Do store bought PCs suck, or just Compaq, other?

[GenuineAdvantage]

I tried installing ubuntu on someone's PC and the live cd wouldn't even load. So I guess there's no point in installing it another way? Once the kernel boots it gets stuck on 'mounting root filesystem', then some errors on a plain bios screen show up. I'm no linux expert, nor hardware expert, but I'm guessing it's because it's a SATA-II hard drive? Or is is something else. This is the PC. Anyone recommend a linux distro that would install and work well on that thing?

[bedouin]

Have you tried booting the live CD in another machine to ensure it's a good burn?

[GenuineAdvantage]

That it is. I've installed with that same disk for people on about 10 machines, or close to that. And the disk isn't scratched or anything, it just stayed in a jewel case all along. I also tried plugging in a different cd drive and installing through there with the same result.

[Pathos]

My brother installed ubuntu first time no probs on his sata-II hard drive.

I would check for any bios updates for that mother board, its the most likely culprit.

I can't any information on the `P5RC-LE' motherboard specified on that website
http://www.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=9&l2=39&l3=0&model=797&modelmenu=1
perhaps ?

I would try another live cd (suse 10) as.

are there any changes to the hardware from stock ? what processor has it got ?

[obob]

should have a P4 524, also, Asus boards that Asus sells vs Asus boards that Asus sells to OEM builders are very different, doubt the BIOS flash would work...

Sure it's BIOS is setup right to run the OS off a CD?

[hm_murdock]

This is what everybody forgot! The guy had been practicing his mad soldering skillz and replaced the Intel proc with a PPC G5 the night before. Of course Linux won't boot right!

ELL OH ELL

[obob]

except that ubuntu works on PPC G5, and most conventional ATX motherboards are x86, therefore CISC and little endian, the PPC is entirely opposite of all of that...sorry, I have a problem with ruining jokes through understanding

[Refalm]

Those old Compaq's make great NAT boxes or DHCP servers.

When it comes to store PC's, the HP's are pretty much okay.
What's even better is self built computers from a non chain store.

[H_TeXMeX_H]

I keep lots of live CDs around, even a few designed for PPC ... you never know when you're gonna need 'em. (originally this is not the purpose I had in mind, I just wanted to try different distros and live CDs of different operating systems, I have some of FreeBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, lots of Knoppix-like ones ...)

[GenuineAdvantage]

This PC isn't an old Compaq, unless you count a week as old. And that model was released in May.

Sure it's BIOS is setup right to run the OS off a CD?

Obviously it's set to boot from the CD first or it wouldn't even get that far, so which other settings do you mean? I've tried much already. And I wasn't sure but I guess it has nothing to do with the SATAII hard drive. I've also tried other live cds now and got similar results.

Could it be that Comsuq specifically does things to block other OS installations? I had no problems with other PCs which were Dell and HP. Well I hope I can figure something out or I guess they're stuck with windows.

[obob]

I highly DOUBT compaq blocks you to just Windows, they aren't Dell, they don't worship MS.

I was talking about PnP settings and a few other settings in BIOS' designed for Windows, I've never personally had a problem with them (however I have seen WinXP machines running with BIOS' config'd like it was 1994, so my point was that maybe Ubuntu doesn't <3 that (not just the date, i'm talking about like FDD configurations, drive layout, etc))

Idk, it was a shot in the dark, i'd try clearing the CMOS just for the hell of it, finally, I'd really like to know HOW Compaq would block all OS' except MS Windows, without A) breaking the DMCA/anti-trust/anti-competitive laws B) pissing off a huge ass ammt of people C) having it super documented D) WHY?! and also i don't even have a clue as to how you'd go about locking a system thusly...

EDIT
just an idea, I have no actual basis for this though, I know ATI's graphics drivers + linux = crap, that system uses an ATI chipset, and ATI's chipsets suck even worse than their gfx adapters do (seriously, their chipsets are nothing amazing, at all) so maybe it's the chipset sucking it up/being incompatable (like I say, I have nothing to really base this on, don't own an ATI based mobo (thank god))

EDIT 2
ok after looking at ubuntu's website, that's some bullshit, they don't list system requirements/supported hardware ANYWHERE, and they're full of f'ing shit if they wanna say it supports every piece of hardware EVER MADE, Gentoo doesn't list any chipset support req's

HERE:
http://www.ati.com/products/radeonxpress200Intel/specs.html

ATI claims it has "support for Linux operating systems"
which in my opinion is about like saying a guy has "support for intercourse" that doesn't really give you much, beyond that it COULD work

so, i'm guessing it might be your wonderful canadian brand chipset, or it might be the motherboard not being entirely supported, can't gurantee either, and i'm not in the mood to dig out my old HP P4 board and test out my theory...except it uses the 815, which should work fine...

[GenuineAdvantage]

I tried tinkering with pretty much everything in the bios. No change. This is the end game, I'm afraid this one may have to be lost since I'll have to leave the PC behind, it's my mother's PC. Ironic I didn't have any problem with the other ones including a laptop which I thought would give problems.

Anyways, this is the BIOS error it gives:

..MP-BIOS bug. timer not connected to IO-APIC
PCI: cannot allocate resource region 3 of device 0000:00:00.0
hdc: ide_intr: huh? expected NULL handler on exit

[worker201]

See if this helps you at all:
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-amd64/2005-January/003380.html

Also have a glance at this thread:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-77021.html

Neither is an exact match to your problem (as I understand it), but they may shed some light on what might be going on.

[Pathos]

try damnsmalllinux and see if that works, it has an older kernel which may make a difference.

[pofnlice]

I do remember reading an article about this long ago. It was something about locking out other OS's in some package computers. I wish I could be more specific...actually remember more about the article, but I have heard of it at least attempting to be used...I dunno why I even just now remembered it...

I can't find the actual aricle, but here's a neat one from Arstechnica

It basically says Apple has figure d out a way to do something similar, and if this can happen, and Apple can get the patent, then Apple will make the only computers in the world capable of running OSX, Linux and windows on the same machine. Here's the article for those afraid to click...

OS War! (huh-yeah) What is it good for?
As has been floating all over the internet today, there is OMG SCANDALOUS news of Apple apparently preparing for a full-on war with Windows once the Intel switch comes around. How so, you ask? Apparently a patent has been filed by Apple that allows them to protect the installation of OS X to Apple-specific hardware. Aha, you say, this is not new news! No, it's not, until you get to this part:

However, the patent describes a process whereby users would be able to load one of three operating systems as their primary OS and then load a secondary operating system as their secondary OS. In the patent application, titled, System and method for creating tamper-resistant code, they describe the process as thus:

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first operating system is selected from the set consisting of Mac OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the second operating system is selected from the set consisting of Mac OS X, Linux, and Microsoft Windows.

Put simply, you may be able to run more than one of your favorite operating systems, or dare I say it, all three, on one machine