Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint
Burned to DVD
Inserted in laptop
Powered up - Windows loaded
Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?
--
bert

On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

Did you burn the dvd as an .iso image or did you just burn it as a data
file? A data file won't boot, an image file will. I use ImgBurn, a free
program and it works every time.

--
TOJ.

On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


--
Johnny B Good

On 04/08/2015 22:47, bert wrote:
Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint
Burned to DVD
Inserted in laptop
Powered up - Windows loaded
Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

If you don't have a fast connection, a booting USB stick is under a
fiver from eBay.

In article ,
bert writes:
Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint
Burned to DVD
Inserted in laptop
Powered up - Windows loaded
Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

If you are anywhere near Kentish Town on Tuesday 11th and still not
worked it out, bring your laptop along to the Restart Party, and
someone there will help you do it.

See: http://therestartproject.org/

There are more events listed on that website later in August and at
other London locations too.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Tue, 4 Aug 2015 22:03:11 +0000 (UTC), The Other John
wrote:

On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

Did you burn the dvd as an .iso image or did you just burn it as a data
file? A data file won't boot, an image file will. I use ImgBurn, a free
program and it works every time.

Or even Windows Disk Image Burner (right click on the ISO and choose
open with etc.
If the file association is no longer present open isoburn.exe in
windows\system32

True of Windows 7 pro anyway.


--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On 04/08/2015 23:04, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?



The other possibility is that the boot order needs changing in the
BIOS.so its DVD/CD then HDD.

On 05/08/15 18:26, Stephen wrote:

The other possibility is that the boot order needs changing in the
BIOS.so its DVD/CD then HDD.

"Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD "

Er no, then..


--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was
so simple.
--
bert

In article , Stephen
writes
On 04/08/2015 23:04, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?



The other possibility is that the boot order needs changing in the
BIOS.so its DVD/CD then HDD.
That's what F12 allows you to do.
--
bert

In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
In article ,
bert writes:
Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint
Burned to DVD
Inserted in laptop
Powered up - Windows loaded
Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

If you are anywhere near Kentish Town on Tuesday 11th and still not
worked it out, bring your laptop along to the Restart Party, and
someone there will help you do it.

See: http://therestartproject.org/

There are more events listed on that website later in August and at
other London locations too.

Only about 180 miles away joined by a couple of car parks AKA M6/M1
--
bert

In article , The Other John
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

Did you burn the dvd as an .iso image or did you just burn it as a data
file? A data file won't boot, an image file will. I use ImgBurn, a free
program and it works every time.

Just as a data disc. Thanks for that. Never thought about it.
--
bert

In article , Graham.
writes
On Tue, 4 Aug 2015 22:03:11 +0000 (UTC), The Other John
wrote:

On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

Did you burn the dvd as an .iso image or did you just burn it as a data
file? A data file won't boot, an image file will. I use ImgBurn, a free
program and it works every time.

Or even Windows Disk Image Burner (right click on the ISO and choose
open with etc.
If the file association is no longer present open isoburn.exe in
windows\system32

True of Windows 7 pro anyway.


Which is what I have on my desktop so I'll try that thanks.
--
bert

"Stephen" wrote in message
...
On 04/08/2015 23:04, Johnny B Good wrote:
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?



The other possibility is that the boot order needs changing in the BIOS.so
its DVD/CD then HDD.

I was given Linux Mint on a DVD to try. And try I did. It loaded sort of
okay.
After beating myself up part time for a week or so I asked myself the
question: "Why am I bothering with this ****"?
Linux is for geeks and pikeys, bin it.

On 05/08/2015 20:17, bert wrote:
In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was
so simple.

Linux guys don't do simple.. try

http://unetbootin.github.io/ or
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

for a simpler way to download and burn to usb stick.


Also you can install ubuntu as part of your windows file system using
wubi (its on the ubuntu download). Some linux type will be along shortly
to tell you that linux doesn't run well as part of windows but that's
cr@p as there is no windows running when you install linux using wubi
the only code that runs is linux so if its cr@p its not down to windows.

In article ,
bert writes:
In article , Andrew Gabriel
writes
If you are anywhere near Kentish Town on Tuesday 11th and still not
worked it out, bring your laptop along to the Restart Party, and
someone there will help you do it.

See: http://therestartproject.org/

There are more events listed on that website later in August and at
other London locations too.

Only about 180 miles away joined by a couple of car parks AKA M6/M1

You might find one locally. They are sometimes run by a local council
Transition group, or a local makerspace.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In article . com,
lid writes
On 05/08/2015 20:17, bert wrote:
In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was
so simple.

Linux guys don't do simple.. try

http://unetbootin.github.io/ or
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/

for a simpler way to download and burn to usb stick.


Also you can install ubuntu as part of your windows file system using
wubi (its on the ubuntu download). Some linux type will be along
shortly to tell you that linux doesn't run well as part of windows but
that's cr@p as there is no windows running when you install linux using
wubi the only code that runs is linux so if its cr@p its not down to
windows.

Well I've created the disc and booted. Some error message flashed up
BIOS error Timer not connected to .....

Boot carried on until it asked me for a username then the whole thing
froze up.

Seems bollix to me but I'm just a simple Windows user.
--
bert

On 05/08/2015 22:41, Huge wrote:
In article . com,
lid writes

[32 lines snipped]

Also you can install ubuntu as part of your windows file system using
wubi (its on the ubuntu download). Some linux type will be along
shortly to tell you that linux doesn't run well as part of windows but
that's cr@p as there is no windows running when you install linux using
wubi the only code that runs is linux so if its cr@p its not down to
windows.

Wrong.



Go on then tell us what windows code runs.

On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was
so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a data
disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select an
image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the source
website of the iso image file, usually in the download instructions
associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1] file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if this
doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in town,
just the best known and trusted one.

--
Johnny B Good

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit
large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It
has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows
loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded
again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was
so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a data
disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select an
image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the source
website of the iso image file, usually in the download instructions
associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1] file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if this
doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in town,
just the best known and trusted one.

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.
--
bert

On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a
bit large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up -
Windows loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows
loaded again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it
was so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when
you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a
data disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select
an image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the
source website of the iso image file, usually in the download
instructions associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1]
file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a
whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if this
doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in town,
just the best known and trusted one.

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as just
simply a large file to a data disk?


--
Johnny B Good

On Sun, 09 Aug 2015 02:45:24 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a
bit large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the
instructions Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop
Powered up - Windows loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows
loaded again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it
was so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when
you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a
data disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select
an image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the
source website of the iso image file, usually in the download
instructions associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even
manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1]
file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a
whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if
this doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in
town,
just the best known and trusted one.

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an
optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as
just simply a large file to a data disk?

I just tried it and yes, if you have a .ISO file, it offers the option to
burn the image to the CD/DVD/BD.

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a
bit large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up -
Windows loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows
loaded again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it
was so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when
you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a
data disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select
an image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the
source website of the iso image file, usually in the download
instructions associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1]
file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a
whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if this
doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in town,
just the best known and trusted one.

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as just
simply a large file to a data disk?


Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.
--
bert

On Sun, 09 Aug 2015 20:22:37 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:


====snip====

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an
optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as
just simply a large file to a data disk?


Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

If this was the point in the installation where it was asking you to
*create* a username, that's more likely a problem of corruption in the iso
file you happened to download.

I hit this problem myself around April/May this year with a few of the
different Linux Mint 17 releases I was trying out. In one case, the
torrent downloaded image file MD5 checksum failed to match but a direct
download from the University of Kent's server produced a correct MD5 hash
and did install ok. However, another version either showed a good
checksum and still failed or showed the same bad checksum using an
alternative download source and kept failing anyway (at a slightly later
stage in the process).

I was using bootable flash media rather than a bootable DVD but I think
I still experienced the same fails when I tried optical media. "****
Happens"(tm F Gump) so it's worth checking the MD5 checksums on those
downloaded image files before trying to burn a boot DVD or create a
bootable USB flash drive, especially if you've used a torrent source.

--
Johnny B Good

On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:25:12 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

I hit this problem myself around April/May this year with a few of the
different Linux Mint 17 releases I was trying out. In one case, the
torrent downloaded image file MD5 checksum failed to match but a direct
download from the University of Kent's server produced a correct MD5
hash and did install ok.

Probably worth giving the URL:

http://www.mirrorservice.org

On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:
In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Wed, 05 Aug 2015 20:17:45 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Tue, 04 Aug 2015 22:47:25 +0100, bert wrote:

Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a
bit large.
So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB.
It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions
Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up -
Windows loaded Powered down.
Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows
loaded again

Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?

I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)

Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image
file
(eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?


No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it
was so simple.

Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when
you
realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a
different option in your CD/DVD burning software.

For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly
common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a
data disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select
an image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the
source website of the iso image file, usually in the download
instructions associated with the file.

If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning
application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is
to download and install the free IMGBurn application.

Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool
which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not
absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even
manipulate)
the contents of such files.

Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1]
file
into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting
the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable
install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash
drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).

However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a
whole
host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if
this
doesn't work with your particular machine.

[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last
downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also,
there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities
designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in
town,
just the best known and trusted one.

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as just
simply a large file to a data disk?


Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing stuff
silently.


--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing stuff
silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

On 10/08/15 08:44, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing stuff
silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

Normally IIRC there's a running slide show and a progress bar.

But some deep stuff happens first. Hardware probes. You may simply have
been too impatient.


I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.


--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing stuff
silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......

--
CB

On 10/08/2015 09:52, CB wrote:
On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:


8

Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......


Some software designers are idiots.
The user should always be told what is going to happen so they know it
isn't broken. If its going to take a long time then tell the user its
going to happen in the background and give them a status somewhere so
they can check on progress.

On 10/08/15 14:17, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 09:52, CB wrote:
On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:


8

Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......


Some software designers are idiots.
The user should always be told what is going to happen so they know it
isn't broken. If its going to take a long time then tell the user its
going to happen in the background and give them a status somewhere so
they can check on progress.


SOMETIMES that simply isn't possible.
Deep hardware magic that needs to wait for possibly never occurring
response from hardware that turns out to be non existent can tie the
kernel and indeed the while machine up.

Its pretty hard to write that sort of code in a multi tasking way.



--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:22:06 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

On 10/08/15 08:44, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username
then it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing
stuff silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

Normally IIRC there's a running slide show and a progress bar.

But some deep stuff happens first. Hardware probes. You may simply have
been too impatient.


I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

Well, from the point of view of checking the files on the mirror sites
for corruption at any rate.

I knew *something* was wrong with the installer process (bug or
corrupted file) since I had the successful experiences with the other
desktop versions to provide a benchmark. Also, the first few times, I
waited an hour or more before giving up and trying again with the
'download updates in the background' feature turned off.

In at least one case, data corruption was implicated by the MD5 checksum
mismatch but this wasn't so clearly the case with other versions and
distros I had similar problems with.

As I've already mentioned "**** Happens"(tm F. Gump) so I just shrugged
my shoulders after a second download gave the same trouble and moved onto
yet another desktop version or distro (too many imponderables to get all
worked up about, not the least being one of hardware compatibility let
alone bugs or file corruption). After all, it's not as if there aren't a
shedload of distros and desktop versions to choose from. :-)


--
Johnny B Good

On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:52:54 +0100, CB wrote:

On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username
then it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing
stuff silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......

That's the main reason why I despise any manufacturer that has the gall
to save a penny or two on that most vital of tell-tales, the HDD activity
LED.

--
Johnny B Good

On 10/08/2015 15:20, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 10/08/15 14:17, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 09:52, CB wrote:
On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:


8

Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......


Some software designers are idiots.
The user should always be told what is going to happen so they know it
isn't broken. If its going to take a long time then tell the user its
going to happen in the background and give them a status somewhere so
they can check on progress.


SOMETIMES that simply isn't possible.
Deep hardware magic that needs to wait for possibly never occurring
response from hardware that turns out to be non existent can tie the
kernel and indeed the while machine up.

Its pretty hard to write that sort of code in a multi tasking way.




There is no hardware that should stop multitasking on a multitasking
machine. (Even though I found some cr@p software on a Tandem nonstop
unix machine that did stop the machine when my print ran out of paper).

Anyway this isn't hardware it a simple bit of UI and an incompetent
programmer or stupid programming rules that need ignoring.

On 10/08/15 17:06, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 15:20, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 10/08/15 14:17, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 09:52, CB wrote:
On 10/08/2015 08:44, dennis@home wrote:


8

Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing
something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.

One of my regular arguments with a freind about the benefits of windows
verses macs was his preference that Macs don't keep telling you what
they are doing they just get on with it in the background (whilst
windows insists on keeping telling you what its doing).

Imagine my interest when on the upgrade from one version of iTunes to
another his itunes kept freezing and never completing the upgrade.

It eventually transpired that his music collection (we are talking
thousands of CDs) was so large that itunes had to be left for about 20
hours to do its stuff. After which it worked fine. It had apparently
been working as designed all the time and he had wasted about a week
with a constantly freezing itunes......


Some software designers are idiots.
The user should always be told what is going to happen so they know it
isn't broken. If its going to take a long time then tell the user its
going to happen in the background and give them a status somewhere so
they can check on progress.


SOMETIMES that simply isn't possible.
Deep hardware magic that needs to wait for possibly never occurring
response from hardware that turns out to be non existent can tie the
kernel and indeed the while machine up.

Its pretty hard to write that sort of code in a multi tasking way.




There is no hardware that should stop multitasking on a multitasking
machine. (Even though I found some cr@p software on a Tandem nonstop
unix machine that did stop the machine when my print ran out of paper).

The scheduler is not always the highest priority interrupt, and its
perfectly possible to turn interrupts off if you want to do some special
timing stuff.

The hardware doesn't stop the multi tasking. The kernel may, if its got
better things to do


Anyway this isn't hardware it a simple bit of UI and an incompetent
programmer or stupid programming rules that need ignoring.


--
New Socialism consists essentially in being seen to have your heart in
the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
someone else's pocket.

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Sun, 09 Aug 2015 20:22:37 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Johnny B Good
writes
On Sat, 08 Aug 2015 21:16:30 +0100, bert wrote:


====snip====

I found a simple option in W7 Burn Files to Disc.

Presumably this is an option specifically to burn an image to an
optical
disk rather than, as the name implies, to burn the iso image file as
just simply a large file to a data disk?


Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

If this was the point in the installation where it was asking you to
*create* a username, that's more likely a problem of corruption in the iso
file you happened to download.

No it asked me for my username, I assumed it was going to use that to
create one for future use.
I hit this problem myself around April/May this year with a few of the
different Linux Mint 17 releases I was trying out. In one case, the
torrent downloaded image file MD5 checksum failed to match but a direct
download from the University of Kent's server produced a correct MD5 hash
and did install ok. However, another version either showed a good
checksum and still failed or showed the same bad checksum using an
alternative download source and kept failing anyway (at a slightly later
stage in the process).

Ok I'll try the Kent server if I can find it - but I thought this was
going to be simple.
Snip
--
bert

In article , Bob Eager
writes
On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:25:12 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

I hit this problem myself around April/May this year with a few of the
different Linux Mint 17 releases I was trying out. In one case, the
torrent downloaded image file MD5 checksum failed to match but a direct
download from the University of Kent's server produced a correct MD5
hash and did install ok.

Probably worth giving the URL:

http://www.mirrorservice.org
Thank you _I'd never have guessed it :-)
--
bert

In article , The Natural Philosopher
writes
On 10/08/15 08:44, dennis@home wrote:
On 10/08/2015 07:26, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/08/15 20:22, bert wrote:


8

Yes and I managed to boot from it until Linux asked or a username then
it froze.

After hat point it spends many minutes downloading and installing stuff
silently.



Well that's stupid if it doesn't let the user know its doing something.
Its one of the important things about interface design.

Normally IIRC there's a running slide show and a progress bar.

But some deep stuff happens first. Hardware probes. You may simply have
been too impatient.


I would classify that as a fix it *now* fault.


I did leave it for some time - as in walked off and had a cup of tea
etc.
--
bert

Johnny B Good posted
I just shrugged my shoulders after a second download gave the same
trouble and moved onto yet another desktop version or distro (too many
imponderables to get all worked up about, not the least being one of
hardware compatibility let alone bugs or file corruption). After all,
it's not as if there aren't a shedload of distros and desktop versions
to choose from. :-)


Whereas with Windows, you just do it and it works, and you haven't
wasted endless hours struggling with it. Yes, folks, Linux is the right
way to go. If you're retired with nothing better to do.

--
Les

On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 20:40:28 +0100, bert wrote:

In article , Bob Eager
writes
On Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:25:12 +0000, Johnny B Good wrote:

I hit this problem myself around April/May this year with a few of
the
different Linux Mint 17 releases I was trying out. In one case, the
torrent downloaded image file MD5 checksum failed to match but a
direct download from the University of Kent's server produced a
correct MD5 hash and did install ok.

Probably worth giving the URL:

http://www.mirrorservice.org
Thank you _I'd never have guessed it :-)

I have the advantage of working there - well, for another four months.