectly save way of getting the feel for linux, though a bit limited. It can also tell you a lot about your machine in "linux-terms" . I run it before I install a complete distro, and it warned me for hardware issues on some occasions.
Though I never had as much trouble installing a distro as you seem to have, it must be very frustrating....

DannyBoy · #12 1st June 2004, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dowski
:-(
Maybe you already know this, but knoppix is Linux directly from cd-rom. i.e. you don't have to install anything.
Its a perfectly save way of getting the feel for linux, though a bit limited. It can also tell you a lot about your machine in "linux-terms" . I run it before I install a complete distro, and it warned me for hardware issues on some occasions.
Though I never had as much trouble installing a distro as you seem to have, it must be very frustrating....

This reminds me, SUSE has a free downloadable CD known as Live9.1CD. This CD boots up and runs the SUSE linux off the CD directly without installing anything. Try it out too!

Again, I have tried this and it worked for me, even recognising my network card and I could actually do a bit of web surfing while it's up.

RedFedora · #13 1st June 2004, 10:27 AM

To the question "What happens if you ignore the media check
during install?"

The short answer, 99.99% of the time, is "Nothing goes wrong."

I've done serveral installs of various Linux distros. Every single disk
of every distro _always_ failed the media check and, you know what?,
every install went smoothly.

chances are, if Nero, or GnomeToaster or X-roast or whatever, say that it burned
properly, then it probably did.

Surreal_Pimp · #14 1st June 2004, 10:45 AM

Ok....welp I tried the boot floppy option, same results. Install fails at various points, most commonly when it starts reading the packages.

I tried also the Knoppix suggestion. It loads up but a few minutes in, it exits abnormally.

I've looked around for hardware compatibility issues and i can't find anything indicating my hardware would be an issue.

I'm at a complete loss.

dowski · #15 1st June 2004, 11:43 AM

Duh...

This happends on both boxes? Still sounds like a hardware issue to me. Two different boxes with simular harware problems...
That would be something like winning the lottery I guess... In a "not fun" way, ofcourse.

Let me try and make a summary here:

You tried three different distro's (or versions anyway) on two different machines with three different cdrom drives. Both with a floppy boot and without. On top of that you tried knoppix...

The strange thing is, that unless it's somewhere in the mobo or the cdrom (or in between those) knoppix should at least work. In theory you wouldn't even need a harddisk for that.

Did knoppix give you an error code or something?